Pregnancy, Labor, Postpartum Bodywork

Comment

Comment by Elaine Stillerman, LMT on December 6, 2009 at 8:05am

To Caitlin,

I have been massaging pregnant women since 1980 (written 2 books and teach the professional certification course. "MotherMassage (R)" all over the country). A woman will start labor only when she, her baby, and her placenta are ready to do so. A relaxing massage can reduce stress levels, provide comfort, and reduce pain, but will only support labor when these three interrelated factors are working in harmony.

Once labor is established, there are some points that are effective in speeding things up. Her body, her heart, her mind must all be respected. The baby will come when the time is right. As massage practitioners, we can make the journey more comfortable, provide more control for the mother, and offer support.

Elaine Stillerman, LMT
MotherMassage (R)
www.MotherMassage.Net
"Prenatal massage: a textbook of pregnancy, labor, and postpartum bodywork" (Mosby, 2008).

Comment by leslie stager on December 6, 2009 at 12:55am

Hi Caitlin,
As perinatal massage specialist, labor and delivery nurse, doula, childbirth educator, and author of a perinatal massage text, I have worked with 100's of laboring women, and spoken to many practitioners. My experience and belief, based on this, is that without quite extreme measures like use of oxytocin in the hospital, we will mainly be effective with touch by helping a mother relax, and preparing the body for birth in the timing that baby is ready for. If that happens soon after massage/touch session, that is more likely coincidence than directly related to the massage itself.. I do not suggest or encourage the use of massage for "induction". I believe talking about it in that way gives false expectations and hopes to a mother, and raises the question of working outside your scope of practice.

Instead, emotional support combined with nurturing touch and the use of acupressure, hydrotherapy, MFR, and the like, can all help to reduce the release of stress hormones in the body, and increase the body's readiness for labor to begin. IF the timing is right for baby and mom, then labor will begin, but that is less likely than just creating optimum conditions for labor to begin in its own timing.

The only time I think it important to really focus on beginning labor is when a woman is going to get scheduled for pitocin induction at a hospital. In this case, to try to avoid the medical induction, there are multiple methods that will be much more effective than touch alone.. including sexual activity, castor oil and acupuncture.

Touch needs to be used regularly, multiple times over a period of days, with very focused intention to have any hope of real effectiveness. No reason not to do that, but baby is going to come out sooner or later no matter what.. THe vast majority of babies that are born at 42 weeks are totally fine and normal, and did not need to come out earlier... Most first time mothers will birth at least 1 week past their due date.

DUe dates are a real problem---women get attached to that day and when it goes by without a baby, it is cause for alot of stress and impatience!... They should be "due Months" instead..>!

Comment by caitlin o'donnell on December 5, 2009 at 9:56pm

i've resently started studying pre-natal massage and attempted to induce a co-worker of mine she is full term and the session felt sucessful except there is no resonse. im just curious if anyone had any amazing results they would like to share.
caitlin marie

Comment by Marilyn St.John on November 3, 2009 at 1:26pm

This is in response to Carol N. who posted back in September ~ sorry, I just noticed it. The chiropractor I work with near Detroit adjusts many women in all stages of pregnancy. I know the proximity won't do you any good, but I would be happy to pass any questions to her if that helps. She is Palmer-trained and has a lifetime of experience with the "chiropractic lifestyle." Her practice focuses on family care. ~m

Comment by Elaine Stillerman, LMT on October 27, 2009 at 6:51pm

Leslie,
Best of luck to you and your beautiful, new family! Elaine Stillerman

Comment by leslie stager on October 27, 2009 at 5:16pm

Ah, thanks for asking!
It was a long labor (36 hours) at home, with continuous massage, mostly to the hips and sacrum due to extreme back labor. Baby had both hands up at his face, so it made it a very painful labor and difficult to push him out (and he was 9 lbs).

She ended up with 3rd degree tears and now severe pudendal nerve pain continuing since then (5 weeks postpartum), making me ever more aware of the discomforts that postpartum women experience that go unnoticed by the public at large.

More attention needs to be given to new mothers; they are a special population in desperate need of bodywork that acknowledges their current physiological and hormonal states. They need to be treated differently than your normal non-pregnant client. I'd love to see hospitals implement a massage offering for all postpartum women..

Comment by Carol Nicolich on September 21, 2009 at 1:23pm

One of my students came in asking if I knew if there were any prenatal chiropractors in the Denver CO area. I realize you are all massage therapists, but I was hoping someone who has worked with a chiropractor who has worked with pregnant clients.

Thank you for your help.

Comment by Joanne Kolkebeck on September 18, 2009 at 11:28am

Hi Elaine! I will see you in Newington....I'm very excited about your course!

Comment by Elaine Stillerman, LMT on September 18, 2009 at 10:02am

MotherMassage (R): Massage during Pregnancy in Newington, CT 9/25-27 and Seekonk, MA 10/16-18. 24 CEUs and loads of fun! www.MotherMassage.Net

Comment by Carol Nicolich on September 14, 2009 at 6:40pm

My name is Carol Nicolich and I am a registered Massage Therapist in Colorado and work at the Aurora Campus of the Denver School of Massage Therapy. I am writing to let other therapist know that Laura Charleton, a Certified Infant Massage Educator and member of Infant Massage USA, is offering a course to become a Certifed Edudator of Infant Massage. The course is from Thurs. 10/22 thru Sun. 10/25 from 9am - 5 pm in Parker, CO. Please contact me for more information or if you would like to register. Thank you

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