Description
Third Edition
By Carole Osborne, Michele Holland, and David M. Lobenstine
Learn the art and science of supporting mothers with massage therapy while they are pregnant, giving birth and nurturing their infants. This is an expanded and thoroughly updated revision of Carole Osborne’s trailblazing book first published in 1998, and widely used and trusted ever since. It rests on an abundant theoretical and practical foundation: the latest scientific findings, anatomy and physiology, and nearly a century of our combined experience in professional practice.
With these evidence-based guidelines and techniques, you can offer your clients a safe, effective continuum of care from the beginning of pregnancy through the long postpartum period. We present an evolving scientific understanding of childbearing with nearly 70 practical hands-on techniques, professionally illustrated and carefully described, to integrate into your practice.
“This book has a huge heart. The authors offer inspiration and encouragement for pre- and perinatal massage therapists. Their guidelines are clear and impeccably researched. Their wise advice will benefit massage therapists and their clients for years to come.”
—Tracy Walton, MS, LMT
Chapters detail the body’s typical changes – across the trimesters of pregnancy, through the stages of labor and birth, and during each postpartum week – and offer ways to safely ease those changes. Additional guidelines address a diversity of clients including those with special needs, high-risk factors and complications.
Whether you are a massage therapist or a physical therapist, a doula or a nurse, you will find here powerful ways to nurture each person’s childbearing journey. Wherever you work or aspire to work – from a spa, to private practice, to a hospital – this book will advance your skills and confidence. It addresses the practicalities of everything from positioning and draping, to your own body use, to business and practice management. Insights and examples will prepare you for complex clinical reasoning and collaboration with other healthcare professionals. This book will help you to grow a satisfying, rewarding specialization with this inspiring and deserving population.
Over 25,000 copies of first and second editions sold worldwide!
Every facet of each third edition page has been updated and improved, making a good book even better. Our new publisher, Handspring Limited, brings a fresh design, full color and other excellent features to this third edition. Every chapter conveys vital facts to build your confidence, lessen your fears, increase your effectiveness and inspire your purpose.
“Massage can be a wonderful gift for people who are pregnant, but the whole topic is rife with mythology and oral traditions that are well-meaning but inaccurate. With this book the authors provide current, evidence-informed best practices in massage therapy for this important group of clients. Anyone who is interested in pre- and perinatal massage will find value in this beautifully written and produced text.”
—Ruth Werner, author, A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology
HIGHLIGHTS
- Immerse yourself in our comprehensive synthesis of massage therapy research, related healthcare, and relevant childbearing anatomy and physiology.
- Explore common “myths” and replace them with evidence-based benefits, precautions and guidelines.
- Learn various positioning benefits, several methods to accomplish them while maintaining modest draping, and tips for how you and your clients can be ultra-comfortable as you work.
- Find creative ways to meet your expectant clients’ most common needs, especially for back and pelvic pain relief, improved breathing, relaxation and sleeping and preparing for labor and birth.
- Increase your skill in determining if, and specifically how, to safely proceed if a pregnancy is high-risk or if medical complications develop in pregnancy, birth or postpartum.
- Discover ways to ease your laboring clients’ pain and help them to relax and achieve their vision for birthing.
- Learn how to facilitate immediate and long-term postpartum physiological, emotional and structural recovery while also easing the strain of infant care, with special attention to post-Cesarean birth support.
- Improve your ability to work cooperatively with obstetrical, midwifery and other maternity healthcare professionals.
- Familiarize yourself with obstetrical terminology, medications, and procedures and how massage therapy may support positive outcomes when interventions are needed.
- See how to modify your own body use for effectiveness, ease and career longevity.
“For therapists wanting to work with pregnant and postpartum clients, this book is a must to help you better understand all the complexities of this population. Written in a dynamic way to help you apply the concepts to better integrate what you are learning, this comprehensive manual gives you all the information needed to feel comfortable working with the pregnant and postpartum body.”
—Lynn Schulte, PT, Institute for Birth Healing
Have you used the first or second edition of this book? Here are some of the reasons we think you will benefit from the third edition even more. Please consider updating your library. (And we can’t wait to hear what you think!)
- Our detailed instructions take you well beyond the basics with almost 70 practice-tested techniques that range from simple to complex, from superficial to deep, and with a variety of physiological, functional, energetic and emotional intentions.
- Full-color photographs with anatomical overlays and other spectacular artwork visually convey the specificity and nuances of these techniques. You can extend your learning with an online treasury of video summaries of some of those procedures and other relevant resources (material exclusively available to purchasers of the third edition).
- We have created more robust and practical guidance in the labor, postpartum and special needs chapters, including for those clients utilizing assisted reproductive technologies and with post-traumatic stress syndrome.
- Our chapter on practice considerations will attune you to today’s maternity market to help you to grow a satisfying career and a fully booked calendar.
- We have included even more critical thinking materials to develop your ability to make quick, informed decisions when you are with clients. Look for our expanded Points of View features (our honest, balanced presentation of on-going debates, contrasting opinions and areas that require more research); “What Would You Do?” (brief, realistic scenarios that you might face); and discussions of how to apply critical thinking to your clients’ varied concerns, both typical and unique.
- Our new “Caring for All” features identifying various aspects of diversity within your potential clients to prompt furthering your awareness and skills with those clients.
- We have retained popular features from prior editions including therapists’ and clients’ stories From the Treatment Room and important content Reminders.
SPECIFICATIONS
336 pages with 230 color drawings and photographs
This third edition will be the foundation text for all Pre- and Perinatal Massage Therapy specialization workshops and other offerings by our team of authorized instructors beginning in Summer 2021.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1. BENEFITS: Helping Our Clients & Their Babies
Chapter 2. GUIDELINES: Massaging Safely & Effectively
Chapter 3. PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS: Caring for Your Clients & Yourself
Chapter 4. PRENATAL TECHNIQUES: Nurturing Throughout Pregnancy
Chapter 5. LABOR TECHNIQUES: Supporting a Positive Birth Experience
Chapter 6. POSTPARTUM TECHNIQUES: Facilitating Restorative Healing
Chapter 7. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS: Working with Special Needs Clients
Chapter 8. PRACTICE CONSIDERATIONS: Growing a Satisfying Career
SAMPLE PAGES
