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Pregnancy Massage 101:

Fostering a Healthy Pregnancy

Carole Osborne

•Author

•Course developer

•Instructor

•National Teacher of the Year

•Therapist

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Webinar Intention

To offer massage therapists

a foundation for

understanding:

• fetal and maternal

development

• stress/relaxation effects

• basic practice

adaptations that promote

healthy pregnancies

Note: This webinar does not certify you to

practice prenatal massage.

Terms of Participation for

Pregnancy Massage 101Webinars

• I realize that the health and well-being of my clients and their offspring are influenced by my

understanding and application of this material; therefore, I am committed to the conscientious study and

thorough absorption of the information presented in this webinar.

• I understand that this webinar offers reliable, yet limited education in prenatal massage therapy. I

understand that it does NOT include labor, postpartum, or any clinical or hands-on instruction or

evaluation; therefore, this is NOT a certification program.

• I agree not to represent myself directly or by implication in marketing activities or any communications to

clients or others that I am certified, endorsed, or authorized by the Benjamin Institute or by Carole

Osborne, Body Therapy Associates, or any other agency to practice or teach prenatal massage therapy on

the basis of participation in this webinar.

• I recognize that, on the basis of this webinar, I am especially not prepared to work with those women

whose pregnancies are complicated by medical conditions or a higher risk of complications developing;

therefore, I will refer these individuals to others more thoroughly educated and certified in this

specialization.

• The safety and health of the expectant woman and her child (children) are my foremost concern;

therefore, I will seek guidance from her prenatal healthcare provider prior to providing services.

• If I have any doubt as to the prudence of any somatic practices for my pregnant client, I will refrain from

such procedures and seek guidance from her prenatal healthcare provider regarding her care.

• I agree to conduct my practice of prenatal massage therapy in accordance with the ethical and legal

guidelines of the organizations to which I belong or by which I am licensed or registered.

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Preview Test Questions

1. What is intrauterine pressure?

2. Why is it important to avoid increasing intrauterine pressure?

3. What are the effects of high stress levels on expectant

women?

4. What are some of the possible negative fetal effects of

maternal stress?

5. What are the effects of maternal relaxation on the fetus?

6. How can a MT best create relaxation in sessions with

pregnant women?

Fetal Development

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Pregnancy Progression

3rd Trimester 2nd Trimester 1st Trimester 27 – 40+ weeks 14 – 26 weeks 1 – 13 weeks

Abdominal Muscles

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Skin Hyperpigmentation

Linea nigra“mask of pregnancy” = cloasma

Stretchmarks

Striae gravidarum

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Positioning Ramifications

• Minimize pressure

on sensitive

breasts, even when

side lying

• Potential problems

with prone

Prone Positioning Concerns

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Positioning Ramifications

Positioning Ramifications

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Prevent Rolling onto Belly

• With secure supports under torso, belly, leg

• By aligning hip, knee and foot of ceiling side leg

Minimize Abdominal Pressure

• When mobilizing the spine or pectoral girdle

• During any technique performed from behind client

• When performing hip and leg movements and stretches

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Prevent Supine Hypotensive Syndrome

Use wedge under right pelvis and hip to shift uterine weight off of vena cava.

After 22 weeks, use semi-reclining rather than wedge pillow

Oils and Lubricants

• Relieve skin discomforts

• Unscented, no additives

• 1-3 pure ingredients

• Aromatherapy advanced

training recommended

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Practice-based Precautions for

Abdominal Massage

Summary Abdominal Guidelines

• Superficial

• Gentle, yet connected

• Full- handed, not

pointed

• Most vulnerable areas:

fundus, linea alba,

inguinal

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Liability-based Precautions for

Abdominal Massage

• Highest caution = never perform any abdominal massage.

• Medium caution = avoid during first trimester, when high risk/complications occur, and/or with medical release

•Lowest caution = perform on clients after verbal consent

Endocrine Changes

Ovarian Hormones:

Estrogen

Progesterone

Relaxin

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Female Reproductive System

Endocrine Changes

Placental Hormones:

Estrogen

Progesterone

Chorionic

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Endocrine Changes

Other hormones:

Prolactin

Oxytocin

Oxytocin

Hormone of calm, love and nurturing

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Skin Stimulation=Hormone

Stimulation=Healthier Pregnancies

• Animal studies

• MT studies

Emotional Joys and Challenges

• Excitement and

Anticipation

• Fluctuating feelings

(lability)

• Negative stress

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Fetal effects of stress

Maternal Effects of Stress

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Promoting Parasympathetic Effect

• Pressure

• Speed

• Pain

• Intensity

• Technique

Pleasurable and Relaxing

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Intended to Promote Her Oxytocin

Production

Promoting Breathing

•Guiding deeper breathing

•Reducing soft tissue restrictions to breath

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Listening, Support, Education

Some Technique Suggestions

• Relaxation focused Swedish

massage

• Small amplitude, rhythmic

movement

• Selected craniosacral techniques

• Reflexive therapies such as foot

zone therapy

• Energy therapies such as Jin Shin,

polarity and Reiki

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Other Pregnancy Massage 101 series

webinars

#2 Cardiovascular Adaptations – Jan. 24

#3 Respiratory and Digestive System- Jan.31

#4 Musculoskeletal System Adaptations I- Feb. 7

#5 Musculoskeletal System Adaptations II- Feb 16

#6 Practice-Based Decision Making- Feb. 23(#6 only available if purchase all 6 webinars)

Further Information and Training

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Certification in Pre- and Perinatal Massage Therapy

Important reminder: Neither this

webinar nor this series certifies

you to practice maternity massage

therapy.

Four-day CE certification hands-on

workshops available throughout

the U.S. : Utah, California, Illinois,

New Jersey, Texas, Washington,

Massachusetts, Oregon, Louisiana,

Georgia. For schedule and more

information:

www.bodytherapyassociates.com

Facebook:Carole Osborne’s Prenatal

and Deep Tissue Massage Training

Free Educational Videos

Carole’s videos at

www.bodytherapyassociates.com

/videos.php

• Peripartum Pelvic Pain

• Advantages of Sidelying

• Tips for Sidelying

Positioning

• Secure SL Draping

• SL Body Mechanics

• Massage of the Legs

• Rhythmic Deep Tissue

Oakworks Educational Videos at

www.massagetables.com/videos/educat

ional-series.asp

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References•Field T, Morrow C, Valdon C, et al. Massage reduces anxiety in child and adolescent psychiatric patients. J Am Acad

Child Adolesc Psychiatr 1992;31:125–131.

Field T, Hernandez-Reif M, Hart S, et al. University of Miami School of Medicine, Touch Research Abstracts, 1997.

Field T, Hernandez-Reif M, Taylor S, et al. J Psychos Obstet Gynecol 1997;18(4):286–291.

Field T, Hernandez-Reif M, Hart S, et al. Pregnant women benefit from massage therapy. J Psychos Obstet Gynecol

1999;20:31–38.

•Glynn L, Schetter C, Wadhwa P, et al. Pregnancy affects appraisal of negative life events. J Psychos Res 2004;56:47–52.

•Gorsuch R, Key M. Abnormalities of pregnancy as a function of anxiety and life stress. Psychos Med 1974;36;353

•Hobel C and Colhane J. Role of Psychosocial and Nutritional Stress on Poor Pregnancy Outcome. J. Nutr. 133:1709S–

1717S, May 2003.

•March of Dimes. Birth Rates by Maternal Age. Available at http://www.marchofdimes.com/peristats/level1.aspx?

dv=ms&reg=99&top=2&stop=2&lev=1&slev=1&obj=1. Accessed February 14, 2010.

•Moberg KU. The Oxytocin Factor. Tapping the Hormone of Calm, Love, and Healing. Cambridge: DeCapo Press, 2003.

•Moyer C. Rounds J, Hannum J. A Meta-analysis of massage therapy research. Psychol Bull 2004:130:3-18.

•Nichols R, Humenick S. Childbirth Education: Practice, Research and Theory. 2nd Ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders Co.,

2000.

•Ricci S. Essentials of Maternity, Newborn, and Women’s Health Nursing. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins,

2009.

•Schneider ML, Moore CF. Prenatal stress and offspring development in nonhuman primates. In: Tremblay RE, Barr RG,

Peters RDeV, eds. Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development [online]. Montreal, Quebec: Centre of Excellence for

Early Childhood Development; 2003:1–5. Available at: http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/documents/ Schneider-

MooreANGxp.pdf. Accessed Oct. 27, 2010.

•Taylor S, Klein L, Lewis B, et al. Biobehavioral responses to stress in females: tend-and-befriend, not fi ght-or-fl ight.

Psychol Rev 2000;107:411–429.

•Wadhwa P, Culhane J, Rauh V. Stress, infection and preterm birth: a biobehavioral perspective. Paediatr Perinat

Epidemiol 15;2:17–29.

Thank You! Any Questions?

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CONTEST

What you can win:

• Autographed copy of “Pre- and

Perinatal Massage Therapy”

• A complete set of the

“Pregnancy Massage 101”

webinar series to give to a friend

or colleague

How to enter:

• Write a review of a “Pregnancy Massage 101” webinar

on Facebook (www.facebook.com/BenjaminInstitute)

• You’re eligible for one entry per webinar

Other Webinars Available on Demand

All Webinars Availableat www.benbenjamin.com

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