Pre- and Perinatal Massage Therapy

This is the third edition of a highly successful guide to using massage therapy through all stages of the birth process, from pregnancy, through labor and birth, and into the long postpartum period. It is primarily for massage therapists but is also intended for physical therapists, other manual therapists and bodyworkers, nurses and midwives, physicians and doulas - any professional who wants to integrate more therapeutic touch in their work. The text combines what anyone who works with pregnant people needs: an exhaustive distillation of current scientific knowledge, alongside hands-on recommendations, specific techniques and business success from almost a century of the authors' combined experience. The reader will gain a detailed understanding of what is happening to the body during pregnancy and beyond, how massage techniques can impact those changes, and very concrete, applicable strategies for how to work with maternity clients to make them feel better. Amidst this abundance of detail about what to do, the authors also explore the flipside - what therapists need to modify and avoid to ensure that their work with pregnant and postpartum clients is safe; how to recognize high-risk factors or other complications; how best to adjust treatment; and how to work with medical healthcare providers throughout the process.