Massage for labour

Are you interested in taking your pregnancy massage skills a little further and studying more about how to support women with massage during labour?

The course is only open to those who have attended a Well Mother Massage & Pregnancy Course. It is 2 days and is recognised by Doula UK.

Content

This course will enable you to have an in-depth knowledge of massage suitable for different stages of labour, including how to work with birth positions and breathing. You will consider the role of massage therapist as labour support person. To gain Well Mother certification you will need to attend two births and write up two case studies of teaching partners to work in labour. To gain your doula certification (through Doula UK) you will need to write up attendance of four births.

Aims

1. To develop an in-depth knowledge of massage (including shiatsu techniques), including birth positions and breathing, for labour and the immediate postnatal period for mother and baby

  • You will learn effective massage (including some shiatsu techniques) for different stages of labour including
    • massage for birth initiation
    • massage for different stages of labour
    • how to work with the baby in labour
  • You will gain an understanding of birth positions and breathing for different stages of labour and how to teach mother and partner
  • You will be introduced to some massage for the mother in the first 6 weeks including how to work with birth trauma for mother and baby
  • You will learn how to support establishing breastfeeding (and other feeding choices)

2. To provide an understanding of the theory (both Traditional Chinese Medicine and anatomy and physiology, and the medical (including NHS) approach) of birth, for mother and baby, particularly in relation to bodywork

  • You will learn western theory as it relates to both mother and baby during pre-labour, labour and the immediate postnatal period, including bonding and breastfeeding (ie natural anatomy and physiology of birth and postnatal period)
  • You will learn eastern theory as it relates to mother and baby during labour and the immediate postnatal period, including bonding and breastfeeding
  • You will gain an understanding of the main obstetrical interventions during labour and how they affect the process of labour, the energy of the mother and baby, and their effects in the postnatal period. You will learn when they are necessary, and how to work with them, and the orthodox model of care

3. To provide an understanding of how to most effectively work with the mother and her partner in preparation for labour and the early postnatal period (including exploring the role of the mother’s partner, teaching birth support strategies/approaches and how to work with the partner if the therapist is present during labour, supporting feeding and bonding)

  • You will review your birth preparation teaching session to include awareness of issues such as; empowering a mother and partner to make choices during labour, how to give support during labour, advocacy and birth plans
  • You will teach 2 birth preparation sessions to mothers and partners after the course and submit written case studies of these sessions
  • You will gain an understanding of how to offer relevant postnatal support including awareness of how to support feeding

4. To develop an holistic approach to birth support, including providing practical tools for self-development and supporting massage therapists in the field of birth support (including CPD, networking etc) and to enable massage therapists to have a better understanding of the birth period and its implications for their own lives and those they work with.

  • We will review your knowledge from course so far, especially feedback from pregnancy course.
  • You will experience some of the needs of labouring women through guided visualisations
  • You will experience some of the needs of babies through guided visualisations
  • You will learn the effects of birth positions
  • You will develop an understanding of how to work with the relevant health care professionals during labour and the immediate postnatal period.
  • CPD – how to start work as a doula/labour support masseuse, including advertising, on going sources of support, networking etc.