To safely massage pregnant, laboring and postpartum women, Carole Osborne, AMTA Council of Schools 2008 National Teacher of the Year, feels that it is imperative that practitioners be knowledgeable about normal pre- and perinatal physiology, high risk factors, and complications of pregnancy. "Many of these conditions necessitate adaptations and consultation with physicians and/or midwives prior to sessions. Various techniques and methodologies must be modified or eliminated, depending on the individual and the trimester of pregnancy," according to Osborne.
The following article is intended to present the massage therapist/bodyworker safe, effective guidelines for addressing the most common pregnancy complaint, lumbar and pelvic pain. Sections of this article are excerpted from, Pre- and Perinatal Massage Therapy, which forms the theoretical foundation of the 4-day course developed by Carole Osborne. This article was originally published in Massage Magazine, Summer 1998 issue.
