MotherMassage®: Massage During Pregnancy Professional Certification Course Description

from Elaine Stillerman, L.M.T.

Contact Elaine Stillerman, L.M.T. Massage Therapist 108 E. 16 Street  Suite 401 New York, NY 10003  Tel: (212) 533-3188 Fax: (212) 533-3148 Related Resources • Elaine Stillerman's NY Massage Practice • Spas that Offer Maternity Treatments Related Books MotherMassage The Encyclopedia of Bodywork

Throughout history in tribal and traditional societies, massage was an integral part of a woman's pregnancy, labor and postpartum experience. Typically, the women of the community would gather to support her and her baby with herbal medicines, massage, physical and emotional support.

In this country , massage therapists and bodyworkers now have an opportunity to encourage pregnant women to incorporate massage therapy in prenatal, labor and postpartum care. Massage therapy offers the gravid woman a safe, nurturing and relaxing way to relieve the common discomforts she may be experiencing.

During the "MotherMassage^®: Massage, During Pregnancy" certification workshop, you learn the physiology of pregnancy, labor and postpartum, as well as the skills and bodywork techniques necessary to massage your clients competently from their first trimester through labor and postpartum recovery. Hands-on work includes full body massage in side-lying position, labor support massage and postpartum massage therapy. Appropriate draping and practitioner body mechanics are discussed. Special attention is paid to high risk pregnancies and treating the most common discomforts of pregnancy (i.e. lower back pain, sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc.). The contraindications of prenatal massage are discussed in detail.

A variety of bodywork systems such as Swedish massage, acupressure, trigger point therapy, deep tissue, myofasical release, reflexology, etc. are used. Herbal remedies and nutritional supplementation are discussed along with marketing and promotional strategies to help increase your specialized practice. Insurance considerations are also explained.

This three-day (Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 am -5:00 pm each day), 24-hour certification course is approved for twenty-four (24) CEU's by: ALACE, Florida Board of Massage, International Childbirth Education Association, Lamaze International, and N.C.B. T.M.B.. It is open to all advanced massage therapy students, professional massage therapists and bodyworkers, childbirth educators, nurse midwives, lay-midwives, labor support coaches and doulas. All non-massage professionals must have basic massage skills as a prerequisite to this course.

A student handbook is distributed and a certificate of attendance is provided at the satisfactory completion of the course. Professional certification is awarded after passing a take-home exam with a score of at least 80% and validated proof that you have massaged at least two pregnant clients.

The cost of the class is $395.00 (for early registration; host schools may charge late fees) plus $14.95 (plus tax) for the required text, MotherMassage; A Handbook for Relieving the Discomforts of Pregnancy (Stillerman, Dell, 1992). This book should be purchased before the first day of class.

Participants are also required to bring two towels, two pillows, two sheets and unscented lubricant. If you know any pregnant women who would come for a student massage the morning of the second day of class (Saturday 9:00 a.m.-12 noon), please advise the host school.

The instructor and developer of the course is Elaine Stillerman, LMT. Licensed in New York since 1978, Stillerman began her pioneering work with pregnant women in 1980. She has been teaching the professional accredited course "MotherMassage^® Massage During Pregnancy" at prestigious massage schools across the country since 1990 and has taught over 1,500 massage therapists, childbirth educators, nurse-midwives, lay-midwives, labor assistants and doulas. She has authored two books, "Mother Massage" and "The Encyclopedia of Bodywork" (Facts on File, 1996) and has been featured in Shape's Fit Pregnancy, New York Magazine, New York Daily News, Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Good Housekeeping and Mademoiselle. She has appeared on NBC's "Live at Five," FOX News and America's Health Network. She has been the chief massage and prenatal consultant for Time-Life Fitness Series books and Rodale Press health books. Elaine has a private practice in New York City. 

CURRICULUM

Day One: Pregnancy

• Introduction: The physiological, emotional and psychological changes of pregnancy

• Contraindications of prenatal massage

• Pre-conception

• Treating high risk, bed-ridden pregnancies

• Transverse abdominus anatomy and physiology

• Treating the common discomforts of pregnancy

• Full body massage demonstration and practicum

Day Two: Labor

• Preparation for labor: perineum massage (lecture)

• Kegel exercises

• Physiology of labor. emotional components of labor

• Positions for easier, more comfortable labors

• Labor support massage to ease pain and facilitate progress of labor, demonstration and practicum

• Partner labor support, demonstration and practicum

Day Three: Postpartum

• Physiology and emotional adjustments of postpartum recovery

• Massage techniques for immediate postpartum adjustments, demonstration and practicum

• Massage techniques for first six weeks postpartum recovery , demonstration and practicum

• Massage techniques for prolonged recovery , demonstration and practicum

• Musculoskeletal balancing, restoring pelvis and abdomen

• Treating Cesarean section scars, demonstration and practicum

• Physiology of nursing and physical adjustments

• Marketing strategies for growing your business

• Insurance considerations

"MotherMassage^® Massage During Pregnancy"
2002 TRAINING SCHEDULE
9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily

To register for the workshop, please call the school directly.

Classes are subject to change and cancellation.

Additional classes may be added.

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