Pregnancy Massage – Perinatal Bodywork
Nothing can be more satisfying for a massage therapist than to help someone feel at ease and pain-free in their body. Bodywork during the perinatal time has profound effects on women’s experience of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, increasing their ability to bond with their baby, and helping them adapt to the many changes of their body-mind over a 9-month gestation. Massage during birth is invaluable, shortening labor duration and intensity, and reducing medical interventions. And new moms are an underserved, and needy and deserving clientele for bodywork.
Maternity Massage Therapists
Want to focus your practice toward pregnant women and new Mothers? Maternity massage is a becoming more and more popular in mainstream spas, resorts, and clinics and expectations are growing for massage therapists to have extensive training in the field. Within the last month two job openings for maternity specialists were announced in Portland and Salt Lake. Competition is growing for these jobs, and there preference is to hire those with advanced training. Pregnant women are also becoming more savvy about maternity massage, wanting to ensure that their practitioner of choice has advanced training.
Professional Certification
Become certified and the doors are wide open to offer specialized care to this population of women. OSM’s Maternity Massage training is one of the most comprehensive in the country. Be a leader in the field. Many can say they have studied a few hours of pregnancy massage, but few have 60+ hours of advanced training, that includes birth and postpartum.
Maternity Massage Training at Oregon School of Massage
Now is a good time to consider OSM’s MotherTouch™ Advanced Maternity Massage Certificate program. Leslie Stager RN, LMT has been developing this program for over 20 years. She offers 5 courses in the program, including Prenatal Bodywork Certification (which includes Pregnancy Massage Fundamentals & Advanced Techniques), Massage for Birth, and Bodywork for the New Mother. In addition, to become certified, students write up 10 case studies with pregnant, laboring, or postpartum clients, and complete a project related to the perinatal period and bodywork.
Benefits of becoming certified include the following:
• Personal review of case studies with written responses by Leslie Stager. Access to Leslie for further questions and answers, or mentoring.
• Evidence that you have advanced skills, knowledge, and training to support women through this critical and powerful life cycle.
• Increased assurance to potential clients, and to the medical and birth professional communities, that you are prepared to meet the needs of this clientele.
• Free referrals and listing on Leslie Stager’s website.
• Job announcements for maternity massage openings.
• Referrals from OSM when clients call asking for maternity massage specialists.
• Because of competition, more and more job sites are requiring that practitioners be certified in order to be hired.
• Attractive wall-mountable certificate stating you have completed 60 hours of training and have received the Maternity Massage Specialist Certification.
• Potential to work with Leslie as assistant teacher in Maternity Massage Trainings.
Student Comments
“I like the fact that I got a wealth of information, resources and support to take this course and really integrate the work in to my own business. I feel confident in my ability to practice what I’ve learned and get better and more fluid in the dance. Leslie definitely has the experience and personality to effectively tech and demonstrate the work, the techniques, the verbal dialogue, etc,”
“ Relaxed environment, especially for men who join in. I liked the well-rounded beginning to end instruction on massage, pressure points, and professional experienced advice. All the ways to make the expectant mother comfortable.”
“Leslie is a truly inspiring woman and provided a very comfortable setting for such an intimate subject. She presented a perfect combination of background information and specific bodywork techniques. “
“This was an awesome class!! The walk-throughs helped a lot to keep things clear, but most helpful was the attention from Leslie. She is always very available, patient, and willing to let you try on Her!” P.T. Massage for the New Mother
For More Information:
• Go to: Maternity Massage Certificates at OSM
or call OSM – 503-244-3420/800-844-3420
Ever since my sister gave birth last year, maternity massage has become one of my interests. She had a stressful pregnancy, and regular massages helped her have a smooth delivery. Thanks for this post; I’m thinking of taking this program next quarter.