Prenatal Thai Massage

Prenatal Thai Massage is a healing system that nourishes moms-to-be as their bodies prepare for childbirth. It combines the mindful movements of yoga with the nurturing touch of massage. Thai Massage is a branch of Traditional Thai Medicine. It has roots in hatha yoga, Theravada Buddhism, indigenous Thai healing practices, Chinese Medicine, and Ayurveda. The techniques include compressions with hands and feet, forearm rolling, thumb pressure, stretching, and joint movements. These techniques are performed in a meditative state by the practitioner, with "metta" or loving kindness at the heart of the session. Prenatal Thai Massage can be performed in every trimester.This book demonstrates Prenatal Thai Massage in seated, side-lying, and semi-reclined positions. This book is specifically intended for: * Yoga instructors, especially those trained in prenatal yoga, who want to offer bodywork to their students. * Thai bodyworkers who aim to keep the continuity of care when working with their regular clients. Learning Prenatal Thai Massage is a great way to support long-time clients through this important period in their lives. * Massage therapists who are ready to expand their prenatal massage knowledge base.

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.

A Practitioners guidebook for the treatment of pregnant and postpartum women. This guide explains 25 treatment routines for the treatment of common pregnancy and postpartum discomforts. The guide includes a treatment routine during labor.

Authored by a well-known expert on prenatal massage, this comprehensive text helps you understand the intricate physiology of pregnancy so you can confidently apply appropriate massage techniques for each trimester, and throughout labor and postpartum. You'll find clear, colorfully illustrated explanations of a wide range of techniques and procedures, including Swedish massage, acupuncture points, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, lymphatic drainage, and reflexology. Contraindications and precautions are also provided where necessary to help you provide safe and effective care for every client. Comprehensive coverage guides you through all aspects of prenatal massage in a single book, addressing fundamentals, techniques, preparation, and prevention of potential problems. Many useful techniques are described in detail for prenatal through postpartum massage with step-by-step instructions so you can begin using these techniques with your clients immediately. Numerous boxes throughout the text highlight key information and provide clinical tips. Touch Points and In My Experience boxes share the author's personal observations about the chapter material with real-life examples from her years in practice. Over 350 detailed, full-color illustrations and photographs illuminate procedures, concepts, and techniques. Clear writing and organization addresses content in four main units: pregnancy massage, labor massage, postpartum massage, and marketing strategies. A companion DVD packaged with the book contains 45 minutes of video demonstrating different massage techniques presented in the book. DVD icons within the text encourage you to watch relevant video footage at appropriate points. Learning objectives and key terms at the beginning of each chapter clearly identify the concepts you should focus on in the chapter. Review questions at the end of each chapter enable you to assess your understanding and review important information presented in the book. A glossary of all key terms and definitions makes it easy to quickly look up a new term or to refresh your memory.

Thai Massage, Sacred Bodywork is a complete guide to an ancient practice that benefits body, mind, and spirit. Interest in Thai massage has been growing rapidly. This is no surprise given its unique multifaceted approach to the body. Thai massage combines acupressure, stretching, reflexology, assisted yoga postures, herbal compresses, prayer and meditation. It benefits everyone. Sometimes called the "lazy person's yoga", Thai massage stretches and relaxes the muscles, increases the joints' range of motion, and balances energy flow throughout the body. Thai Massage, Sacred Bodywork provides fully illustrated, step-by-step instructions which enable the reader to use this integrative and interactive therapy with a partner at home or with a client. The book explains the historical and philosophical background of Thai massage as well as its religious origins. Throughout the book, Ananda always reminds us of the deeper meaning of this sacred modality—compassion in action. A must for all those interested in the healing arts.

• Presents guidelines for effortless and effective practice, including body mechanics, breathing patterns, flowing movements, incremental pressure, and exercises to improve sensing and to strengthen intuition as you work • Offers ways to refine and improve classic techniques that are often performed incorrectly, explains broad healing concepts behind individual techniques, and discusses the awareness and sensitivity with which they should be performed • Answers common questions, clarifies misunderstandings, and presents ways to work with focused intention on a deeper level, and with more grace, ease, and efficiency UNLIKE OTHER BOOKS ABOUT THAI MASSAGE, this guide offers a deep and insightful view of important and often neglected aspects of this work. Many of these concepts and techniques also apply to table massage, physical therapy, yoga, and other healing arts. This book guides the reader through the conceptual, spiritual, and practical approaches behind effective bodywork. An entire section is dedicated to awareness of breath for massage, movement, and everyday activities. Assessment guidelines help the therapist to work with others based on physical appearance, preexisting conditions, and elemental predisposition. Exercises are presented to sharpen sensing abilities and intuition, and to find, coax, and release blockages in the body. Twelve important Thai massage techniques that are often taught and performed incorrectly are described in great detail. Other chapters offer ways to create customized sequences of practice and to move from one technique to another with ease and grace. Finally, the chapter on medicinal herbs discusses the preparation, use, and benefits of herbal compresses, poultices, balms, oils, and baths, and it offers easy recipes for all of these therapies. This manual contains information that has never been previously available in print. Full of exercises and insights to help therapists hone their bodywork skills, it reveals key principles that give way to effective treatment and explores traditional Thai massage with a special focus on intention, awareness, sensitivity, and spirituality.

urturing Massage for Pregnancy is one of the most comprehensive books available for massage students and licensed massage therapists who treat pregnant, laboring, and postpartum clients. The author is a highly skilled perinatal massage instructor who is also a registered nurse, childbirth educator, and doula.

Pregnancy massage is a type of massage therapy specifically designed to be used during pregnancy. It is also called prenatal massage. Pregnancy massage may help relieve some of the aches and pains of pregnancy. But it does have some risks; it isn't suitable for every person or every pregnancy. This book is packed with essential information for massage therapists who intend to work with pregnant women.

An authentic guide to Thai yoga massage, a unique therapy that combines stretching, breath work, assisted yoga postures, and pressure point therapy. • Includes more than 80 illustrations, 30 charts, and a complete series of postures for a two-hour full-body massage. • Author Kam Thye Chow has taught massage in Thailand and throughout Europe and North America. Until recently Thai yoga massage was virtually unknown in the West. It has its roots in both the ancient healing traditions of Ayurveda and Thai Buddhism. In this unique practice, the therapist gives a full-body massage that combines palming and thumbing along the Thai energy lines and pressure points with gentle stretching, movement, and breath work reminiscent of tai chi. Using his or her own hands, feet, arms, and legs, the practitioner gently guides the recipient through a series of yoga postures, creating a harmonious and therapeutic “dance” that leads to greater physical awareness, grace, and spiritual energy. In this comprehensive guide for practitioners, Kam Thye Chow leads readers through every aspect of this dance--from its history and philosophy to a detailed presentation of a complete Thai yoga massage session. This important reference includes more than 80 illustrated postures, 30 charts and drawings, and a complete series of postures for a two-hour full-body massage that focuses attention on both the upper and lower body, which receive equal stress in the Western lifestyle. Information on contraindications, anatomy, and physiology integrates Western medical knowledge and theory with this ancient tradition. Massage therapists, physical therapists, nurses, and other medical professionals will find Thai Yoga Massage an important and innovative complement to their practice.

Written by the UK's leading teacher and practitioner Natasha de Grunwald, a pioneer of Thai massage and bodywork for 30 years. Thai Massage Dissected is a book aimed at massage therapists, yoga teachers, physiotherapists, osteopaths and all manual therapists who want to expand their therapeutic approach and are curious to learn about the body from a Thai anatomy and dissection perspective. Therapeutic Thai massage and bodywork is a rich and diverse modality, so much more than the stretching and deep tissue work for which it is known. The book provides a richly curated combination of tools, techniques and protocols that will enhance all practitioners' skill sets. Natasha discusses the roots of this modality as Buddhist medicine, the five element system, the use of therapeutic herbs and Thai anatomy, whilst also writing about concepts such as proprioception and interoception. There is an additional chapter looking at traditional healthcare practices for women, informed by her time spent with village midwives on the Thai/Burmese border. Natasha de Grunwald uses imagery from many hours spent in a cadaver lab to describe anatomical, textural layers and structures, bringing human form to life. She consolidates this with a therapeutic perspective on Thai medical theory and how Thai massage and bodywork can be carried out in a clinical setting. This comes from her extensive research, studies and knowledge spanning over three decades.