A NEW, NON-TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO PRENATAL
THAI YOGA MASSAGE
Thai Yoga massage is the ideal, manual method that a woman
can hope for in pregnancy, in the birthing room, and in the
months that follow birth. The line work, the pressure of key
points, squeezing, rotating, mobilizations, and especially
the stretches and Yoga- like postures are exactly what she
needs.
I was lucky to treat many pregnant women before ever
learning of the many limitations that I am "supposed" to
put on the treatment session. My experience has taught
me that most pregnancy massage "formal" limitations are
far too exaggerated.
This guidebook was written to encourage you to put
fewer limitations on your treatment and to use the many different
postures, as long as they feel appropriate to you and as
long as your pregnant client likes them.
This guidebook presents 25 treatment routines for
common pregnancy, labor and postpartum discomforts.
The original version of these routines were put together in
2003 by me, Eran Goldstein, and Idit Tyroler. This content
was part of a thesis that Eran and Idit were writing at
the end of their "Dula" (labor companion) course. This
thesis was used as a manual in the pregnancy massage
workshops for my students in Israel. I revised these
routines with Motke Eilon for this new edition.
These are not traditional Thai massage treatment
routines. We are the originators of this collection of
treatment protocols. The pressure techniques and
stretches, however, are all taken from Thai massage.
INTRODUCTION TO:
Maternal physiological changes - complaints and discomforts
Treatment safety
Miscarriage statistics and treatment in first trimester
What are the "prohibited" points?
Labor-inducing acupressure points
The lines of the inner leg and venous thromboembolism
Supine position in pregnancy
Twists, back-bends, forward bends and inversions
Psychological stress and pregnancy outcome
THE TREATMENT ROUTINES:
Painful period / Menstrual cramps
Insomnia
Stress, Anxiety and mood swings
Frequent and urgent urination
Nausea / Morning sickness
Exhaustion / Fatigue
Constipation
Abdominal pain
Heartburn
Nasal congestion, snoring and nose bleeds
Shortness of breath / Suffocation
Edema / Swelling
Hemorrhoid / Pile / Varicose veins
Anemia
Dizziness, fainting and blurred vision
Itchiness, rashes, red palms and soles of feet
Headache
Cough
Lower back and pelvic girdle pain (PGP)
Preparation for labor, pre-birth treatment
Getting ready for labor
In the birthing room
Postpartum
Inconsistent flow of breast milk
Abdominal pain after birth
Baby blues / Postpartum depression
Constipation after childbirth