I have a great belief in fate.  I believe you are meant to meet the people need to meet at exactly the right moments.  Why? I hear you ask.

Today, Little Miss and I, went to costco.  I usually try to avoid the place as I get a bit overwhelmed and confused.  Anyway, as I was trying to find a  car park, I passed another car with the number plate “doula”.  I decided I would head over to this car and leave a note under the wipers with my card as for the last couple of weeks I’ve been on the look out for doulas*.  (No I’m not pregnant.  My clients are.)  By the time I got a park, got little miss out and walked over to the doula car, the driver was loading up her shopping.  EVEN BETTER!  I introduced myself and asked her about her business and her details.  I briefly told her why I needed doula services and she told me she was one of the original doulas in Australia and her network was fairly vast.  Yay.

After we’d left and headed to the gigantic lift with the jumbo sized trolley, we found a pregnant mummy in the lift with us.  I asked when she was due and how her back was given she also had a toddler.  Painful.  When I gave her my card, it turns out she lives in the next suburb.  See, right person, right time.

So, into the massive warehouse we went.  Little Miss wanted everything and became very tired and grumpy.  We eventually left with the standard bulk load of loo paper and a few other essentials and Little Miss fell asleep on the way home.

Now to make myself a cuppa and eat one of the biscuits I purchased.

*What’s a doula?  A doula is a non-medical birth attendant who supports the mother through labour and new motherhood.

What started out as a normal pregnancy massage revealed a great dis-service to women.

A first time mother, new to the area, going to a local hospital to have her baby.  She’s living a great distance from her family, so her support network is limited.  During her pre-natal classes, she became even more distressed.  She has just been told she will be discharged from the hospital 3 hours after she gives birth – 5 at the most.  She tells me she’s concerned about the car ride home and not really knowing what to do.  She is also concerned she will be alone with only her husband to help her in the early days.  What’s interesting about this story, is she’s not the first to tell me this. It’s also interesting she’s not scared of labour or the pain.  She’s worried about where she’s having the baby.

When a post natal mother told me of her birth and post birth experience, I was saddened.  She’d had a prolonged labour, her baby was in posterior position, she’d been induced and eventually, due to exhaustion and extreme pain, her baby was born by cesarean section.  48 hours later, after much confusion, she was discharged.  She was struggling with breastfeeding, her incision wound was becoming infected and was feeling miserable.  3 days after being discharged, she gave up breastfeeding.   As she had moved to the area not long before her baby was born, she came home to little family support and no social connections.

My story you’ve heard, but it’s not unlike these two.  I spent my entire pregnancy freaking out.  Labour was the least of my worries.  I live away from my family, having moved to the city from the country.  I didn’t really know my neighbours.  My in-laws and friends all worked.  In those early days, I had no idea what I was doing, nor who I could turn to for help.  I was very lucky in some ways.  When my daughter was 6 weeks old, I fell to pieces.  My parents were 4 hours away.  My husband was at work and without a car.  My parents in-law were at work and my brother in law didn’t have a car or license.  The earliest any of these people could have got to me was an hour.  All my friends were at work except one.  She had recently resigned her job in preparation to return to study, and was house sitting around the corner from me.  She took my call and was able to help me.  She came to my aid without judgement or expectations.  She held my daughter while I ate some lunch.  She talked to me about stuff.  She brought me back from the brink.  To this day, I believe she saved both my daughters and my life.  I was lucky.

Why am I telling you these stories?  Because I believe pregnant women and new mums are being treated badly.  Not just by the hospitals but in general.  Women are returning home (and rapidly) with new babies, without support.  More and more, I finding my clients telling me similar stories of having little or no support in the early weeks post birth.  They are scared and don’t have social and family reassurance that previous generations had.  Many are the first amongst their friends and family to have children and don’t have experience with babies or what to expect when pregnant.    Sometimes all they need is someone to explain what’s happened or happening.  A chat with the local breastfeeding association informed me the area I work and live in has the lowest breastfeeding rates in Melbourne.  I always thought is was because of cultural and family influences or lack of support once they get home.  Perhaps not.  Maybe it’s because the new mums and bubs aren’t getting the help they need in the beginning.  Maybe the incidence of post natal depression would be lower if there were support programs in place. 

I’m looking for answers and suggestions.  Please leave a comment as to where you found help and support.  Maybe we can help someone without even knowing them.

Side lying pregnancy massage

Hello,

The long awaited photos have arrived.  Maree has done an amazing job.

Here’s a couple:

My hands in action

Pregnancy massage

Em.

I didn’t like yesterday’s footy game.  It’s not because we lost.  It’s because we had so many injuries.  I’m not talking about grazes and bruises, I’m talking about broken wrists, badly sprained ankles and a knee that was bending funny.  Not good.

Today is the big photo shoot.  Unfortunately one of my models had to drop out due to car issues but the other is on her way.  I’m a little bit nervous about this and I still haven’t done my hair.  Luckily my photographer is awesome.

Also, apparently tonight I’m going to be on TV.  A little while ago, I was interviewed for a show on channel 31 on my experience with Post Natal Depression and tonight it’s being aired.  This makes me even more nervous.  I can’t remember what I was saying but I know my hair was bad due to wind and chasing Little Miss around the park, diverting her from running into the lake.

I’ll let you know how it all goes.

Em.

My favourite thing to happen is when massaging a pregnant belly, is for the bubs inside to move around underneath and chase my hands.  It’s amazing.  It’s like they want a massage too.  More soothing strokes.  More comforting.  Maybe this is the why bub’s respond so well to baby massage after they’ve been born.

Yesterday, I had a beautiful client and her bub was chasing my hands, so much, the bub was pushing up against my hands.  Love it.  It really is the biggest buzz.

Em.

Recently I started work with a footy club.  It’s a local club with seniors, seconds and under18s.  Not a bad bunch.  I’ve been signed up as a sports trainer and mostly been using my massage skills to assist warm up.

I’ve been going for two weeks of training plus a practise match so far and the boys have figured out I’m a massage therapist.  I now have a list of players wanting massages pre-training/game.  Ain’t it great to be appreciated.

Now before you ask what’s this to do with pregnancy, it has very little to do with it.  Some of the players have kids and some are expecting them.  The reason I’ve taken this role is to do with skills.  I use some of the same techniques with both my client types but for sports people there are a few different ones, like ice massage.

So look out for me in the Essendon district league in the white pants (ick) sitting on the boundary or in the change rooms.

I’ve also had some really great pregnant clients and used the support system again.  Some of the mums found they preferred the side lying position and others were just relieved to be able to lay on their stomachs for a little while.

At the moment Little Miss is playing with my Russian nesting dolls.  My mum gave them to me for my birthday a couple of years ago.  I had always found them fascinating and wanting a set.  My set usually sits on my desk.  Little Miss likes to look for the baby one giving it cuddles.

Hope everyone is well and I’ll write again soon. 

Em.

THE PREGNANCY SUPPORT SYSTEM HAS ARRIVED!

This support system means a pregnant woman can have a massage lying face down!

I’m so excited about this.  When I was pregnant, I had massages on my side and once with this system.  I think just spending the 20 minutes lying on my tummy was worth it!

Spread the word.

Em.

Big announcement on it’s way.  Will tell you more later today!!!!

In other news, I was chatting to a fellow practitioner yesterday about how I seemed to have become an expert in buttock massage. 

Sciatic nerve pain is nasty.  It’s a sharp, burning, aching pain that starts at your buttock and runs all the way down to your knee and possibly your foot.  Makes getting in and out of the car difficult and sometimes even walking is a challenge.  The majority of my pregnant clients have sciatic nerve pain from postural changes, relaxin (pregnancy hormone) flowing and just the weight of the uterus but also my non pregnant clients seems to have this pain too.  Is it because we sit at the computer far too long?  Do we not stretch and walk around as much as we should?

The techniques I use are really effective, a little painful during treatment, but worth it.  I know this because they’re the same techniques used on me when I have sciatic nerve pain (whilst pregnant and now).  Other options for when you can’t get a massage quickly are heat packs, very gentle stretching, and laying flat with your leg straight.  Maintaining your pelvic floor muscle exercises is a great preventative measure and all women should do this anyway. 

It’s always a good idea to have any long lasting pain checked by your doctor.

So until the big announcement.  Have fun.

Em.

“How often should I have a massage whilst pregnant?”  My simple answer is as often as you like.  The more complicated answer is this.

First Trimester: With approval of your health care provider, a massage once a month is great.  This is all depending on morning sickness and general wellness during this time.  If you have any reservations, discuss them with your midwife/obstetrician first.

Second Trimester: Every two weeks.  This is the time where you’re usually feeling better, starting to feel pregnant and starting to get the early twinges and aches as this is when you start to show and your posture changes to counter the extra size and weight of your belly.  Having a regular massage is a great way to counteract these.  An added benefit is you sleep better as well.

Third Trimester:  Weekly massages.  By now your posture has changed and you might have started to “waddle”.  Your feet may have swollen and your lower back may be very uncomfortable.  The weight of the uterus may be putting pressure on your sciatic nerve as well.  You might even just want a bit of TLC and to get out of the house.  Massaging at this stage will help to relieve the tight muscles and ease some of the discomfort.  The regular rhythmic motion of the massage can also help settle the wiggling baby so you can get more rest.

Post Birth:  With clearance of your health care provider you can have a massage as soon as the day after the birth of your baby.  This also depends on how comfortable you feel and if there were any complications arising from the birth.  Having a massage post birth will help your body recover from the stresses of labour and help with the new postures of baby care.  You may also like to take this time to learn basic baby massage.  As to the frequency, it’s entirely up to you.

I hope this helps answer this question.

Em.

Yesterday was my first official day back at work.  I even had a client.  Yay.  Love my pregnant clients.  In a way I felt like I hadn’t had any time off at all.  It was stinking hot too.  I was very very very grateful to have air conditioning.

Today I refreshed my first aid qualification.  I could have done this in my sleep.  When I was in scouts at least once a month we would have a first aid session before we went hiking.  Then later I was a first aid officer in my department store workplace and seemed to be on first aid courses all the time.  The only part I struggled with is CPR, only because I seemed to be having a coughing fit at the time.  I did have fun wrapping bandages and putting slings on my people.

There was an interesting mix of people there from dental nurses, security guard, kinder teachers and a musician.  There was even another couple of massage therapists.

Thankfully the cool change has hit now and it’s not so hot.  Maybe we’ll get a decent nights sleep tonight.

Talk again soon.

Em.