Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/68009
maintain an upright core posture. Keep your feet facing the same direction, so your hips are square and level. As the pregnancy hormone relaxin increases in your body, your joints will become more loose and mobile, requiring you to keep a strong, steady base.5 Wear comfortable, supportive footwear, since the weight gain can increase the strain on your feet, causing them to widen. Kick off those cute sandals or useless flip-flops and get a pair of tennis shoes. You may need a size wider than what you used to wear. You may need to lower your table a notch or two in order to work around your growing belly. Don't feel like you have to reach from the top of the head all the way down the back in one long stroke. Take a step to the side of the headrest and step closer to the table. Work one side at a time if necessary. I am a short person, not quite 5'4" and one trick I found immensely helpful was to keep a small aerobics step underneath the table. When I needed a little extra height, I could reach under the table and pull the step out with my foot, never taking my hands off the client. An extra couple inches allowed me to reach easier, without having to lower the entire table. This trick worked perfectly for reaching glutes or shoulders on a thicker client who would have otherwise caused me to strain myself. When I moved on to another part of the body, I just stepped down and slid the step back under the table with my foot. If you are fortunate enough to have a hydraulic table, you can make these adjustments as you go. Another consideration during the third trimester is the increase in fluid buildup in the body. This is a natural defense your body has in place against blood loss during childbirth, but can make you more prone to carpel tunnel- like symptoms. Try using the back of your knuckles or loose fist during Getting Back to Business After a Baby 1. Check With Your Doctor or Midwife First Of course, you will want to make sure you are cleared for returning to a physical job like massage therapy. Since most massage therapists work from a standing position, you will want to be sure your healthcare provider knows what your job entails. 2. Ease Back Into Work Massage therapists usually work for an hour at a time, but it can be difficult to begin with full-length sessions at the very start. Some therapists will begin working with only 30-minute sessions or offer specials on work that can be performed with the therapist sitting down. 3. Communicate With Clients You have several months to prepare a maternity leave plan and a postpartum plan. Be sure your clients know how long you are anticipating taking off for maternity leave. 4. Send Baby Announcements With a Date of Return Send out postcards announcing the baby's arrival and a date for your return. Don't print the date until you can really judge your physical ability to return, but you can preprint the address labels to minimize your stress postpartum. 5. Offer a Welcome Back Special Some massage therapists offer a special to encourage clients to return. One therapist in Florida had the baby say it all: "My mom is so glad I'm here, she wants to share her excitement. Please take $10 off your next massage appointment." 6. Consider the Baby in Your Schedule You will want to allow enough time between clients to breast-feed or pump to keep your milk supply up. Visit the Le Leche League website for more information about breast-feeding and working (www.llli.org). effleurage massage strokes, instead of using the heel of your hand, which can cause a "break" in your wrist. Keeping your wrist joint all in line will help decrease any extra stress on the joint.6 If you usually do a very active massage technique, or something like Ashiatsu barefoot massage, you may need to make other arrangements during the last few weeks of your pregnancy. Most therapists find that through the vast majority of their pregnancy, they are able to continue working at a similar, or only slightly slower, pace than pre-pregnancy. Also, during the last couple weeks, be sure you let your clients know that you reserve the right to cancel a session if necessary. Each night, I wrote out a list of the names and phone numbers of the clients who were scheduled the following day in case I woke up that night in labor. I didn't want to have to worry about trying to find their information to call and cancel while having contractions. For the last few days before I delivered, I'd say goodbye to clients by saying, "See you Saturday … maybe," and we'd both laugh. visit massageandbodywork.com to access your digital magazine 69