The R.M.T. as Labour Support Provider/Doula

This primary goal of this course is to prepare the R.M.T. and M.T. Student as a professional labour support provider/doula. This course is a comprehensive training which will underscore the important role of the Massage Therapist and their professional skillset pertaining to the birthing process of their clients. Upon completing this 3-day, 20 hour course, the Massage Therapist/Student will have a clear understanding about the physiology of labour, and how comfort measures including Massage Therapy can be utilized to provide excellent care during birth. Our goal is to train therapists to be highly competent in offering the birthing family as much support as possible toward creating a safe and healthy birth.

Classes will be composed of interactive discussions, theoretical training, lectures, hands-on practice, videos, guest speakers, field trips, and additional resources to enhance ongoing learning/professional development.

Through participation in this course the student will learn about:

• The role of the Massage Therapist as Support Person within the birthing process.
• Stages of labour and delivery, including information about medical procedures, complications, pain management and comfort measures.
• An overview of Massage Therapy research as it pertains to Labour Support.

This course assumes that the participant has some understanding of pregnancy, and how Massage Therapy can be utilized during that process. It is important for the participant to understand that this is not a course about pregnancy, but rather the birthing process.

Summary of Topics Covered

• What is Labour Support?
• The role of the Labour Support person
• Studies on Labour Support effectiveness
• Role of the partner
• Tools for providing labour support
• The signs of labour
• The labour process
• Stages of labour
• Hands-on practice: breathing, relaxation, body awareness, positioning, vocalization, hands-on massage applications
• Hospital tour*/the birthing environment
• The birth plan
• Videos of birthing experiences will be shown throughout this course
• Pain in labour
• Including labour support in a Massage Therapy practice
• Marketing
• Community resources/networking

* Onsite hospital visit: at each course location, every attempt is made to provide a tour of a local labour & delivery unit.

Medical Considerations

• Factors which influence the outcome of labour
• Use of hydrotherapy modalities in labour
• Complications of the pregnancy and their impact on the labouring process
• Guest speaker: a woman's experience of labour
• Emergency considerations: complications of labour and delivery
• Caesarean sections
• Cultural aspects of birthing
• Unexpected outcomes/grief

Trimesters' Labour Support Provider/Doula course is recognized by the College of Massage Therapists (C.M.T.O.) for 10 Continuing Education Credits.

Next course dates:

April 17-18, 2010, Winnipeg
April 30-May 2, 2010, Toronto

Space in this popular course is limited. Register now to avoid disappointment.