Prenatal Intake & Liability Release Form

What is makes it a "prenatal massage" ?

Prenatal massages are curated to help produce homestatis in the body of the mother, thus producing a more relaxed envirmonent for the baby to grow. Homestasis is the healthy balance we all strive for our bodies to reach, even more so when we are pregnant. 

Prenatal massages consist of :

Swedish massage techniques to promote the body to slow down, muscles to lengthen, and stress to melt away.

Light to medium pressure to gently and slowly encourage tension to leave the body without creating too much for the body to focus on at one time. We do not do deep pressure or deep tissue technique during prenatal massages for several reasons, if you have questions about this please ask your health care provider, massage therapist or both! 

Side laying to keep you and the baby comfortable. There will be 2 pillow provided, one for your head, and a body pillow for you to comfortable lay with. If you need more then a pillow between your knees to give more space between your hips, or a towel for your chest (helpful when breastfeeding) you can ask for these at any time during your session. 

Yes, we can work on your hands and feet! Many moms are cautious about this due to the reflexology pressure points that relate to the reproductive system that can effect labor. In order for a pressure point to be actived and the body to listen to it, it must be held with consisten and even pressure for over 30 second. For most bodies it takes up to 2-3 minutes for the body to start to listen to pressure point stimulation. Since we do not "sit in one place" during massage it is not only safe to work on your hands and feet, but also one of the best ways to help relieve aches and pains you may be experiencing. 

Pressure Point Stimulation will not start labor/labor symptoms. It can only encourage the body towards what it is already working towards. It is most commomly done at or after week 38 once approved by your doctor. It will not cause you to go into labor if your body is not already working towards that, likewise it will not make labor instant. 

Massage in the First Trimester :

You may have heard that you cant have a massage in your first trimester of pregnancy and while this is the "industry standard", it is not accurate. If you have a healthy pregnancy and lifestyle, there is no reason that you can not receive a prenatal massage in your first trimester. 

The reason it is so commonly believed that you can not have massage in your 1st trimester is based on miss-education and fear of liabilty from business owners. Lets start off by education on how most miscarriages occur.

It is most common for a misscarriage to happen between weeks 8-10 of pregnancy. The majority of miscarriages are caused by an unpredictable event in which the embryo does not develop, often due to an abnormal number of chromosomes. This occurs during the fertilization process and there is nothing you can do before conception, at the time of conception or after conception to change this occurrence.

The motivation to avoid massage in the first trimester is purely based on liability. There is nothing that will be done in a massage session that will cause a miscarriage to start, though it can expedite the process if the body is already headed in that direction. Because it can expidite the bodys ability to process the miscarraige, some women believe that the massage was a contributing factor even though this is not true. This is where businesses are worried about liability, as it is very hard to find the root cause of a miscarraige after it has happen if there is not a severly traumatic/physical event within the very near time frame of the misscarraige. 

Massage is safe to receieve in the first trimester as it does not and can not effect the chromosomes in the fertilization process of the embryo. 

If you would like to receive massage during your first trimester I am more then happy to under the following circumstances :

1. You have already seen me for massage before this pregnancy within the past 12 months, and therefor are knowledgeable about how your body responds to massage as well as my massage techniques.
2. You feel educated and comfortable receiving massage in your first trimester, knowing that there is nothing in the massage that can or will cause a miscarriage to happen.
3. You have talked with your health care provider/doctor  and they are comfortable with you receiving prenatal massage in your first trimester. 
4. Sign the general liabilty release in this intake form.

General Liability Release:

I have read the aforementioned conditions and symptoms which make massage therapy during pregnancy contraindicated. The massage therapist/practitioner has discussed this information with me and provided opportunity for any questions. I have disclosed all high-risk factors of my pregnancy. I have discussed with my prenatal healthcare provider/physician any health concerns that I had about receiving massage therapy. I agree that my healthcare provider/physician has given me clearance to receive massage therapy. I understand the information contained on this form and confirm that
(1) I am receiving medical care including regular check-ups with a licensed healthcare provider.
(2) I have not experienced any of the listed symptoms, conditions, or complications.
(3) I am not currently experiencing any of the listed symptoms, conditions, or complications.
(4) I am experiencing a low-risk pregnancy.I understand that I will be receiving massage therapy as an adjunct form of healthcare only and that this therapy is not meant to replace appropriate medical care.
I release the massage therapist/practitioner of all liability for any harm that may unintentionally occur during my treatment(s).
I understand that all prenatal services are preformed in a side laying position, with light-medium pressure only. Some adjustments may be made to the hand and foot massage portion according to what is safest for my physical condition during pregnancy so as to avoid reflexology pressure points. There will be no use of deep pressure or deep tissue techniques for my safety and the safety of my growing baby.