Ep 71: All About Prenatal Massage Therapy with Tara Thompson

In this week’s episode, Dr. Shannon sits down with Tara Thompson, a metro-Atlanta prenatal, postpartum, and infant massage therapist to discuss all things massage!  

We cover:

• Some of the top reasons moms are seeking prenatal massage
• When to get a prenatal massage
• How are the massages performed
• At home things moms can do for comfort
• What is a lymphatic massage
• What does postpartum massage therapy look like
• What is infant massage
• And more!

Not only is Tara a talented massage therapist, but she is Cappa Certified Doula, a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, and an Evidence Based Birth Instructor.  She uses all of her knowledge of prenatal health and wellness to help moms-to-be be more comfortable and advocate for themselves.  

As always, be sure to locate a massage therapist in your area with prenatal training, and keep your care provider informed.  

Connect with Tara:

Tara’s Birth Services - website

Tara Thompson Co - on instagram 

This podcast was created from a desire to share conversations and interviews about topics from pregnancy and birth to motherhood and the importance of a healthy body and mind through it all.  Our goal is to bring you fun, interesting, and helpful conversations that excite you and make you want to learn more.  We hope what we share will make an impact and help someone else along their journey.  We believe that when you are aligned in body, mind, and your intuition, you can conquer anything!  If you like what you are hearing and you don’t want to miss our newest episodes, be sure and tap subscribe. Your support is greatly appreciated.

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Check out our individual websites:

Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness - www.sunrisechiropracticandwel

Transcript

Unknown 0:01

Hello, hello, you are listening to the aligned birth Podcast. I'm Dr. Shannon, one of the hosts and today is a wonderful interview day I always say it's one of my favorite days of recording. And we have a very special guest on today and we're gonna be talking about prenatal massage. Now I'm saying premium. We'll certainly be talking about a lot of other things in that but we are with Sarah Thompson today and she is a local prenatal massage therapist, massage therapist obviously in general as well too, but we've got lots of certifications and lots of things going on with her and so I want to highlight some of that because it's not just the prenatal massage that we're going to be talking about today. So um, she is a Lamaze certified childbirth educator and evidence based birth instructor, a capa certified doula and a licensed massage therapist. So, so much education and knowledge going on within this one person. Here, which is amazing. She focuses on prenatal postpartum and infant massage, but has also added in lymphatic massage. So that's all the stuff that we're going to be talking about today and how she combines all of those things. She loves education to giving birth and after and helping people achieve success. So she's a New York native, she's moved to Georgia with her family in 2005. And has loved serving the prenatal and postpartum world. And she was even her daughter's doula. So maybe we'll even chat about that too, because I love that. She says if she weren't a doula or childbirth educator, her dream job would be dancing and music videos. So I love it so much. She tells a story online about how she became interested in birth from a conversation that she had with another mom and I love this quote that she shares and I think it really describes her very well but it was then that she knew she wanted to dedicate your life to helping other people achieve the birth they desire, whether that be an unmedicated birth or simply making their own educated choices. So I am so excited to have you on the show today, Miss Tara.

Unknown 1:54

So what am I so excited to be here?

Unknown 1:57

Yes, I know people are always like, Oh, I sound so great on paper. That's amazing. And I was reading and I was like, No, you were so good all

Unknown 2:05

over. I do so wonderful. Why

Unknown 2:07

keep saying that to me. I know keep giving me that. No, I love it and we have met in person before. And I just adore you and I love all of the knowledge that you share with your clients. And I'm like I'm trying to like glean all of these amazing things from you as well too. But today, I kind of want to start with maybe a little bit into how you got into the birth worker world like what came first was it massage work for you or was it the doula work? Or how did that come about? And then we can kind of ebb into what it is that you do day in and day out with your birth clients.

Unknown 2:52

Sure. So let's say I became a massage therapist first. I was trained in New York and during my schooling, I actually became an instant massage instructor while I was in school for massage therapy. So once we moved down to Georgia, I worked at a spa for a while and then I met a friend of mine and you know for now, but I met someone and she was actually an instructor at you know, one of the hospitals here in the area, but she was leaving the hospital and she asked if I wanted to take that position and the position was is that massage and pregnancy there was massage for pregnancy and labor. Now I had not specialized in pregnancy. I've done anything with pregnancy then, but I was an infant massage instructor so I took the position for that and then I did some training and with learning some of the things about that, you know, pregnancy massage was so interesting. And sidenote, I think I told the story once before but when I worked at the spa, I had a client come in. That was for prenatal massage. Now mind you, I told you I did not have any training before and in your massage school. It depends on where you're going to school. Of course, but usually they give you very limited amount of prenatal training. The school I went to it was less than three hours out of the 1500 hours that we did for massage for pregnancy. Okay, yes, exactly. So that's the extent of pregnancy that I had. Okay, so I worked at a spa and then I had a client come in. That was a pregnancy client. So I'm like, Okay, I was so nervous. Oh my goodness. I was like, barely touched this woman. I thought I was gonna hurt her. I thought I was gonna do surgery, maybe because you hear all these stories and all these fears. And I'm like, Oh my goodness. So the massage was over. And, you know, my manager called me into the office and was like, Tara, I'm sorry. But you got a complaint. You know, she said, you know, that wasn't bad massage. And you know, we didn't charge her. So here I am. No one's doing this massage working in place and not getting paid. And I'm like, Oh my God. And it was from then on. I was like, No, this cannot happen. And that's where like I said, when we learning about prenatal I had three children on my own already.

Unknown 5:18

Okay, so you already have three kiddos? Yeah, so more freedom more.

Unknown 5:23

Okay, so I didn't know anything about that. I never got to come in and massage anything. Yes, until that one day when it was the worst massage. And that's really how I got into it. I was like, No, I can't you know from here and then that's when I took a training and then that helped me because I was at the hospital already. And that just you know, brought me forward. So first, I became certified and female massage. I believe the first one was 2007 and then I just took you know, courses ongoing like every you know, every year or every other year. As a massage therapist, you're supposed to have a certain amount of continuing education hours. So I always did something focused on pregnancy, or, you know, birth related something. So I believe 2010 is when I became certified as doula

Unknown 6:19

then it just kind of ebbed and flowed into the floor of the birth worker world. Is that okay? So it was

Unknown 6:27

that it was doula and childbirth educators did come last. And it's funny with the childbirth educator, because I worked at this hospital and you know, I taught classes and then my instructor was like, you know, you should go for your Lumos certification. So you could teach harbor, and I'm like, why would I do that? Because the only ones that taught to tell her about the hospital were nurses, and I was not a nurse. And she was like, Don't worry about it. Just go get it. Get it. And sure enough, I went I got certified and she got me in it. And I was the only one that was not a nurse that was teaching the childbirth education at that hospital. So I thought, Oh, cool. Yes, yes. Yeah, definitely. And like I said, she pushed me and she saw more me than I even knew, you know, that I had. So I loved teaching. You know, that's good. I thought at the hospital anyway. And she saw that, you know, in sitting in the classes and then just certain things that she knew that I loved doing doula work, and, you know, I shadowed nurses at the hospital and I always ask questions, and can we do this and come up with you know, I will always have these ideas and she's like, okay with that. Stuff that you guys have like a million ideas of what we can do at the hospital and everything. So yeah, it started from prenatal massage, and then doula work and then telecommunication. And then lastly,

Unknown 7:41

that childbirth education so let's go into so I love that with all your continuing education credits that you do end up like continuing to learn even more in that prenatal field. So are there what do you notice? Are there certain like common things that you notice in your prenatal massages? kind of walk us through what that looks like?

Unknown 8:11

Yes. So you know, of course, every pregnancy is different, even within the same person. You know, they're, they're consecutive pregnancies. It's going to be different, but there are some common things in pregnancy. You know, that people get like, and I'm sure you seem because as a chiropractor, you've come across these things, and you're certified prenatal, but let's take sciatica. You know, for example, you know, depending on when the baby is position where they're sitting different things. Mom's lifestyle of course, you know, and what's going on with them. If they're on the computer a lot, you know, how much their body is growing. Because with the pregnancy, of course, everybody's body, like I said, is different. It's gonna grow in different ways. So not only, you know, as the uterus growing, tilting and you know, tilting the pelvis and applying pressure, you know, on the hips, but also the breasts are growing. So with the breasts growing, it's pulling on the neck muscles, so you know, then getting the headaches and a lot of people like oh my gosh, I didn't notice this, you know, but of course in that leaning forward, the whole and if they're on a computer a lot, you know, so a lot of the things that we do see, you know, and common sense a lot of different pregnancies, but of course, everybody's different and how they take care of themselves. So I get a common question, How often should I get a massage? And I'm like, You should tell me how often you should get a massage. Because, of course, like I said, Everybody's body is different. So you're gonna, you're gonna feel it before I can tell you oh, if I say come in, you know, every month, then you're like, after two weeks, I can't take this anymore. I can't wait a month. You know, or if I say come in weekly, and what you're doing great, you know, you're you're swimming or you're running or you know, whatever, you're doing your lifestyle and you don't read it equally. So that's why I always suggest to them your body is going to tell you when you to come in massage.

Unknown 10:04

And it's like you give a little bit of that body awareness though, too. You know, and I feel like I do that in the office as well. It's like okay, well, let's be aware. Of these things like knowing that, yes, our center of gravity is changing. Our posture is changing. I always call it like that mommy posture. It's just those shoulders roll forward exactly what you're saying, you know, especially with breasts getting heavier, so all of that, but it sounds like it's that body awareness that you help people with too as far as letting them get in tune with what is normal for them, you know, and would you know, where, you know, those aches and pains are coming from and what you can do to help alleviate that.

Unknown 10:43

Yeah, and I tell them, you know, just pay attention because like I said, Everybody's body grows differently with the pregnancy. And I tell them, you know, especially if it's a consecutive pregnancy, you may want to come in a little sooner, because they happen a lot faster. And it's because your body's like, oh, I don't know what to do. First pregnancy was like, yeah, what's happening you know, the polling and the stretching and it may take a little more time. The second are consecutive pregnancies. It's like, Oh, I know what to do. Let's just grow

Unknown 11:12

you know, I mom say the next day. And I'll never forget that two first time. You're like, Oh, wow. And that second one, it was like, Oh, I look, you know, three months pregnant, and I was only a week, you know, like, like, what is going on here? So that and you know, same thing with me. Not every care plan is the same. So and that's kind of what you're saying as well. Yes, I know. People want to know how often should I come in? Well, let's see what your body is telling me first of all,

Unknown 11:40

and you know, some people need some sort of structure. So then, you know, I may suggest like, a lot of times people follow their doctor's appointments, you know, so early on when you're just going once a month, then maybe you're coming from as your doctor appointments, you know, increase and become like twice, you know, every two weeks, or, you know, the last month when it's weekly a lot of people follow that also because that's when you know their body is growing the most you're stretching it pulling their the heavier you know, they're feeling the most aches and pains and you know, towards the end, you're pregnant your mind like oh my gosh, I can't take this anymore.

Unknown 12:17

It's all the appointments. I know. It's all the things

Unknown 12:20

you know, and then the things that we do, you know, they don't last because again, your body is growing at such a pace, you know that it's not going to last as it is tomorrow. But it definitely helps and makes a difference to be able to get through and function

Unknown 12:33

most definitely now, when a prenatal client is coming in because I've had prenatal massages before and I had somewhere I laid on my belly like they had special pillows and then I had some where it was sidelined. So can you speak about the differences with that?

Unknown 12:52

Yeah. So personally, I do not like the laying on the belly. Okay, no, I can't say that backtrack, so I don't like it. You know, again, okay, I don't like it.

Unknown 13:07

That's totally fine, but that's what I want to know why you know, yeah.

Unknown 13:11

So, because it's so hard to tell. You know, like early on, if they might be like maybe, you know, a couple of weeks that's showing and again, this is their first pregnancy, okay. So things are not growing fast. They can put blood in their pants, they still wear belts, you know, this really is no changes then of course, you can lay them on their stomach and you can have that cut up where it's a space there where they're not pressing on anything. But as the body grows again, remember you have the uterus that's growing and stretching and it's pulling on both the muscles in the back. So as you're leaning forward, you have those cut out because I did work at a place that had it and I did not use it. But you have what cut out and your belly is either just hanging there or you have like the strap or something that's there to kind of hang a little bit what little still support it. So you either have some pressure on there or there's no pressure at all. Okay, but again, your belly is hanging so as it's as the ligaments and muscles in the back are pulling and stretching and that's hanging. I'm actually pressing on it and I can be making things worse. So during massage, you know if you're talking about an hour or you know if 45 minutes however long they're on their stomach, you know what? chiropractic adjustment is different, because you're right on there for a couple of minutes, you know, but if you're talking about long term of laying back then I'm pressing an airman, you know and doing exactly I can actually whereas, you know, the clients are like, Oh my gosh, this feels so good. And that's just because they haven't been on their stomach in months. Okay. Right. That's just literally alleviating that pressure. Yeah, exactly. What afterwards, you know, I've had some people, you know, I've heard where some people they were like, Oh my gosh, my back feels worse. And that's exactly what's happening like we can be causing more damage. So no, I've not like those

Unknown 15:04

that read back though, you know, like what you're saying to say, Okay, no, this is and then you're taking those continuing education classes and learning okay. So you can do the sideline.

Unknown 15:14

And I've had you know, some clients come in and of course, they're asking for a favor, you know, everybody's wanting the cutout table, and then once I explained to them, oh, wow, yeah, that makes sense. You know, and then they understand. So I do have like pillows and bolsters in the office, to get them comfortable. And another reason I like the sideline is because once you get home, like you're not gonna be able to get back on your stomach anyway. Okay. So you're going to need to learn how to speak what's the biggest complaint that people come in when they have when they come in for you like when they're pregnant?

Unknown 15:47

It's always sleeping aspect of, you know,

Unknown 15:51

they can't get comfortable at night. They don't know how to sleep. So with me showing them, you know, during the sideline position, like, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, and I had the best sleep I've ever had, like, you know, and I feel bad. I always joke with him like, Okay, I'm gonna come up with some rotisserie style thing, where I'm gonna have them turn over because most of them are sleeping. But they don't have to have been turned over to the other side. So I forget that I have to wake them up and turn them over or

Unknown 16:19

break or something. Yeah, and just like roll them over.

Unknown 16:23

We can come together and make something like that. That would be awesome.

Unknown 16:27

Yeah, I love it. Right. It's the rotisserie prenatal massage. So that kind of segues into the next question that I really had was like at home things that moms can do for comfort. So I had a feeling that you offer those specific things because you're also noticing, again, every client that comes in is different. They're going to have the different aches and pains sciatic is going to be different in one person even from another person, but you know, they may have piriformis tightness and someone else may have low back tightness. So you talked about kind of teaching them how to position pillows for sideline So are there any other at home things you give moms to do?

Unknown 17:14

Some like maybe exercises, some suggestions? And it depends like if they've taken it my childbirth classes I'd definitely give them more information through there. But yes, so sleeping, like I said the pillows is a big thing and not just the pillows on the leg, but where they're going to put you where they're gonna put their shoulder where their head should be, you know, if they were a back sleeper, then maybe they need to have a pillow behind them. Because, you know, again, I've heard so many people like I woke up on my back I didn't know how long I was on my back, you know, or, you know, I was hard for me to go my back where if they have a couple behind their back. You know, this way they're not flat on their back. If they happen to turn over on their back. They're still at an angle. So you know, it depends on like you said, you know people have different sleepers prior to the pregnancy. So if they were a back sleeper if they were stomach sleeper, so I find that out also because that can help with positioning the pillows. I used to have a course so I used to teach a class where it was like a private lesson that I used to do, but online it was like a 30 minute little zoom thing. Through you know, during the during the pandemic that I was doing it was called What was it called? Back to sleep or something like that? That was like sleeping and I just basically you know, they put on a zoom camera and I come into their home and they show me their bed set up and I help them with their pillows and you know, put this here and do that. There and then you know and then sleeping in their partner so whoever's there is helping them with that when I used to do that also because you know, that was the biggest thing was trying to get the food.

Unknown 18:45

Yeah, and it's like where did what to do with the pillows and where to place?

Unknown 18:48

Exactly like a bunch of pillows. Yeah, yeah.

Unknown 18:54

And then you're like this cocoon? Yeah. And you're like you don't know if it's working or not. So

Unknown 18:59

like so many people that come they're like, Oh my God, you're pregnant. You know, and first trimester it was great love, like, I hate that stupid thing that allows you to type of pillow you know to get into things like that are important.

Unknown 19:16

Yeah, well and all of that that can impact sleep which is so which is so big. Now with your I want to chat a little bit about and maybe going into so that's that prenatal aspects of things and really helping with the aches and pains in pregnancy as well. But really that stress relief to which then can impact that sleep aspects of things. So that's how I kind of look at that prenatal massage with moms and like you know, a lot of that stress relief, do you and I do cranial work and I look a lot with the jaw Do you and just knowing the jaw and the connection to the pelvis and the sacrum and the tension, that tightness? Do you notice anything with that or do you do specific work with the neck and the jaw?

Unknown 20:07

Again, everybody's different, right? So it depends on what's going on with them. If they were like maybe a grinder, you know, definitely if they have or some people that, you know, didn't realize they wasn't they clench and then they Oh because I've mentioned it to some clients, you know, like, Hey, how about that so yeah, like the job type or you know, they would get a headache at a certain area and then massage in those areas, the back of the neck, you know, the sides of the face that you know all of that and filling in there, and then you know grinding at night or you know, I couldn't go you know what my dentist did tell me that. Oh, yeah.

Unknown 20:50

We probably have all those moments. I'm like, so tell me about this. Yeah, I forgot about that. Or how did you Okay, no, and that's where I think it's nice to if they can hear from, you know, several other providers as far as like, Okay, I'm hearing this again. Exactly. Stress

Unknown 21:11

something now. Yeah, yes. And like you said, you know, just that tension that headache and because, you know, especially during the pandemic, when everybody was on the computer so much with the pregnancy itself, how you know, it can affect your vision. And then you being on the computer extra can affect your vision, you know, and then the headaches and then like I said, with the breast and just different positions. I always, always, always recommend my clients get the largest cut, you know, that they can find the biggest container they can find and fill it up with water if they're on the computer. Because you know, you have so many people that's like, oh, well, I'm working so many hours. And I'm like, find the largest you can find and then have it by the computer because once you start doing it I want you to just drink it you know all day long because the one that's going to force you to get up from that computer and go to the back. Exactly mommy, there's no way to sit there. Okay, so what that'll make them get up to because some people are getting like I said, three hours. They're sitting in that one position, you know, uncomfortable.

Unknown 22:19

Yeah, and I get it. Yeah. Exactly.

Unknown 22:23

Or, you know, they're, they're not ergonomically correct because they're in their home, in their bed either or, you know, something, kids or whatever they're doing. So, you know, always tell them to do that and that will force you to actually get up and use the restroom. Or, you know, if they're not pregnant, I tell them you know, to set a timer timer I'm gonna tell my patients I'm not crazy all right. Lot of people can't get away just turn away. So let's change your position or your soldiers back. Do something different, you know, but that of course you like going on and I love like I said with the pregnancy with the bathroom because you're gonna get out your bladder. Exactly, exactly.

Unknown 23:19

So tell me a little bit about what what a lymphatic massage looks like and how that differs from like a regular muscular massage.

Unknown 23:30

So what lymphatic is basically what we're doing is we're encouraging natural drainage of the limb. You know, so it carrying the waste product away from the tissue back towards the heart. So, what we're doing is like, we're helping the limb so it's a lighter massage. You know, a lot of people don't understand and they're like, Oh, yeah. And then when I start and they're like, What do you have Okay, lymphatic like we're not doing muscular massage, you know, limb is above the muscle. We're moving that limb and we're moving it you know, we're going towards the heart. We're going towards those the areas, the groin, and you know where you have that the openings, the notes where can come out. Those are the directions that we're going in and again, it is a lighter massage. So I do it a lot like people that have swelling. So whether during pregnancy or it's very common during postpartum you know, a lot of times you have to do that. But again, you're right on the side. Now we can incorporate, you know, a muscular muscular massage or certain parts and then doing lymphatic on like say this, the feet, the hands and the feet, legs and you know, arms that sort of thing that they're having.

Unknown 24:55

Right, they're having swelling, which that's exactly as to be those particular areas. With the swelling and that's what I wanted you to touch on too is just that aspect of it the lighter touch because when is on top of I mean you can feel lymph nodes very easily, you can feel trigger points, but sometimes those are a little bit deeper, you know, so there's those differences there. Yeah. Um, so do you but you can do live massage even during pregnancy. It's not just a postpartum thing or what

Unknown 25:29

pregnancy as well Yes. Because you know, you have with the pregnancy, you see a lot of people have the swelling, especially, you know, in the feet. So of course, if you notice it in the hands in the face, you want them to check with the doctors first to make sure there's nothing medically going on because you know, I think somebody just wakes up and they have to, you know, all of this swelling, all of a sudden you know, in the hands on Face the upper extremity or upper part of their body, then they definitely want to check in with their doctor to make sure everything is okay. But you know, if it's common, you know, they check with their doctor and just say throughout the pregnancy, especially in the summertime, you know, they've been out all day or walking around and then they have that swelling, it's in their hands. You know, at the end of the day where they've been walking around all day, or just the heat, you know, brings on swelling, so yes, we can absolutely do that. And you know, again, they have to check with their diet too, because salt can bring on as well. So you want to make sure it's not on the spot. You want to make sure that they're hydrated in the water. So it's a lot of different things. You know, it's not like somebody just come in like, okay, sure, we'll just do that we're definitely going to be questioning so they're going to have more intake, you know, for a lymphatic drainage, massage, drainage massage, just to find out and to make sure that you know, they've been through the, the right protocol for us the steps.

Unknown 26:52

That's perfect. And that's what, again, what I wanted to touch on just the questions that you're asking so that then they can kind of connect the dots to as far as like, oh, well this is all connected, and why I might be experiencing some of that swelling. Now, what does a postpartum massage look like? Are there certain again everybody's postpartum is different? Know if there were certain areas that you focus on and to touching on that might be that the birth process is going to be you know, it's going to be totally dependent upon that birth process, potentially whether we had a Syrian or vaginal birth. So just kind of give us an idea of what that postpartum massage looks like.

Unknown 27:34

Yeah, again, like you said, it will be different for everyone. So that's kind of where we're questioning, you know, how was your birth? Are there any complications, anything that we need to know about, you know, anything, you know, anything that went on that we need to know about or any, like other complications, making sure that you know, if they do have swelling is the normal spine or, you know, it's something that they check in with the doctor for us, you know, when we're doing post partum we're checking for like, warm areas ourselves, you know, so we're checking for areas not just massaging. A lot of times I know you mentioned like the whole mommy body going on, but I call it the whole mommy neck. You know, you got the mommy because, you know, not only even if you're not nursing, but one if you are nursing, just looking down to it. You know, if you're not nursing, you just looking down and check the

Unknown 28:27

email holding your baby feeding. I mean, it's all

Unknown 28:31

for all of that leaning for your shoulders coming forward with that whole nurturing posture. You know, I get it however, exactly, can bring pack to headache, like you said, you know also that can lead to neck muscle. You know, upper body aches, you know, from the back. A lot of times within nursing, depending on their breath, they may not be comfortable with lying on their breath. So, we may have to adjust like what towels or something like that, for them to look like they sail you know, so they can be comfortable because a lot you know, we do want to get to the back area, but we also want them to be comfortable and we kind of adjust certain things so they can lay down on the grass. So that will change as far as postpartum. You know, a lot of times they're like, oh my gosh, I don't want to leave I'm like don't worry about it. We're changing everything. Don't worry about that. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, so yes. You mentioned that you are also serious. So you know, of course it is the vaginal birth and they can come in right after you know, a lot of questions I get is how soon can I? As soon as I've been called up to the hospital. Can you call I just had my baby

Unknown 0:01

Yeah, sounds bad, no, no complications that can happen, you know, immediately after, you know, been called to a home for home birth, and they've had somebody come in from the side, you know, after the Syrian now before it used to be six weeks that we had to wait. Now, thank God that some providers are even seeing, you know, necessary a month and four weeks. So they're testing them but you always want to check to make sure you know, everything is okay. Prior to getting a massage at Osteria birth, I have seen someone two weeks after but again, they've checked in with their provider for us, you know, to make a Okay, now of course, we're not massaging the stomach, you know, anywhere near the incision, anything like that, or if they can't even lay down, you know, we use towels again, or different things bolsters to kind of help them lift up so they're not pressing on the incision. So again, we want them to be comfortable, you know, and we still want to get to those areas. Some people have even requested to the back sideline just to get a massage. You know, when they had a cesarean and they don't feel comfortable on IT Summit. So people have requested to be sidelined and again, so they can get a massage.

Unknown 1:22

And it just it can be different, obviously for everybody and it's you know, that everybody is kind of reacts differently to that Syrian birth as well because it could have been just a very routine it could have been a second one it could have been an emergency like all of that plays a part but I just wanted people to know, like don't, you can still take care of yourself. So with a massage, even if you did have a cesarean birth is almost especially nice, a different stress on the body. So and I do love that providers, like you mentioned are starting to see them earlier, you know, like six weeks because that just kind of blows my mind feeling Hey, I'm just gonna cut you up and send you home with baby and that's the whole Gatsby that's how the podcast right yep. So yeah, that's why I'm thankful for Okay, so now let's go back to how you even got started into the massage world because that was more infant massage. So I would love to chat about that and that option that you have and what you see and what you know with that.

Unknown 2:34

So I just had my massage so I just had my last child, my third baby. So she was young while I was in the first school. And that's what got me interested in infant massage. And then I used to practice

Unknown 2:59

so yeah, good. massage her a lot. And then I had an odd thing to take care of my children when I was working. And she was a foster mother. And she's happy to see all the time. So I used to look at you know, they're awful and that's what really got me started with it. So with the SEO guys, it was really strong and Doctor We actually teach parents or caregivers because I'm also able to the baby. There's a difference because you can find different advisors, doctors that are massage therapists where again, they can just they're not allowed to actually massage the baby.

Unknown 3:48

Okay. That's good. Now what do you see with with infant massage and when do you have people reach out and what do you do you focus on that and why are people reaching out? I'm asking kind of like pushy because I kind of know you know, but I want you to mention and talk about some of those. Those reasons why is that massage can

Unknown 4:14

be beneficial. Yeah. So what was the biggest thing I noticed when people were calling me like Gasol Holic? You know, they have stomach issues, they can't sleep. That was the biggest thing. So I was massage you know, just teaching them how to massage the belly, or you know, doing the full massage, but basically, it was the belly that we were focusing on, and that will help you like with the gas and colic. Every baby is different, you know, with different massage. A lot of people they don't realize, you know, they're like, oh can you come to find my baby? Like that's not like you know, an hour massage. I'm gonna become a statue of Casey. Like, there is a little different you know, this could be like your our babies, you know, then like 1520 minutes tops. They're like, Okay, I'm done. You know, cuz they're you know, too much stimulation

Unknown 5:05

when they're hungry.

Unknown 5:07

Yeah. Done with it. Stop now. But yeah, so teaching them that it's a great bonding tool, you know, for another time. And especially like when I taught at the hospital, you know, it was the mothers and offend the partners, you know, coming in, because, you know, the biological mom that had the actual baby, you know, the partner did not. So they felt that maybe they didn't bond way that the mom was you know, so that was that massage helped where they can find the baby in his home. Having the baby

Unknown 5:53

I used to color code I now possesses all my knowledge and my runs colors. Know, I read a lot is when I did my hand

Unknown 6:08

anything. This was a Keith FEV is in that diaper all the time when they're getting their really great degree they need air is the one that helps them they help with body awareness. You know, with babies. When you notice that they realize that they have hair like all over them

Unknown 6:40

you have a couple of phones that will make you think of them and hold them you know, a lot of times the one I want to make sure I'm doing like I'm like, if you're in the classroom, and you're doing it right okay, if you're touching your baby, if you're holding your baby, then you're doing it right. Don't think that it has to be a no I give them certain steps. But I'm like you do not have to follow these steps. But this is just a guideline for you. You know, just in case you forget something or want to know what to do. That's only that's the only reason why this is here. This is not something you have to follow that back then. The only thing that I've made sure that they aren't doing, they want to go in the right direction is the stomach. You want to make sure you go in a clockwise direction to go in the opposite direction. That is that Yeah. Last week was that people real, you know, a real thing that you really have to focus on because, you know if a massage has been around and you know other countries for years, it's something that's passed down from generation to generation that over here, you know, it's something that they have to come and pay for and somebody has to teach you this, you know, it's like the moms the grandma, everybody massages debate and it's just something normal. It's not like the like, Oh, it's a big it's a luxury. Oh, your baby's getting a massage. Like what No. Like this is something you know, that the babies need. And again, just the growing in the farmer makes a difference.

Unknown 8:11

I know it's almost like I can envision just that all of the generations together. You know, and that teaching and that aspect of it of like that creating that tribe and that birth village and that's like part of it as well to to kind of say, Yeah, you know what to do, you know, but giving them those extra little tools but knowing that they're making a difference. Little things I had some patients into and maybe just had a super stressful birth. So we're just really like your nervous system function that's like this baby down, you know and see what we can do. At home, you know, I'm not going to have you like working on adjusting your baby at home. there but I was like, well hold your baby. To me and love your baby. Like out of that is just like that's what they need, you know?

Unknown 9:04

Yeah, I mean just even massages, rub your baby, hold them and rub them you know that because that body you know the friction just again when the baby's next to you or you know that the body temperature you know that skin the skin makes the difference with you holding them and again, like we encourage the skin the skin immediately. When the baby goes through a lot, you know, I always teased them on like in my childbirth class, like when they're inside out like their business they're eating it pooping they're doing them on their own schedule. About group like, what is happening where the one thing that oh my gosh, I'm going through all of this. I'm doing all of the big change for baby also, we don't have to worry about all these days. Exactly. Exactly. Where they hear you you know appreciate your touch just tapping into your arm Dellinger because it was, you know, like a cool like a smaller area. It wasn't good, wide open. And I noticed that a lot of babies that

Unknown 10:17

is Wi Fi and like and that is almost unacceptable. Like not like what if they check your agenda on Friday

Unknown 10:27

or like stretch the arm out and a lot of them didn't like the

Unknown 10:31

arm Why did I know when you're pulling because you

Unknown 10:33

know, they kept it together. You know, we kept it so when you're pulling and stretching away again, you got like you're opening up

Unknown 10:41

responsibility

Unknown 10:46

Exactly. So I also used the daycare daycare so here in Georgia right and that Yeah, yeah. And at the school so I was there for about 13 years, but average is amazing. And you see the difference, you know? And then the other is like some of them love somebody. Some like some images when I had like eyebrows and it would be like this every time so you know every baby with LSI Tama tried different things and that's what the don't follow. These step by step. I was going to make it your own. I want you to watch your baby. This is how you're going to learn your baby. You know, you have to pay attention to your baby, not just thinking, you know, because people think oh, I need to learn how to massage, you know and follow the steps and this is the way I have to do it. No, that's you know, it's not comforting to you. It's not comforting for your baby. They know that something is going on. Obviously they're reading the paper. Can you watch me?

Unknown 12:09

I'm giving you my clues. Again. It sounds like it's that it's really helping with that awareness. And I know sometimes in the office too. That's been going on. I'm like, Okay, I've done my observation here in the office. This is what I'm seeing and here's what I want you are gone into, you know, so when we're doing these, like, what's this that you're seeing, you know, and that awareness now it's not only up that prenatal pregnancy stress awareness with that prenatal massage, but now also kind of you know, baby awareness and how things are going there.

Unknown 12:38

Yeah, cuz you know, everybody you're learning you're learning, learning from you. This is all new, you know, for the new moms. This is all new for everyone.

Unknown 12:48

Again, every baby is different. So even if you have other kids that lots of coming out completely different now you said so after massage, then came the doula work. So then came the childbirth educator work so what does that look like working with you? I'm sure you have people that are just for massage or just for doula or just for childbirth education, but what do those other aspects of the birth work world that you do look like?

Unknown 13:25

So right now when I say I'm like I'm retired doula. And tired down there like you okay. But so I'm not taking any claim what let's just say, I'm not advertising. Advertising any further work now. I've had a couple of people call live firstly, consecutive pregnancies like, Hey, we're pregnant again. And we want you to be and of course I have to be there. For them. No, we'll find somebody else. I have to be ready for stuff. You know, I have a couple of those coming up. So I'm not really taking any and only because like the scheduling doing the work is hard. Work is hard. Yep. It's very hard. And as far as scheduling like can't vote when you can't. You know, I don't know how we do it. You know, that's full time doing it on their own and because I'm a massage therapist, because I'm a childbirth educator, because I have two grandchildren of my own that I also helped, you know, certain days take care of that. You know, it was hard for me to try to commit to it because I you know, I have to be there. I don't want to call back. You know, I don't want to miss my grandson's football game. I don't want to you know, I want to do it all. So I'm like, I have to, you know, cut back on something and then that's where

Unknown 14:58

you find as you say, you're choosing the childbirth educator aspect of it, because you can still help. Yeah, but it's more on that scheduled aspect and what fits with you and your life? No, I think that's I think that's very important. So yeah,

Unknown 15:10

yeah. With the table of education portion. So the classes I teach now, you know, more of the evidence based so the last class that is called the labor rehearsal. So we sort of just again, we're rehearsing, you know, during the Labor Day itself, and I'm doing a lot of hands on and I also created a a course it's like labor one on one work prep course. And basically, it's helping, it's teaching. It is. Yes, okay. So I'm teaching the partners what I do during labor. Okay. So

Unknown 15:58

like, if you were there as a doula or that, yeah, okay. Yeah, kind of giving them the tools because I feel like too, sometimes the partners kind of like, don't know what to do. So that that's an aspect of what you offer in that childbirth education class. Okay.

Unknown 16:14

Yeah. So that's where I can, you know, sort of give back my Doula won't physically be there. But I'm there, you know, I'm helping you and this is what I would do in this situation and, you know, certain things like that. And then a lot of times if they've taken my telega always reach out to like, a week will give me a call, you know, virtually, of course, I'm not going to be with you the whole time. But if you have questions if you have something you know, I forgot where you need to add people FaceTime me okay. Well, I do again, if no, show me that just show them and help them. You know, and especially if they're not going to have a doula realize both of these things, but if they are going to have a doula, a lot of times your doula is invited to that labor rehearsal. So they can be there and go over, you know, because, again, that could be an extra meeting or you know, for them together, you know, and they think do let me do that can add on there or that can be you know, whatever they choose to do, but I like to invite the doula below the doula is welcome to come also.

Unknown 17:17

And that's I like that you have the dual certification because I think that can make an impact in your childbirth education, too, because that doula work isn't necessarily always in a childbirth education class, you know, and so that's a good that's good to have that education and add that into,

Unknown 17:36

what does your your class look like? So it is you've got your evidence based birth instructor, but

Unknown 17:44

then also law certified so is it over several weekends or is it a one day thing or what does that look like?

Unknown 17:53

So I'm not really teaching the models right now. Like I taught that. Okay. That's the one I wrote at the hospital now as mainly teach the evidence base. So it can be an the reason why I chose that now is because, like I said, it's evidence based research base. So they change a lot of the information like they keep up to date with what's going on in the world. You know, which helps you

Unknown 18:27

were even on the podcast, weren't you? Because there's the evidence based birth podcast. I know I wanted you to mention like some of the podcasts you've been on. No, I love that and Rachel and I talk about it a lot and love it. Because, I mean, they talked about eating and drinking during labor, like, this is what they're gonna tell you, but this is the evidence of that.

Unknown 18:43

We have research papers, you know, that are given to the client, like, you know, because like you said, Eat and drink and that was dated from 1940. Like, why? You know, like, why are they still doing that? You know, the PCI to me, like, who's still doing that, you know, why are they doing certain things? So, that's what a lot of people you know, and it gives them tools to kind of look it up themselves like not just me sitting here telling you, when I taught my mom It was basically a PowerPoint was standing in the room or you know, when this PowerPoint and it were a lot and like I said, because it was the hospital, it was a lot of information about the hospital. You know, what you're going to do with

Unknown 19:19

that, and that's exactly those those hospital based classes are more than hospital policy. So if you're going to give birth at a hospital, I do think it's great to take those classes. So you know, that the hospital policy, but it's also really good to have an independent shop,

Unknown 19:36

necessarily have to take the hospital classes because they can't tell you what to do anyway, when

Unknown 19:41

you come in. And that's true. It's like what what yeah, what are we gonna do not tell you?

Unknown 19:46

You don't have to pay for them to tell you what to do, but they're gonna tell you this. So what I do like about the evidence based birth classes is it kind of teaches you you know, no matter what hospital you are, whether you do a cobra, you know, hospital, personnel, whatever teaches you to be comfortable and be an advocate for yourself or for the department. Okay, especially when you're going into the hospital. A lot of times you may have to fight or you know, not fight but you may have to push more than what you want. Okay, so with the evidence base, what we do during the classes we teach you how to, you know, not be confrontational. You know, where I'm not saying because you don't want that when you're in labor. I gotta fight for that. I gotta do this again, you know, was will come in and then realizing that, you know, everybody's human, you know, and they could resist doing this because when they could be having a bad day, you don't know what's going on with them, you know, or it could be something that there's hospitals that they have to do, because this is what they're supposed to do with everybody. And, you know, telling them like, Hey, I'm not everybody, you know, in a nice way. And this is me, you know, this is an individual and somebody that you know, so it's not so general. I want you to pay attention to me, I want you to have this conversation. Ask me questions. You know, you ask them questions. How are you doing today? You know, just so they can feel because a lot of times you have to remember to when you go into there and like I said I've shadowed nurses at the hospital, and then some clients come in at you know, letters yelling, because they're uncomfortable that could be in pain. It could be you know, this, whatever going on, or, you know, the nurses that don't happen fast enough or they weren't in there, or whatever the case is, so they're getting yelled at all the time. And you have all this. Oh my gosh, this is unreal, that matches have to give an ambiguous and you know, so they have to say on that and not only that they have you know, not only it's not just one client, they have to worry about you know, one patient, they could have two patients depending on where they are going. Hopefully they don't have three patients because you have to remember if they have to patients, not only do they have to take care of the mom, they have to take care of the babies while they're still pregnant. Okay, it's not until after the babies come out Who do they get another nurse? So that nurse is taking care of four people instead of two people. And all that paperwork they have to do.

Unknown 22:15

There's ways to Yeah, like you were even saying to not to be confrontational but to be you could still be kind, you know, and stay and get your point across and ask your

Unknown 22:26

question. Yeah, exactly. Yeah,

Unknown 22:28

I think that's really important though. Now, where can where can people find you in the interweb world and where can they reach you for massages and where do you work out and like the websites and social media so tell us all of those things. You got a lot of people I'm like tears all over the place. So

Unknown 23:05

starting off on the web, my website is Harrisburg services.com. And they can start there and that has the information on there as far as classes and different things like that and they can reach out to me. My phone number is posted on there also. So I definitely get that out. I don't have a problem. With giving my phone number which is 770-380-6364. I am also on Instagram that happened during the pandemic. But on Instagram I am Tara d Thompson that CO terribIe Thompson dot d o on Instagram and on there I like to sort of do you know like reels and different things of the trendy things going on but I sort of switched to something birth related.

Unknown 23:55

You know, you're always sharing good little pack and stuff like that. Yes, get an agenda.

Unknown 24:00

The information on there. I work out of a couple of chiropractors offices. So there's one I wish that the Shannon has saved the

Unknown 24:15

space for you and my people.

Unknown 24:19

One in Marietta one in Kennesaw and then an October so October 1, we will actually it's been a long time coming but it's finally coming opening the office in Roswell. So right next to that,

Unknown 24:36

I was gonna say Are you part of the I forgot about this I saw the Providence wellness wellness collective. No, I need to have everybody in the wellness collective on on on the show. So

Unknown 24:54

yes,

Unknown 24:56

that like I said, we were you know, just because it is in Alpharetta. It was just harder to get licensed in Alpharetta, but we're finally opening working out of there.

Unknown 25:11

Yesterday Wednesday, my friend

Unknown 25:17

Yeah,

Unknown 25:18

yeah, no, but you're still you're still doing it. Yeah, I know. Like you're still doing it because you still offer you have that knowledge and you still are able to put that out there and get that out. To your people. So

Unknown 25:30

yeah, and a lot of times that even if they think much more but just because I don't like if I'm available. I would come and help you. I will because I think I think birth is amazing. You know I think pregnancy is amazing to find things that your body can do. Oh my gosh. That's a whole nother podcast in miraculous Yeah, so I mean, I'd love to be there but I mean, this is hard but the scheduling the time is

Unknown 25:59

hard but unpredictability of of birth, which is amazing, but it makes it difficult to now I know. I do postpartum care boxes in my office and I actually get one of the items from you as well. So I want to throw that out there as well too. As part of the things that how amazing you are so you do the flaxseed packs that you can put you know in the microwave and heat up and it's just that warm pack for postpartum recovery and everything there. So you do so much though we

Unknown 26:33

actually started it was with pregnancy. So it started out with just a regular pass to them. And then it was like okay, well they need to move. They can't just sit in order

Unknown 26:46

to distract. Oh, yeah, I've had that husband back and they're like, Well, my husband took it off and around the house. I'm like, no but no, everybody Yeah, everybody loves it. It's got those little straps. Yeah. And you can just wear it around

Unknown 27:02

that way and you know, the neck, the belly, the back is wherever and because you can put it in so many thinking so many different angles and some of the you know whatever you're feeling it you can definitely have it so yeah, everybody yeah my son

Unknown 27:24

that is too cute. Yay. Well I'm so thankful that you agreed to be on the show today you so much knowledge. I'm so happy that you are a worker in our metro Atlanta area. I think the services that for office are so needed and I absolutely love it. So we have lots of knowledge here today. I'm going to link everything all of your contact info to in the new industry. And again, such a pleasure.

Unknown 27:59

Thank you so much for having me. This was fun.

Unknown 28:03

I know right.

Unknown 28:07

All right. Well for having me.

Unknown 28:08

Yes, of course. And stay tuned next week for a another new episode that drops every Wednesday.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai