Pregnancy Massage CEU Course – Outline and Learning Outcomes

First, by examining a list of this class’s learning objectives, you’ll understand what you can expect to gain from participating in this course. And, secondly–and perhaps even more importantly–you stand to gain as an adult learner. When taking on new information as an adult, there are both disadvantages to be overcome (maybe it’s been awhile since you’ve been in school) as well as advantages to be harnessed (you’re motivated, focused, and probably more interested in the content than the average college student). As a result of preparing you for what the course will cover, reading through the learning objectives will help to increase your level of retention throughout the course and aid in making your learning more effective and efficient.

In layman’s terms, our continuing education course will cover the history of the technique, its benefits, various contraindications, and an effective sequence of techniques for you to use in your massage practice.

That said, let’s go into more detail. After completing this course, you’ll have a better understanding of the following:

Anatomical Changes During Pregnancy

The female body must go through many changes during the perinatal time to accommodate the growing fetus.  This changes the mechanical balance of the woman’s body and creates stress in opposing muscle groups.

Abdominal distention causes the pelvis to tilt forward, abdominal muscle tone decreases , and weight bearing increases.  The woman’s center of gravity shifts forward causing an over exaggeration of the normal lumbosacral curve (lordosis) then to compensate causes exaggerated anterior flexion of the head to maintain balance.

Increased breast size and weight causing stooped shoulders further accentuate the lumbar and dorsal curves causing aching, numbness, and weakness in the upper extremities.

In the early weeks of pregnancy increased levels of estrogen and progesterone cause fullness, heightened sensitivity, and heaviness of the breasts. A richer blood supply to the breasts causes vasodilation and venous congestion, stretch marks can appear around the outer aspects of the breasts. In the second and third trimesters glandular tissue displaces connective tissue as a result tissue becomes soft and looser. The breasts are expected to gain 2 pounds in weight.  This can cause a stooped shoulder stance in some women, the shoulders roll anterior and the woman begins to slouch pulling on the trapezius, latissimus dorsi, and rhomboids the client may complain of upper back pain.  With the weight of the breasts pulling the client into a stooped position look for shortening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) and pectoralis minor applying traction and pressure to the brachial plexus known as thoracic outlet syndrome, which can cause numbness and tingling in the arms and hands.

The enlargement of the uterus with the growing and developing fetus will start at the symphysis pubis and reach the umbilicus by the twentieth week of pregnancy, and nearly reaches the xiphoid process by full term. As the uterus rises into the abdomen it places pressure on the diaphragm causing the diaphragm to rise by 4 cm.

With advancing pregnancy, it becomes less possible for the diaphragm to descend making it easier for the mother to use chest breathing rather than abdominal breathing. Chest breathing can cause discomfort in the intercoastal muscles and strain on the scalene muscles of the neck. The uterus begins to push on the abdominal wall, when a pregnant woman is standing the uterus rests on the abdominal wall and contributes to her altered center of gravity. This shift in gravity pulls on the lower back causing an increase in the anterior curvature of the lumbar spine (lordosis) and an anterior rotation of the pelvic girdle.

What are CEUs, and Why are They Important?

Your continuing education as a massage professional involves two important components. On the one hand, your daily experience in the clinic provides you with a practical education that’s an absolute necessity to your professional growth. At the same time, however, it’s equally essential to continue your education in a more traditional way. If you’re wondering how you can do that, we’re here to help. Massage CEUs, or Continuing Education Units (GUIDE TO LMT CONTINUING EDUCATION), are an excellent way to keep learning long after you’ve graduated from a massage program.

And while massage CEUs are a huge part of professional development, they’re also often a legal requirement. In most states, all licensed practitioners are required to take a certain number of CEU hours (NCBTMB GUIDE) each year (or sometimes every two to three years) in order to keep their license current.

As an NCBTMB Approved Provider of CEUs, Panda Massage CEU can provide you with quality education that fulfills state and national requirements.

Why Choose Panda Massage CEU?

There may be other online providers of massage CEU courses, but we’re confident that Panda Massage CEU is the best choice for your continuing education needs:

Quality

Other courses are of questionable quality. Meanwhile, we’re proud to offer some of the best massage CEU courses in the country, and stand by our quality 100%.

Unique Topics

We offer required courses like medical errors, which many states mandate that you take. But we also have exciting courses with unique topics such as deep tissue, hydrotherapy, and more.

Professional Narration

Some online courses are poorly made, with low quality audio. Our courses are professionally narrated, and of the highest caliber.

Self-Paced

Sometimes, your busy schedule can interfere with your ability to obtain CEUs. We understand this, and that’s why all of our courses are self-paced. No matter how hectic your schedule gets, you’ll be able to keep up with the material.

Great Prices

Our courses aren’t just high quality: they’re also an amazing value. Our affordable prices mean that our CEU courses work with any budget. And remember: online courses can save you thousands of dollars that you’d spend on travel while attending an in-person course.