massage legality, birth art, & how I started

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends;

Sometimes I get emails privately I really want to share, like

Radhika's and this from Vicki. With ok, I do. So when reading this

one, bear in mind the > marks her conversation paragraph, then

follows my response, so you don't get too confused. BTW, in case you

missed the intro, Vicky has been doing pp doula work for ...longer

than I think. She is just beginning to discover " AyurDoulas "

 

Dear Vicky;

.... So like you and your internet participation on the

postpartumdoulas@, I've just taken the time for heart,

can't watch the clock and tend to many of the real heart matters at

the same time. My life I find hinges on a lot of trust!

 

> RE being vata like postpartum moms

You will enjoy cooking for your postpartum moms and eating the same

foods (home or there as appropriate ...) over time, watch for your

gall bladder and exercise level (hmm, I should be out walking ...)

 

>During my last workshop I was talking about giving moms foot rubs

and one the students was a masseuse and she said tfhere are laws

about giving massage without a certification. It seemed silly to me

that I could be fined or jailed for giving a new mom a foot rub but

she was adamant about it.

 

Yes Oh my some students are so fanatical, as are some others and some

laws. I'm technically liable for a 10,000 fine here in Florida not

having a massage liscense. Oops, license, I'm working on that one

Does depend upon the state; Colorado isn't so picky, I don't believe.

Some folks say a certified doula has license to touch, foot/shoulders

gentle massages being encouraged as part of the training makes it ok,

they say. Midwives and Nurses have license to touch. Others say just

go online and get a doctor of divinity; at least it might help,

depending upon your approach with it. I may do it yet ... Certainly,

there are some even newly delivered mothers in the throes of such

sweetness of heart who can turn sour, as well as many blessings of

the heart protecting us. But as teachers, that ain't enough,

obviously.

 

IT IS ALSO TRUE that both pregnant and postpartum moms are very at

risk for heavy handed even just overenthusiastic touch. The Doc

author of the book Radhika mentioned today, John Douillard, with his

third I think it was I did some massages on his wife after he tried

to do it. Now, he runs and ayurvedic clinic and is such a gentle

being, but also a sports physician etc. His massage increased her

lochia, I believe such a common occurance that is probably why

massage schools seem quite hands off about teaching any postparetum

massage!

 

>Also, I love your brochure. When I saw the mother and baby on the

front I was struck by how much it looked like a sculpture I could

make with kelp. I am going to try it. Is it a picture of a metal

sculpture?

 

I'd LOVE to see you make a sculpture like this! Please will you send

me a photo of it? I'd love to put it on my website (immanently, maybe

next week will be more proper . Or any other mother/baby/doula art

you care to share ... The pic came from free art on the web, one of

my clients found several pics for me, including several apparently by

same author. I " m happy to send those over in JPEG format for you to

see too.

 

>Your words contain a tenderness and compassion for new moms that

even the rest of the doula world sometimes lack. It's very

interesting to me personally to hear another approach to my work. How

did you come to this work?

 

Thank you, it was such a blessing. My astrology actually says I'd

never receive any formal educational degree or certification. I

believe it was a gift from my Master. Truely was called, on the phone

one day by the director of the Maharishi Ayurveda Medical Center

Mother & Baby Program. They said, " we need more women to do this

work, all those trained are otherwise engaged. We hear your interest

in Ayurveda, natural childbirth, herbs, etc. Can we make you an

offer? " There were only two of us in that class ... both of us named

Martha! I had been studying home midwifery correspondence course,

always thought I'd become a midwife as I believe all women should

know the basics. Never happened, and I understand from Ayurveda I

don't have the stamina for the demands, and it is ok now.

 

Since then when I was accepted to teach in Boulder at the Rocky

Mountain iNstitute of Yoga & Ayurveda the director insisted on more

prereq training than I had received ... for our students, so I got to

take that too , along with other wonderful courses as a faculty

benefit. Then Dr. Shrestha came to visit from Nepal and teach one

spring, and needed a place to stay. Her master's level thesis was in

postpartum! She directed 2 birth clinics, 2 other ayurvedic clinics,

and held a 7 hour day hospital job too, one of those. It was

wonderful contact, and deep sisterhood since. One day next year I

hope to go to Nepal and study/teach with her, at her request. Such an

honor, and expression of the state of affairs even in Ayurveda's

homeland.

 

> I have asked cappa if I can teach only one a year. They have a

requirement that we trainers must teach three a year or none at all,

so I am hoping they will let me teach only one a year. It stresses me

out too much planning for 3 a year.

 

Totally understand ... good luck. I'd really like to post this on the

if it would be ok with you? Any editing beforehand is fine.

Warm Regards;

Marti