Main description:

The complete textbook on complementary therapies in maternity care, this book addresses how midwives and other birth professionals can use or advise on complementary therapies for pregnant, labouring and new mothers.

Almost 90% of women may be using complementary therapies during pregnancy and birth, and increasingly midwives and doulas incorporate therapies into their care of women, so it is vital that they and other professionals in the maternity care field are aware of safe and appropriate use based on contemporary evidence. Therapies covered include acupuncture, herbal medicine, homeopathy, aromatherapy, reflexology, yoga, massage and hypnosis.

This complete guide to complementary therapies in pregnancy and childbirth covers safety, effectiveness, evidence, benefits and risks, legal, ethical and professional issues based on accurate and up-to-date research.

Contents:

1. Introduction to complementary therapies in maternity care. 2. Commonly-used complementary therapies for pregnancy and birth. 3. Professional issues. 4. Complementary therapies for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. 5. Back pain in pregnancy. 6. Complementary Therapies for Breech Presentation. 7. Complementary Therapies for Post-dates Pregnancy. 8. Complementary therapies for labour. 9. Complementary therapies for the postnatal period.