The Holistic and Integrative Therapy Program at St. Peter’s Hospital is now offering massage services free of charge to women in labor who are pursuing a natural childbirth.
Offered in conjunction with the St. Peter’s Hospital Women and Children’s Services, this service is provided by hospital-employed licensed massage therapists who have been trained in labor and delivery progression.
“We are excited to offer this new service, and give any woman who desires to have a natural childbirth experience an opportunity to request a massage,” said Alicia Recore, Ph.D., MBA, project director of the Holistic and Integrative Therapy Program. “Studies have shown massage can help shorten labor and benefit many different aspects of childbirth.”
These benefits include reducing pain, decreasing stress, combating fatigue, and restoring energy to laboring women, Recore said.
Massage therapists are on-call to provide this service in St. Peter’s Hospital from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday though Tuesday. Patients who wish to take advantage of this offering should notify their nurse, physician, or midwife upon being admitted to the St. Peter’s Hospital Labor and Delivery unit.
Colleagues with questions or seeking additional information about this new program should call Recore at 518-525-1174.
Massage therapy for women in labor is one of many services provided by the Holistic and Integrative Therapy Program. The program offers a range of services to patients of all ages, across all levels of inpatient care, as well as to specific outpatient populations.
The Holistic and Integrative Therapy Program focuses on complementary and alternative modalities, which can be used alone, in combination with other healing therapies, or in concert with conventional care, Recore said. These therapies, which are always individualized to the patient, include breathing retraining, massage therapy, mind-body interventions, reflexology, reiki, and healing/therapeutic touch.
The goal of these interventions, Recore said, is to help patients reduce pain and anxiety, promote relaxation, facilitate the body’s natural restorative processes, and hasten post-operative recovery.
For more information about the St. Peter’s Holistic and Integrative Therapy Program, please visit: http://www.sphcs.org/ComplementaryTherapy
