Training for specialists

Philosophy, safety, and ergonomics

• Where the rebozo comes from, and respect for the tradition of the cloth
• Length, weave, and density, and grips that spare the hands: the lock, and a wrap around the forearm
• Body weight, not the back: archer stance, pelvic support, core and legs, a neutral spine through long vibrations
• Calibrating contact, matching the breath, and the living-tension test

Pregnancy

• Manteada on knees and elbows, to ease the round ligaments
• Gentle traction of the sacrum and the lumbar area
• Sifting for the pelvic floor and the iliopsoas
• Centring the pelvis and making space for the baby’s position
• A cradle for the head and neck, and a soft rock of the shoulder girdle

Labour

• Inlet: asymmetric rocking, standing and with a birth ball or the partner
• Mid-pelvis: side-lying release in the cloth for asynclitism or a posterior baby
• Outlet: ischial tuberosities and sacroiliac joints in a deep squat, rebozo under the chest
• Double hip squeeze and sacral vibration
• Hanging her weight in the cloth, and work on all fours, including with the pelvis raised
• A short briefing for the partner: lumbar relief and a simple rock

Postpartum

• Bengkung: intra-abdominal pressure and the position of the pelvic organs
• Release of shoulders, neck, and thorax after feeding
• Closing the birth at seven points: head, shoulders, ribs, pelvis, thighs, shins, and feet

A full rebozo practice

• The full practice, in order

Starter kit

• A checklist of oils
• A checklist of rebozo cloths
• A checklist of extra tools for a full practice

Landmarks and ergonomics

• Where folk and osteopathic adjustments come from, and care for a woman’s body
• Palpation: iliac crests, sacroiliac joints, pubic symphysis, ischial tuberosities, diaphragm, and abdominal wall
• Your own body weight and trunk, so the work does not land on the fingers
• Stance, breath, and listening hands: yielding to muscle guarding and reading how the tissue gives

Pelvis, sacrum, and thorax

• Sacral decompression and a return to neutral, without jerks
• Piriformis and the deep hip rotators
• Symmetry of the iliac bones and the pubic symphysis
• Fascia lata and the pelvic ligaments when lumbar and sacral pain is chronic
• The diaphragm, and a gentle opening of the thorax and shoulders in pregnancy and while feeding

Belly, diastasis, and scar

• Linea alba, the degree of diastasis, and the tone of the deep fascia
• A gentle visceral lift of uterus, bladder, and bowel when there is a tendency to prolapse
• Spasm in the mesentery and the ligaments of the organs
• Mobilising a caesarean or episiotomy scar, and restoring elasticity

A full session

• From the history and imbalance tests to the final integration
• After the session: movement, self-care, and support garments
• Combined cases: symphysis, diastasis, and pelvic tilt, and older injuries
• A full adjustment session
• Supportive taping for the belly
• Symphysis and diastasis
• Craniosacral therapy as the integration of the bodywork

Tools for the work

• A full checklist of tools and materials to begin
• A reading list

Physiology and the nest

• Hormones, uterus, ligaments, and the nervous system in the first days and weeks
• Why quiet, rest, and being cared for matter more than exercise
• The role of the person who makes the space safe
• A visit without draughts, and ergonomics that also protect the practitioner

Warmth

• Postpartum as a loss of heat and fluid
• Herbal baths and sitz baths: inflammation and uterine contraction
• Dry heat on the sacrum, belly, and feet
• Neck, shoulders, and thorax held tight by feeding and by carrying the baby

The first bind

• The difference between cinching, which loads the pelvic floor, and support
• Intra-abdominal pressure and preventing prolapse from the first days
• A multi-knot wrap and a classic wrap, from the pubic symphysis to the ribs
• Caesarean or episiotomy stitches, hours of wear, how to lie down and stand, and when to tighten

The visit in days 7 to 14

• How the birth went, emotional state, lochia, sleep, and the body
• Broths, spices, and teas for lactation and strength
• Listening to the birth story: depression, post-traumatic stress, tears
• Caesarean, marked oedema, blocked ducts, and burnout

The full postpartum protocol

• A basic kit to begin: essential oils and massage tools
• A full massage session
• Belly and body techniques for warmth and for easing swelling