Craniosacral Therapy for Pregnancy Birth and Postpartum

Reading List

I recommend that you read something from the following list before class. Concentrate on an area or two about which you know the least. The more you know about Craniosacral Therapy, pregnancy, the birth process (including cesarean birth), female pelvic and reproductive anatomy, breastfeeding and postpartum recovery, the more you will get out of this class and the better you will be able to serve your clients.

ANATOMY

Atlas of Human Anatomy by Frank Netter or Anatomy by Carmine Clemente have good pictures of the female pelvis and reproductive/pelvic organs.

The latest edition of Gray's Anatomy now has color illustrations and, as usual, the best narrative descriptions.

Anatomy Trains by Thomas W. Myers -  I’m not sure why it took me so long to recommend this book. Remember, the bones are just handles. Mostly we are working with fascia when we are working in the physical realm. The illustrations in this book are great.

The Female Pelvis by Blandine Calais-Germain is accessible, accurate and has an emphasis on pregnancy and birth. It also has illustrated, clearly explained exercises to help women maintain good pelvic health. 

Saving The Whole Woman by Christine Ann Kent fits best into the anatomy section, but it is really a manifesto about the hysterectomy and other female pelvic surgeries and their aftermath. I am unimpressed by the exercises she recommends for healing incontinence, prolapses, etc. but the anatomy and especially the descriptions of the surgical procedures makes this book a must read.

The Psoas Book by Liz Koch is really helpful for understanding the female pelvic mobility and alignment issues we encounter when treating moms. The illustrations are very good.

Wild Feminine by Tami Lynn Kent - not really an anatomy book, but a wonderful book written by a PT who specializes in women’s health.  This book focuses on women’s self discovery of the pelvis as the source of feminine creativity and so much more. I highly recommend this one.

BREASTFEEDING

Many new moms have breastfeeding problems and concerns. It helps to know something about it.

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by Diane Wiessinger, et. al. This is the book I now recommend most often to people who want to learn about breastfeeding. Be sure to get the most recent (2010) edition. It has the latest information about latching.

The Breastfeeding Answer Book by Mohrbacher and Stock – This one is more technical, great for troubleshooting.

Impact of Birthing Practices on Breastfeeding by Linda J. Smith is a must-have, evidence and research based book written for lactation consultants, other professionals and parents. It will give you facts to help pregnant mothers understand how birth interventions may impact their breastfeeding success.

PREGNANCY AND BIRTH

The Tentative Pregnancy: How Amniocentesis Changes the Experience of Motherhood by Barbara Katz Rothman - an insight into the impact of prenatal testing and some of the huge dilemmas facing mothers especially in the first trimester.

Pregnancy Childbirth and the Newborn  by Penny Simkin is a good all-encompassing guide.

The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth  by Sheila Kitzinger – another great all-in-one-book

The Birth Partner  by Simkin – This book will acquaint you with typical American birth procedures and describe the experience of labor and birth. Don't skip the part about cesarean birth. It's a reality for more than 31% of American moms and babies. This is the perfect guide for anyone who plans to provide labor support to a birthing woman.

Birthing From Within by Pam England - offers tools to help moms prepare for birth and motherhood in a state of awareness.

Body, Soul, and Baby - Tracy Gaudet - This is a lovely book about conscious preparation for conception, pregnancy and birth.  It is a fabulous book to recommend to our clients to help them stay grounded and connected with their bodies and their babies.

When Survivors Give Birth - Penny Simkin - A must-read in order to provide sensitive care for survivors of childhood abuse. We may not realize it, but we see them every day.

Spiritual Midwifery  by Ina May Gaskin – great hippie birth stories – also, read the part about pregnancy and birth written for midwives in the back of the book.

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth  by Ina May Gaskin – More birth stories plus sobering facts about the effects of medical interventions and strategies for avoiding them.

Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering  by Dr. Sarah J Buckley – A readable, well researched exploration of gentle birth written by an MD who gave birth at home.

THE BOOKS THE MIDWIVES READ

Heart and Hands by Elizabeth Davis. If you are a little or a lot interested in midwifery and natural birth, but you aren’t ready to dive into Anne Frye’s books, this is the book for you.

Holistic Midwifery Volume 1 by Anne Frye – This one is all about prenatal care.

Holistic Midwifery Volume II by Anne Frye – This one is about birth and the immediate postpartum.

BODY COMFORT AND BABY POSITIONING ADVICE FOR MOMS

Essential Exercises for the Childbearing Year by Elizabeth Noble – This has the raw material for your recommendations to expectant and new mothers – written by a P.T. It could be better organized, but it’s full of important information.

Understanding and Teaching Optimal Foetal Positioning  by Jean Sutton and Pauline Scott – This book will help you advise moms about how to ensure their babies are in good positions for birth.

The Labor Progress Handbook by Penny Simkin could also be listed under books about pregnancy and birth. This book gives great biomechanical advice about how to position a mother to help a baby assume a good position for efficient birth - during labor.

Back Labor No More by Janie McCoy King – A mathematician uses vector analysis to figure out why she had back labor and devises a strategy to help eliminate it. The tone is a little silly, but the advice is sound.

Lose your Mummy Tummy by Julie Tupler- Hate the title. Love the book. This book is really excellent. It isn’t really about regaining your girlish figure after giving birth. This is a step-by-step guide to assess and resolve Diastasis Recti. You will use the techniques to assess your clients. You will teach them exercises from this book and you will also recommend this book to your clients.

POSTPARTUM

After the Baby's Birth by Robin Lim is a great guide for new moms and those of us who help care for them.  I especially like the new mother stories at the end of the book. 

This Isn't What I Expected: Overcoming Postpartum Depression by Karen Kleiman and Valerie Raskin. Mothering the New Mother by Sally Placksin - another great insight into the emotional landscape of the postpartum period.

Laughter and Tears: The Emotional Life of New Mothers by Elisabeth Bing, Libby Colman, and Daniel Stern. This book has been around for a while, but postpartum hasn't changed all that much.

Birth Crisis by Sheila Kitzinger could also be listed in the section on pregnancy and birth. It explores the causes of women’s distress and trauma after giving birth. I highly recommend this book.

CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY

An Introduction to Craniosacral Therapy by Don Cohen is the best book for absolute beginners who want to learn about the basics of the work. This book is geared toward a general audience. It is also a helpful guide for more experienced practitioners who have a hard time finding the words to describe the work to clients and potential clients.

Rhythm and Touch by Anthony P. Arnold is the best actual textbook I have found on Craniosacral Therapy It has great illustrations plus clear definitions and instructions. I highly recommend this widely-used textbook.

John Upledger's textbooks are a little dense and technical, but they get more readable as you work your way through the series: Craniosacral Therapy, Craniosacral Therapy II: Beyond the Dura and SomatoEmotional Release.

Your Inner Physician and You by John Upledger is Dr. John's most readable book.  I strongly recommend reading this if you have little or no CST exposure.

The Heart of Listening  by Hugh Milne is a two-volume set and a great read for people who have little or no exposure to the practice of therapeutic bodywork and CST. He presents both the historical/theoretical foundation and also some how-to.

Craniosacral Therapy and the Energetic Body by Roger Gilchrist -  This is another great book for the uninitiated and the experienced alike. Gilchrist presents a clearly written explanation of the deeper concepts at the core of the work.

Atlas of Manipulative Techniques for the Cranium & Face by Alain Gehin is your next book If you already have some CST experience. The illustrations are good and demonstrate ways to release more than one area at a time.

Carol Gray is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education Approved Provider. These classes have been approved or are eligible for continuing education credit in a variety of health-related professions.

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