The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy® (ATMAT) protocol suggests starting treatments three months before trying to conceive. Read why here.
The following information is for educational purposes. The Arvigo® portion in this article is based on the years of experience and training of the founder of the Arvigo® techniques, Dr. Rosita Arvigo, and the experienced midwives and healers she has studied with. There aren’t any scientific studies on the effectiveness of these techniques; there’s only anecdotal evidence from practitioners and clients worldwide.
The following is a general guideline and should be modified for each individual depending on their situation. It’s always best to work in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
Preconception: Start 3 months before trying to conceive; ideally, twice in the first month and once each month thereafter, for a total of 4 treatments over 3 months. You will learn the self-care abdominal massage at your first appointment. If you can’t find a practitioner near you, I teach abdominal self-massage in my online Womb Care course.
In addition to abdominal massage, I coach clients in whole-body alignment to prepare the body, reduce excess load on the linea alba to prevent Diastasis Recti, and increase pelvic floor responsiveness. Ideally, you would start your alignment and squat prep program before you conceive. You wouldn’t start training for a marathon the month before the race, would you? Your body has adapted to how you have been using it for decades. You need to give your tissues time to adjust.
First 20 weeks of pregnancy: Regular massage is fine, but no lower belly massage in the first 20 weeks.
20 to 37 weeks: Pregnancy massage at least once a month. At this point, you will learn the pregnancy-specific self-care massage that you can do on your own at least five times a week and during labor. Make sure you find a practitioner who has taken the advanced pregnancy care training.
Arvigo® practitioners do not reposition the babies; their focus is on the uterus. If you’re worried about the position of the baby, consult your midwife or obstetrician. An acupuncturist may also be able to help by using moxa on BL 67 point for turning breech babies.
38 weeks and beyond: Abdominal massage twice a week. Specific massage techniques will be applied to prepare the body for birthing.
“To ensure easy delivery, mothers are advised to be active, walk a lot, and get lots of fresh air. Maya women also eat six pieces of raw okra or take half a cup of desert nopal juice once daily for ten days before their due date. The slippery substance makes for an easy birth and has been a part of Maya midwifery care since ancient days.During labor midwives administer as much hot allspice tea as the woman can consume. She continuously sips on the warm tea to ease the pains and to ensure steady progress. Midwives boil three tablespoons of allspice berries in a quart of water for ten minutes. They let it steep for fifteen minutes, strain it, and place in a thermos.” Dr Rosita Arvigo – From Rainforest Home Remedies
Labor: ATMAT can be beneficial during labor and is applied in between contractions.
Check out Dr. Aviva Romm’s article on Herbs for an Easy Labor.
Also, I can’t stress enough how important it is to have a doula during your labor process! “A doula is a woman who has been trained to provide emotional support, physical comfort measures, and informational resources for women and families during their labor. A doula acts as an advocate for the woman and her desires for her labor and birth.” Ishell Neville, birth doula.
Maya midwives recommend that women apply warm olive oil to the insides of the thighs and the perineum in the weeks leading up to labor and during labor to help prevent tearing.
Here’s an excellent article by Dr. Aviva Romm, MD, Labor Induction: The Low Down on Natural Approaches from a Midwife-MD
Postpartum: Avoid cold! Traditional treatments include “Roasting The Mother,” a warming treatment that helps restore chi to the body. In my treatment room, I have the new mama lie on the Biomat at a high setting, covered with a blanket. The treatment may also include moxa to the sacrum and womb, warm stones on the belly, craniosacral therapy, massage, and closing of the bones. It’s believed that during childbirth, the mama opens up on many levels for the baby to come through, physically and energetically. The closing of the bones is a comforting treatment that helps seal the gateways that open during childbirth. This treatment may start three days postpartum.
In general, abdominal massage can be applied by a qualified pregnancy massage practitioner six weeks postpartum, eight to ten weeks after a cesarean birth. Postpartum self-care massage may start at 12 weeks as directed by your qualified practitioner.
“There are many herbs that can be used to soothe tender perineal tissue, heal tears and episiotomies (yes, you CAN take herb baths if you’ve had stitches!), reduce inflammation, and even shrink hemorrhoids after vaginal birth.” Dr. Aviva Romm. Read more here: Healing Herbal Baths for New Mama.
Author: Barbara Horsley has more than 26 years of experience as a licensed massage therapist. She specializes in abdominal massage and Visceral Manipulation™ and is an NCBTMB-approved educator. In addition to being certified in abdominal massage, she also studied biomechanics and restorative exercise. She is also a Certified Women’s Herbal Educator and a graduate of the IWHI Perimenopause & Menopause Certificate Program.