ABSTRACT
Given the numerous health professions involved in the teams providing maternity care, including, for example, the paediatrician, anaesthetist, GP, physiotherapist, nutritionist, health visitor and radiographer, it is unusual to find a complementary therapist included. This is surprising given that maternity services are the main health care service that complementary practice could really make a difference. There is no doubting the popularity of complementary therapies amongst the general public in the UK. Massage has been shown to be of considerable use as a complementary therapy for pain relief in labour and many units are training midwives to teach birth partners massage techniques for use during labour. This has the dual benefit of involving fathers in the birth event as well as helping women with the pain of childbirth. A growing number of maternity units are offering a range of complementary therapies for pregnancy, labour and the puerperium.
