Going into the prenatal massage career?

Question

I would like to head into the prenatal massage career after I finish high school, but have a question - I know that prenatal massage is a specific branch off of the general massage therapy track, and I'm curious as to if I would need to attend a course in general massage therapy, and THEN go to a prenatal massage school, or if I would just head to the prenatal massage school without attending the general school. Any help?

Answer 1

The first step is to get nationally certified in massage therapy. To do this you need to attend a 500 hour certification program and then sit for the national certification exam (NCBTMB). You will be exposed to prenatal massage as part of your program but you will need to first learn the basics of massage as well as anatomy and physiology.

When you are near the end of your certification program, you can begin to take workshops on prenatal massage. There is not a specific program for certification in prenatal massage, you just take workshops and look for reputable teachers.

Since you are just out of high school I recommend you look into getting an associates degree in massage therapy which may or may not be offered in your area.