Cesarean births make up over 1 in 3 births in Canada, and most are unplanned. That means thousands of people are recovering from major abdominal surgery while learning how to care for a newborn—often with very little support for their own healing.

This is where registered massage therapists come in. With our nurturing approach and our knowledge of the body, we can support these birthing folks during their cesarean recovery.

During this webinar you will learn what kind of support we can offer folks who have had a cesarean, when to safely start massaging someone who has had a cesarean and what you can give to them as homecare.

Learning Outcomes
Attendees will be able to identify what they can do to support folks who have had a cesarean. They will learn when it is safe to start massaging someone’s abdomen and scar area post cesarean. Attendees will also be able to have a basic understanding of what they can suggest as homecare - from the four pillars to cesarean recovery to products that support recovery.

CMTO Competencies:

• Function in a client-centered manner
• Practice in a manner consistent with current developments in the profession
• Treat others respectfully Use an evidence informed approach in your work
• Work within areas of personal knowledge and skill

About the Presenter:

Janelle Fontaine is a Registered Massage Therapist based in Vancouver, BC, focusing her practice in women’s health, perinatal care, and cesarean recovery. With over sixteen years of clinical experience working primarily with postpartum clients, her practice is deeply informed by extensive continuing education in postpartum and scar recovery. In 2023, she launched The Cesarean Recovery Guide, an online resource supporting mothers healing from cesarean birth. In 2025, she founded Nurturing the Mother: Cesarean Massage and Rehab for Healthcare Professionals, a continuing education course designed to equip providers with the skills and confidence to support post-cesarean recovery. Janelle is passionate about improving cesarean recovery outcomes through both client care and professional education.

Notes:

-Registration Deadline: Wednesday, April 22 by 9:00am.

-All webinar registrations are on a first-come, first-served basis due to limited capacity on total registrations per webinar.

-Webinar will be recorded. All registered participants will receive a link to the webinar recording. Access to the recording will be available for up to 3 months from the webinar date.

-Early bird deadline expires 2 weeks before the webinar date.

Recording Consent Disclaimer for RMTAO Webinars:

This webinar will be recorded. By registering for the event, you are providing your consent to being recorded and the use of your image and voice by the RMTAO in replaying the webinar in the future.