Chelsey Swan, LMT, CEIM

Chelsey (she/her) has been involved in the local birth community in various capacities for the last 15 years. She is a leading expert in prenatal and postpartum massage in Washington State and has presented at professional conferences about breast massage for lactation support. Chelsey teaches very popular perinatal massage continuing education courses for massage therapists. In addition to teaching massage therapy, she is also an Evidence Based Birth instructor®, a Certified Educator of Infant Massage and a babywearing educator.

She has a background as a birth doula and received her training at Bastyr University’s Simkin Center. Her prior education was in women’s perinatal health and the intersectionality of race, class, gender, and sexuality through her studies at the University of Washington. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Women Studies. 

She is deeply connected to the birth community in the greater Seattle area and through massage supports women/pregnant and birthing people, their families, and other birth professionals.  She is proud to serve the LGBTQ and poly communities.

Education, Licensure & leadership:

• Birth doula training: Bastyr University’s Simkin Center with Carrie Kenner and Kim James (Kenmore) 2010

• Two Bachelor of Art degrees in Women Studies and Spanish: University of Washington (Seattle, June 2011)

• Advanced birth doula training: When a Baby Dies” with Carrie Kenner (Seattle, 2011)

• Massage certificate: Cortiva Institute (Seattle, October 2017)

• Washington State Massage License

• Spinning Babies Workshop (Edmonds, March 2018)

• Bimonthly tutorial group: Brian Utting, LMT (Seattle, 2017-2018)

• Breast Massage certification: Aubrey Lesicki, BS, LMP (Bellingham, May 2018)

• Prenatal Massage certification (32-hr) – Touch for Birth by Leslie Stager, RN, LMT (Portland, July 2018)

• Acupressure for Labor and Birth – Touch for Birth by Leslie Stager, RN, LMT (Portland, July 2018)

• Bodywork for the New Mother – Touch for Birth by Leslie Stager, RN, LMT (Portland, July 2018)

• Trained Babywearing Educator - Center for Babywearing Studies with Joanna McNeilly

• “Touch For Birth” 65-hr Maternity Massage Certification with Leslie Stager, RN, LMT

• Served on the Midwives’ Association of Washington State Board of Directors (December 2018-December 2020)

• Speaker at the April 5th, 2019 Midwives’ Association of Washington State conference - “Caring for the Lactating Body/ Lactation & Massage: Evidence-based tools for postpartum success” (Auburn)

• Speaker at the May 17th, 2019 REACHE Regional Association of Childbirth Educators conference - “Teaching Prenatal Breast Massage: A Tool to Improve Lactation” (Auburn)

• Certified Educator of Infant Massage (CEIM) Training: Bastyr University’s Simkin Center with JoAnn Lewis (Kenmore, August 2019)

• Secretary of the Midwives’ Association of Washington State Board of Directors (November 2019-December 2020)

• Prenatal Massage Certification TA/Teacher Training (32 hr) Leslie Stager, Oregon School of Massage, Portland: November 2019

• Entering the Temple: Bodywork for the Female Pelvic Floor with Leslie Stager, RN, LMT (Vancouver, WA - Dec 2019)

• Lactation - Supporting Your Breastfeeding Client with Northwest Birth Assistants

• Introduction to Biodynamic Craniosacral Work with Pat O’Rourke, 16-hrs (Seattle, June 2021)

• Evidence Based Birth® Instructor Training Course 15-hrs (June-August 2021)