Magical Baby Moments has partnered with Movement for Modern Life to bring to you pregnancy and postnatal videos that you can do in the comfort of your own home.
As a hypnobirthing teacher, one of the important elements that we state to expectant parents is the power of movement during labour. We encourage all labouring mums, to be as mobile as they can be during labour (this notion of sitting on a bed waiting for baby to pop out is a nonsense). Being on a bed, for prolonged periods of time, is the worst thing you could possibly do. OK, so not all induced labours result in C-Sections, but many of them do.
Being offered an induction must be clinically justified. Being ‘overdue’ is NOT a good enough reason on its own. Good maternity care during labour requires one-to-one care, but sadly this is often not the case. Be aware that no amount of electronic monitoring can ever fill this need.
What does continuity of care mean in labour? Continuous support during labour from the same maternity caregiver has been associated with a positive childbirth experience. Continuity of care supports trust and familiarity between care provider, often the midwife and the mum-to-be. What's possible will depend on your needs and what facilities are available where you live. There are three main places to consider when having your baby.
Let’s establish where the perineum is and then let’s talk about why anyone would ever what to do massage there!
Your perineum is the area of skin and muscle between the vagina and the anus. When you give birth for the first time vaginally, this area will stretch to a point that it never has before. There is a school of thought that, by massaging and stretching this area in late pregnancy, it can help you prepare for giving birth to your baby and will minimise the likelihood of tearing… …is it sounding a bit more appealing now? Massaging your perineum towards the end of your pregnancy can also reduce your chances of needing an episiotomy. It may also reduce tearing. Even if you have had a baby before, perineal massage can help to reduce discomfort after the birth. Perineal massage aims to relax, stretch and soften the perineal area. It will help the opening of your vagina to stretch more easily as your baby is born. When should I start doing perineal massage? Women would usually start do this in the final six weeks of pregnancy. Not only will it minimise the chance of tears to the perineum during childbirth. When done correctly in pregnancy, it helps prepare for the sensations experienced during childbirth. How do you do perineal massage? Perineal massage should focus on the inside of your vagina, though you may still feel the skin on the outside stretching. Here’s how to do a perineal massage:
Discontinue if you feel pain. Start perineal massage from 34 weeks pregnant and aim to do it at least once / twice a week. The bigger your baby gets, the more cumbersome it can be to do perineal massage to yourself. *If your partner is willing, they can do it for you. The process is the same, although ask them to swap the positioning around – so it is their index fingers inside the vagina and their thumbs on the outside. Find a routine that works for you and stick to it. Perineal massage shouldn't hurt, though it may feel a bit uncomfortable, particularly at first. After you've been doing it for a few weeks, you may notice the skin and muscles around your vaginal opening becoming looser. This is a great sign that perineal massage is working. Every woman is entitled to have the birth that is right for her. However, this often is NOT the case. After 8.5 months of caring and nurturing their baby on their own, suddenly the team of caregivers around her — usually midwives or obstetricians — is suggesting ‘plans of action’ should this baby not arrive ‘on time’. When really, in most cases, there is no medical reason or need to rush baby out. And there certainly isn’t any need for human meddling, which invariably leads to a medicated and uncomfortable birth.
Some people might laugh at me when I say that labour can be comfortable and enjoyable. Maybe they think I am nuts. (I guess I am a little!) However, I can put my hand on my heart and say that the contractions, for both of my children, didn’t really cause me any real discomfort. I am by no means a warrior, nor do I have any super powers; in fact I am quite a weakling when it comes to muscle power in everyday tasks. What I did possess in the lead up to both labours was information, tools and techniques.
Every birth experience is different. One size does not fit all and no two women are the same. Therefore understanding that pregnancy, labour and birth can be very different, it is really important to know what ‘could’ happen; what choices there are available to you and know that you can decline intervention, if you feel that it is not right for you and your baby.
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