The benefits of being upright include a reduction in the length of pushing time as gravity can help bring the baby, there is better supply of oxygen to the baby, the baby can get in a better position and less pressure on the pelvic floor.  In the active birth classes we practice the positions that widen your pelvis.

Midwives know that when a labouring woman feels safe, private and unobserved she will move unrestrictedly, make sounds uninhibitedly and will more closely follow her instincts. Making sounds during labour helps you to shift your consciousness into a deeper, calmer state of mind thus optimising your birthing hormones helping you labour more efficiently. There is also a physiological connection between the vocal cords and cervix.

Your partner can play a vital role in helping you to focus on your breathing during labour & birth.  Your breath is your focus for assisting you to adapt to the sensations of labour.  Here are three exercises can practice in the lead up to your birth experience. 

1. Yogic breath: When you practice the yogic breath during contractions you will be signalling to your body that you accept the bodily sensations as healthy & safe! This will make all the difference between tension and relaxation. 

The ability to squat with both heels flat on the ground indicates good pelvic movement for labour and birth. While relaxing is important, learning to untuck your tail bone will assist you to breath your baby out, letting gravity do the job rather than having to push your baby out.  To learn to release the tail bone, we need to start sitting on our sit bones more, walk more, squat more and do more yoga! Learning to squat is a regular practice in our Active Birth Yoga classes.