Keeping active during labour and childbirth has a range of benefits including shorter stages of labour, less chance of needing an epidural and better pain coping strategies.
Being in an upright position during the first stage of labour has been associated with stronger and more efficient uterine contractions.
When you are in labour, the flight or fight reflex is activated and adrenaline starts to build up. If you are active, you can burn this adrenaline off and it then converts to endorphins and oxytocins which are our happy labour inducing hormones! However if you stay sedentary, this adrenaline builds up and then converts to cortisol, a stress hormone. Stress can slow labour down and therefore being sedentary can extend your time in labour.
Our Active Birth class covers
Our Active Birth class runs for 2 hours and includes a presentation regarding:
The stages of labour, what to expect physically and how to use your body efficiently to work with labour rather than against it. How and when to conserve energy – saving both your physical and mental energy until when you need it most. Strategies to optimise positioning to utilise gravity to your advantage and also circumstances when you may need to position yourself differently to slow things down. The role of breathing and how it can be manipulated in different stages of labour, the role of physical and mental distraction, visualisation and vocalisation to reduce pain and manage one contraction at a time. Practical tips to assist partners in supporting their labouring partner, with emphasis on positions of support (utilising fit-balls, pillows) and massage theory as well as practical use of TENS for labour, with hands on use of FreeMOMs TENS unit.
Our next active birth class is on Wednesday 8th March @ 6pm – 8pm
Contact our reception team to book your place in our next Active Birth Class