Labour and birth - its a marathon
How do you train for it?
Labour and birth is a marathon. The pace of your marathon can be at sprint pace, snail pace or a combination of any pace you can think of!
So how do you train for a marathon that you have no idea when it will start, how long it will be or where it will happen or how it will end? The short version - you can't but you have the very best tool to get you to the finish line - your amazing body!
Your body is designed to nurture and grow a baby until your baby is ready - or encouraged - to leave the comforts of your uterus.
The first step is to trust your body, forget the apps, the stories, the movies and television programmes. Your body and your baby will be giving you messages, a major role for you is to listen, understand and interpret those messages to your support people.
The next step is to support your body, especially your pelvis and hip mobility.
Below are some great videos to help you understand your uterus, amniotic fluid and your cervix in labour. There are also links to two websites which have advice and "exercises" for optimal baby position and pelvis mobility, think of them as your training programme to help your baby get in the best position possible and your body to be well aligned when labour begins. Click on the highlighted word to go to the video or web page.
A Training Guide - WELL THE BEST WE CAN OFFER
What is happening in my body at the beginning of labour?
Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to childbirth. This video explains what is happening in your body when laobur begins spontaneously.
What is happening in my body during contractions?
A great animated video on what the contractions are doing to your uterus and cervix in labour.
What is the amniotic fluid doing during labour?
The 'babys swimming pool", it plays an important role in labour for the baby and for you.
The Miles Circuit - From 37 weeks of pregnancy
This circuit is useful to help get the baby lined up, ideally, in the "Left Occiput Anterior" (LOA) Position, both before labor begins and when some corrections need to be done during labor.
Antenatally, this position set can help to rotate a baby. As a natural method of induction, this can help get things going if baby just needed a gentle nudge of position to set things off.