I just can't help myself. As a midwife and doula over the years, I can't talk about childbirth without emphasizing good food and lifestyle choices.
Healthy birth comes from a healthy life, as well
as good care practices. Please eat well - many fresh veggies, some fresh
meat and/or wise vegetarian proteins, whole boiled or soaked grains (and not much bread), seaweeds, omega oils and salt-to-taste each day. Drink pregnancy tea and other non-carbonated, non-caffienated
drinks. Boil the
bones for minerals and gelatin for your soup broth. Don't avoid all fat, just eat smart fats, like sardines, soaked almonds, avocados and a little butter. Eat very little
sugar or sweetened foods. Don't smoke or do drugs before or during
pregnancy, nor your man either. Get 15-60 minutes of sunshine or take
Vitamin D every day. Breathe deep. Laugh. Laughter is food for the soul. These things really do matter. We can't go back in time, so eat well today. Pick the healthier choice.
A study published in Clinical Endocrinology finds evidence that low levels of the thyroid hormone called thyroxine may be associated with more posterior positioned babies. While the 3 Principles are often effective in correcting malposition, there are occasional women whose babies do not respond, or respond in the amount of time the mother has after finding out her baby is posterior. This may be helpful information. In addition, it may be helpful to take a chelated iodine supplement in pregnancy or have your thyroid levels checked in pregnancy.
Donations to Spinning Babies usually help pay for the cost of a website with no advertising. But I must confess, I sent a little money to say thank you for this very smart and well edited video.
Gravity-friendly maternal posture is the 2nd Principle of Spinning Babies. Here are some suggestions for pregnancy. These postures can also be used in labor.
Using the 3 Principles of Spinning Babies in Pregnancy
Balance, Gravity and Movement in pregnancy to prepare for childbirth. Read a spectrum of choices for helping babies into fetal positions that are easier for the process of childbirth. Begin in early pregnancy, even before pregnancy, or as early as you find out that your posture and movements can influence baby's position in the womb.
The first thing to do while pregnant - any time during pregnancy is ok - is to work on bringing your body into balance. Don't make that sound hard. Just do the things on this list.Mind you, if there is any medical reason, ask your doctor or midwife before trying these exercises.
Here are 6 things you can do everyday - today! - to get into balance over time.
2. Move symmetrically, don't twist to view a computer, or treat your client. Balance by trading sides.
3. Sift with the Rebozo - ask a friend to help with the Rebozo scarf
4. At least one forward-leaning inversion every day - see the one I mean
5. Pelvic exercises - ask a physical therapist, yoga teacher, or provider
6. Drink plenty of fresh, clean water and eat nutritious foods that nourish your muscles and ligaments. Have the required amount of Vitamin D, E, C, and minerals such as Selenium, Magnesium, Calcium and Iodine. Fatty acids and Omega oils help, too, by helping your hormones.
If you aren't getting results from crawling or doing pelvic rocking on your hands and knees, its because you need to bring your womb into balance first! First things first! Read The 3 Principles .
There are physical symptoms that the baby may not be in an ideal position, as early as 34 weeks of pregnancy. Discomfort may begin even earlier if the mother's ligaments are really tight.
Many people suppose that a pregnant woman will have back pain if her baby is posterior.
Back pain is not a reliable sign that the baby is posterior.
Twisting to help patients and clients on a bed or a massage table can eventually twist and tighten the uterine ligaments.
For instance if you stand on the same side of the bed or massage table and work on a person, you will be leaning in the same direction while twisting your body. Perhaps you are leaning to your right side repeatedly through the work day. Then the ligament on the right gets tighter and shorter. The ligament on the left is longer.
You uterus will begin to tip over time and stay in that position. Now the baby may not get lined up just so for birth. Labor can be longer and harder than average. Or, even before birth, your womb isn't getting the full circulatory benefit of hormones and oxygen that pregnancy needs. Reverse the
twist from massaging clients on one side to release the ligament that
gets shorter on the side you lean into.
This may be why the lore is that chiropractors have more difficult births than the patients they treat!
Its good for professionals to get body work, too! Balance your own pelvic area-ligaments, tone, etc.
Learning about how you use your body and how you can move your body in a balanced way will help. Watch a British Medical Journal video on the benefits of the Alexander Technique, a way to move your body in a more comfortable way.
Information about fetal positioning is given freely throughout the many articles
of the Spinning Babies Website. Perhaps this information made a difference in your birth. Perhaps you refer the families you work with to Spinning Babies. Please donate if and when you can. Each occasional donation is a
big boost!
Gravity-friendly maternal posture is the 2nd Principle of Spinning Babies. Here are some suggestions for pregnancy. These postures can also be used in labor.
Using the 3 Principles of Spinning Babies in Pregnancy
Start here. 