Spinning Babies® is a physiological approach to preparing for and caring for birth.
During birth, babies descend through the pelvis by turning to fit each curve in the passage. Baby’s turns are “fetal rotation.” If fetal rotation can be made easier, birth is easier for everyone.
Spinning Babies® has become a paradigm, or a new view on childbirth. By understanding birth physiology better we can help birth be easier. Spinning Babies® is how we are Changing Birth on Earth.
Spinning Babies® is a unique approach to birth created by midwife, Gail Tully
Spinning Babies® offers a third perspective to the seeming polarity between the values of “natural vs. managed” childbirth. In reality, we can’t fully relay on all one or all the other. Technology and Nature aren’t opposing teams in a sport in which we must be loyal to one or the other. Obstetrics and Midwifery are two professions developed to serve a natural process. Their prioritization of values helps each profession emphasize certain skills, both of which are necessary for comprehensive care across a population.
So, rather than increasing technology or avoiding all interventions in an effort to meet the needs of childbirth, Spinning Babies® creates a third approach usable by both advantage points. Spinning Babies® proposes we activate neurophysiology within the body by working with fascia receptors. We recommend all birth professionals begin with physiology and move to medical interventions if and when needed.
Our name, Spinning Babies, invites parents and professionals to pay attention to baby’s spiraling motion during the childbirth process. Cardinal movements include internal and external rotation (restitution). Baby’s job in birth is to rotate. What helps fetal rotation will help the whole of the birth process. We include maternal anatomy, birth positions, gravity and movement, birth preparation and a midwifery emphasis on prioritizing physiological care.
Open the pelvis where baby is!
Spinning Babies® is the active part of patience. But patience without understanding is neglect. We also teach the clues of the uterus, labor patterns, pelvic characteristics, preparing the muscles, joints and fascia for comfort in pregnancy and ease in childbirth. Surprisingly, we show how various popular birth positions can sometimes hinder progress and other times help.
The baby’s position in pregnancy in an increasingly accurate clue as pregnancy matures to term, but is one clue of many. Which side baby begins labor on may indicate how labor may start and progress. Not only position is a clue to birth’s ease but also flexion of the fetal head.
The assumption that birth is a passenger powered through the pelvis (The old 3Ps paradigm) seems to make the passenger and pelvis static. The power of the body is replaced with medication and if that doesn’t work, then surgery.
Physiology allows for more creative, body-centered options. We suggest beginning in pregnancy and continuing these physiological support techniques to enhance the body’s own ability to begin labor at term, and to complete the birthing process with skin-to-skin contact with mother (for regulation of baby’s nervous system and attachment of birthing or co-parent ) and baby.
Birth preparation. Self-care and specific body activities restore body balance and make room for the baby. Babies then put themselves into the best positions possible for childbirth – within the anatomical space available. There are three parts to preparation, Daily Activities, body balancing starting with The Three BalancesSM, and maternal positioning which we call, Rest SmartSM.
Supporting the Birthing Process. For an overall set of concepts, Spinning Babies® puts Balance first in our Spinning Babies® Three Principles: Balance, Gravity and MovementSM. After a variety of balancing, not just The Three BalancesSM, we recommend opening the pelvis with better birth positions based on Pelvic Levels SolutionsSM, where baby’s presenting part (usually the head) is coming at that time. Balancing may increase spontaneous onset or shortened an induced labor while reducing the chance of cesarean surgery and reducing the effort required for pushing, especially combining a better pushing position such as internal rotation of the femurs (heels turned outward, toes in) and other positions to open pelvic diameters where baby is moving or waiting.
We see birth as a physiological life process. Baby’s position and the labor pattern are clues to restoring or assisting physiology. The body’s innate ability sometimes gets impeded by the constant pull of gravity on the muscles (fascia), accidents, repetitive sports moves, sitting a lot, endocrine disorders (such as low thyroid), or chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system. (See Research page for references.)
The techniques we recommend, ours and others, are to deal with the physical effects (which can relieve stress and fear) while reducing the resistance of tense or twisted muscles throughout the pelvis and whole body.
We offer a unique pregnancy preparation program with labor activities that have been shown to ease birth. Spinning Babies® can be used with any childbirth method or none at all.
Spinning Babies® approach is good in any childbirth setting, home, hospital, and independent birth center.
Be sure to check out the menu items under “I’m Looking For…” on the main navigation bar.
Parent Class - Not your usual childbirth class!
Our Spinning Babies® Parent Class Video shows you what to do for an easier birth with practical and detailed preparation to help baby in the best position to fit the pelvis and solutions when labor seems long, painful, or has a stall! And, if practiced daily, an easier labor and birth are likely.” Download today!
As a doula, Gail noticed that some births were short and some were long and that most parents couldn’t see what was coming for them, as far as ease of birth. Doctors seemed to think women had small pelvises and babies were too often too big; and midwives seemed to think long labors were usually due to psychological mindsets. Gail sought a third explanation.
As a midwife, Gail noticed that fetal positioning was often a leading reason for long labor. So why would some babies be posterior and not be able to turn to anterior? For that matter, why were some posterior labors straightforward while others were complicated?
Gail’s learned first hand from mentors such as the late midwife Jan Hofer. And Carol Phillips, DC, taught her that birth is “easier” when we have balance in the pelvis (including ligaments, fascia, and muscles with the pelvis) than when we have tension, torsion, or a closed pelvic position. Balance first.
Gail facilitates a release to the connections around the hip ball and socket on a woman carrying a breech baby at 34 weeks with a breech baby to restore body balance. Combined with other techniques, her 45-minute appointment gave her baby room to turn head down within the hour. No manipulation of the baby was attempted or needed in this case. While this quick result is occasional, body balance for optimal positioning is shown in how fast baby moved into a head down position. Gravity works better when there is room to accommodate baby’s head! We reveal which birth positions opens the pelvis where baby waits.
Some posterior births are relatively easy, that’s true. A very few anterior babies need help to come out. Fetal position shares a stage with several leading actors, such as Flexion, Body Balance, and, don’t forget the importance of the Parasympathetics in the ease of birth. Reducing force requires an invitation to more players than just “size.” There’s more to the ease of birth than the size of the baby! You can get the overview of this new paradigm right now in the Spinning Babies® Parent Class.
Featured Products
Shop Spinning Babies®
For additional education to even further enhance your pregnancy and labor preparation, shop our extensive collection of digital downloads, videos, DVDs, workbooks, and more.
