Monthly Update: When baby moves from left to right, free course, and more!

Pictured: Gail Tully belly painting her goddaughter. “Painting the baby in the belly impresses even the warrior with the wonder of pregnancy.”
March 2021 letter to our community from our founder:
Dear Community,
Spinning Babies® brings nuances to light in how we think about birth preparation. We offer enough simplicity for parents to engage in a process with their own bodies. The comfort gained so quickly adds confidence to their ability to give birth. Spinning Babies® also significantly shifts how a provider thinks about birth. Many experienced midwives and nurses say, “I see birth with new eyes!” and similar exclamations of an unfolding paradigm.
We are not machines to be oiled. We are living beings, with emotion, history, and adaptive aspects to our anatomy! Living in gravity grounds us but it is the fire within, our living determination, that moves us into action. Movement keeps us in ideal function. Good eating, plenty of pure water, vitamins, and minerals including salt-to-taste, protein, and dark greens are vital. But movement is often misunderstood. Suppleness will provide advantages that strength doesn’t allow for. Exploring the physiology of birth is being in movement with birth.
We seek to awaken each birthing parent to the power within – their own physiology and the state in which they begin their experience.
I hope to be in movement with you, my community!
With visions of the new paradigm,
Gail Tully
Founder of Spinning Babies®
In this month’s update:
- What to do when baby moves from left to right
- How to get a free online course taught by Gail Tully
- Learn how to teach Spinning Babies® to parents
- We’re launching a new conference site
- See all upcoming Spinning Babies® Workshops
Birth Tip: When Baby Moves from Left to Right
Why did the baby move out of a good position? The uterus is not a water balloon but we tend to think it is shaped like one. So if the baby is in position when the head is leaning 3/4th of the way toward the bottom why wouldn’t the baby remain in that position when descending to the cervix?
Let’s recall the uterine ligaments. The broad, cardinal (transverse) and uterosacral ligaments attach to the lower uterus along the area of the cervix, give or take some millimeters. The pelvic floor is also coming up to snuggle the lowest parts of the uterus. Once baby’s head comes down towards the inlet, the head will interact, if you will, with these anatomy structures.
Twists and tensions in the tissues below the level of the inlet will reduce the space available near the inlet. When many structures are tight, once one is resolved another one will become the tightest of the bunch. The baby will then interact with that ligament, area of fascia, or muscle.
Baby might even move out of a flexed position on the left. In these drawings, we see the baby on the left in the first picture but as baby descends towards an unreleased tension near the cervix or pelvic floor, the baby turns posterior.
Old patterns of torsion can remain where there are so many structures while the parts of the broad and round ligaments above the brim were released with daily stretches and the basic body balancing described in our foundational level of learning offered on our site and workshop.
When a baby leaves a position that is considered good or optimal, they will slip right back to it once the remaining anatomy is released to balance. Not too tight, not too loose, and not too twisty. Check out our Three Principles of Spinning Babies℠ page.
How to Help Baby Move From the Right
Help a baby move freely from the right side by freeing up the posterior muscles at the pelvic crest. Dip the hip is a gentle version of Deb Lawrence’s figure-8 hip movement. This is a manual technique for non-dancers. It starts a bit clunky until the hips warm up. Freedom in the movement means the exercise met the need it seeks to meet: suppleness in the posterior back muscles connecting to the iliac crest. Repeat several times a week in late pregnancy or try this in labor.
For dancers, the figure-8 with a hip hike releases the posterior muscles at the pelvic crest. Start slow and deliberate until the movement is smooth.
Changing Birth on Earth Course
Did you know you get a FREE video course for reading Gail Tully’s book Changing Birth on Earth: A midwife and nurse’s guide to using physiology to avoid another unnecessary cesarean?
Changing Birth on Earth Course is your free guide to renewing your passion in birth care. The course consists of a 60-minute video, transcript, and workbook. You will explore your role in your own birth setting, hear from professionals like you who changed the birth culture in their setting, and interact with the online world of Spinning Babies®.
Purchase a copy of Changing Birth on Earth today to receive access to your free video course! Link to course included in the book.
Teach Spinning Babies® to Parents
Make an impact by working with parents with the Spinning Babies® approach in pregnancy. Become a Spinning Babies® Certified Parent Educator (SpBCPE) to teach our structured Spinning Babies® Parent Class in group and one-on-one education. SpB®CPEs are listed on SpinningBabies.com, and use Spinning Babies® curriculum to teach pregnant parents. They can promote themselves and their services using the Spinning Babies name, logo, and designation on their website.
Learn more about our Spinning Babies® Certified Parent Educator Training and how you can enhance your established childbirth education offerings with a Spinning Babies® Parent Class (to teach in person or online).
New Confluence Website
We can’t wait for the Spinning Babies® 2021 World Confluence this year in October. Stay tuned for updates! We are launching a new conference site SpinningBabiesConference.com where registration will open in April. Be sure to bookmark it and set a reminder to grab your ticket!
Workshops
Australia
Lismore, Australia – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Jenny – 22-23, Apr 2021
Sydney, AUS – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Jenny or Fiona- 23-24, May 2021
Sydney, Australia – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Fiona – 13 July, 2021
Melbourne, Australia – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Fiona – 5 Aug, 2021
Ararat, Australia – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Fiona – 16 Aug, 2021
Sydney, Australia – Spinning Babies® Aware Practitioner Workshop – September 2021
Melbourne, Australia – Spinning Babies® Aware Practitioner Workshop – November 2021
Austria
Schladming, Austria – Spinning Babies® Certified Parent Educator Training – Aug 24-27, 2021
Brazil
CANCELLED – Belo Horizonte, MG – Oficina Spinning Babies® com Maíra – 12-13 Maio, 2021
CANCELLED – Belo Horizonte, MG – Oficina Spinning Babies® com Maíra – 15-16 Maio 2021
Ribeirão Preto, Brasil – Oficina Spinning Babies® 2 dias – Ago 14-15, 2021
São Paulo, SP/Brasil – Oficina Spinning Babies® com Maíra – 21-22 Ago, 2021
Florianópolis, Brasil – Oficina Spinning Babies® com Maíra- 30-31 Out, 2021
Canada
CANCELLED – Beamsville, Canada – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Rhea – 13-14 June, 2021
Denmark
Copenhagen, Denmark – 2-Day Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Rachel Shapiro – 1-2 June, 2021
New Zealand
Hamilton, NZ – 2-Day Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Claire – 26-27 July 2021
Christchurch, NZ- 2-Day Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Claire-29-30 July 2021
Huntly, NZ – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Claire – 10 August, 2021
Auckland, NZ – 2-Day Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Claire – 12-13 Aug, 2021
Wellington, NZ – 2-Day Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Claire -16-17 Aug, 2021
Rotorua, NZ – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Claire – 20 Aug, 2021
Wellington, NZ – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Claire – 1 Nov, 2021
Auckland, NZ – Spinning Babies® RSD Workshop w/ Claire – 9 Nov, 2021
Nelson, NZ – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Claire – 19 Nov, 2021
Hamilton, NZ – Spinning Babies® RSD Workshop w/ Claire – 26 Nov, 2021
Christchurch, NZ – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Claire – 29 Nov, 2021
Auckland, NZ – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Claire – 7 Dec, 2021
Tauranga, NZ – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Claire – 13 Dec, 2021
United States
Minneapolis, MN – Spinning Babies® Integration w/ Gail Tully-Apr 23, 2021
Granbury, TX – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – April 24, 2021
Minneapolis, MN – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Gail Tully – Apr 25, 2021
Mullica Hill, NJ – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Rhea – Apr 30, 2021
Vineland, NJ – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Rhea – May 1, 2021
Fort Wayne, IN – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – May 1, 2021
Greensburg, IN – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – May 3, 2021
CANCELLED – Greensburg, IN – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – May 4
Manchester, KY – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Nikki – May 10, 2021
Medford, OR – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – May 15, 2021
Medford, OR – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – May 16, 2021
Oregon City, OR – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Kelly – May 21, 2021
Dearborn, MI – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – May 21, 2021
Oregon City, OR – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Kelly – May 22, 2021
Dearborn, MI – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – May 22, 2021
Fort Worth, TX – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – May 25, 2021
Fort Worth, TX – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – May 26, 2021
Charleston, SC – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Rhea – May 27, 2021
Charleston, SC – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Rhea – May 28, 2021
Seattle, WA – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Kelly – May 29-30, 2021
Boise, ID – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Nikki – June 5, 2021
Toledo, OH – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Rhea – June 5, 2021
Spokane, WA – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Nikki Zerfas – June 7, 2021
Spokane, WA – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Nikki Zerfas – June 8, 2021
Libertyville, IL – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – June 8, 2021
Spokane, WA – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Nikki Zerfas – June 9, 2021
Avon, IN – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – June 15, 2021
Springdale, AR – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – June 19, 2021
Winchester, VA – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – June 22, 2021
Winchester, VA – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – June 23, 2021
Springfield, IL – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – June 29, 2021
Springfield, IL – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – June 30, 2021
St. Louis, MO – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Nikki – July 7, 2021
St. Louis, MO – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Nikki – July 8, 2021
Gillette, WY – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Nikki – July 16, 2021
Flagstaff, AZ – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – July 17, 2021
Fort Worth, TX – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – July 20, 2021
Fort Worth, TX – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – July 21, 2021
Sioux Falls, SD – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Nikki – July 23, 2021
Sioux Falls, SD – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Nikki – July 24, 2021
Odessa, TX – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – July 24, 2021
Jonesboro, AR – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – July 27, 2021
Minneapolis, MN – Spinning Babies® Certified Parent Educator Training – July 27-30, 2021
Alexandria, LA – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – July 29, 2021
Roseville, CA – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Nikki – July 30-31, 2021
Alexandria, LA – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – July 30, 2021
Wichita Falls, TX – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – Aug 14, 2021
Rockford, IL – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – Aug 17, 2021
Iowa City, IA – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – Aug 21, 2021
Greenville, NC – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – Aug 27, 2021
Newberg, OR – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Nikki – August 28, 2021
Sandy, UT – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – Sep 11, 2021
Fort Worth, TX – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – Sep 14, 2021
Fort Worth, TX – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – Sep 15, 2021
Saint Augustine, FL – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – Sep 25, 2021
Saint Augustine, FL – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – Sep 26, 2021
Glenwood Springs, CO – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – Oct 16, 2021
Fort Worth, TX – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – Oct 26, 2021
Fort Worth, TX – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – Oct 27, 2021
Avon, IN – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – Nov 2, 2021
Sacramento, CA – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Nikki – Nov 6-7, 2021
Boston, MA, United States – Spinning Babies® Certified Parent Educator Training – November 10-13, 2021
Sacramento, CA – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Nikki – Nov 13-14, 2021
Fort Worth, TX – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – Dec 7, 2021
Fort Worth, TX – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy – Dec 8, 2021
See all upcoming events on our calendar here.