The Fantastic Four
There are four mutually supportive “Body Balance” techniques that a pregnant person and their trusted support person or provider can do to prepare for a gentler birth. In the new Spinning Babies’ Parent Class each technique is thoroughly demonstrated with a pregnant person and their support person. Here is the Fantastic Four: 1. The Jiggle […]
A New Start for Active Labor, a New Question for Progress
The new guidelines from ACOG Recent changes in defining active phase of labor from 4 cm to 6 cm. This change is intended to help first time mothers avoid being given a cesarean when labor is simply slower than what was considered normal. Longer labors can certainly be normal. So when the question is asked, […]
His Flipping Was the Talk of OB
Edited Emails, (Consultation call missing) KC Teasley writes, Dear Gail, I wish to have a natural birth with no medical intervention. My baby is incomplete breech with his left foot by his face. He is also turned to my left. My amniotic fluid levels fluctuate between 14 and 10 percent. I’ve never given birth. […]
Oblique Lie at 35 Weeks
Hi Gail, I’m 35 weeks pregnant (actually 34.5), second baby… First baby was born at home, this one will be in a hospital for practical reasons. Baby girl #2 is still changing positions and moving a ton, but she seems to be in an oblique position quite a bit. At my last midwife appt, she […]
Baby Not Engaged at End of Pregnancy
“I just came out of my doctor’s appointment for 39 weeks. He says no cervical change (cervix is posterior) and baby is still floating.” The cervix can change in hours so dilation is no indication. The posterior aim of the cervix is expected and can be helped with improved sacral mobility, one way of achieving […]
VBAC with an Android Pelvis?
“Help me! I’m recently diagnosed with an android pelvis and have had 2 cesareans. Now I’m desperate for a VBAC for this third baby,” was the comment on pelvic shape elsewhere in this blog. My response? Women with Android shaped pelvises, heart shaped or triangular shaped brims, and smaller outlets can give birth vaginally, too. […]
Help! I Want to Avoid Induction
A woman wrote in seeking advice on how to avoid induction at 41 weeks pregnant. Hello Gail, I appreciate that you probably receive many emails and completely understand that you do not have the time to respond directly to everybody. Even if you don’t get the chance to respond I would like to thank you […]
Labor Isn’t Starting or Starts and Stops?
Baby is engaged – dipped into pelvis To begin, we have to help the baby into the pelvis to get effective contractions: https://www.spinningbabies.com/more-info/for-pregnancy/38-weeks-is-baby-engaged-yet (info) https://www.spinningbabies.com/more-info/in-labor/helping-baby-engage-in-labor (what to do) For everyone in a leisurely start of labor: https://www.spinningbabies.com/more-info/in-labor/what-to-do-first-and-second-in-labor Perhaps quite useful: https://www.spinningbabies.com/more-info/in-labor/the-long-labor If you feel little kicks and wiggles in front: https://www.spinningbabies.com/more-info/in-labor/for-a-posterior-labor Sifting with rebozo, […]
The Evidence Base
When I speak in Academia I’m asked if my approach is evidence based. Its funny because first I’m invited. The nurses, like a nurse named Nancy, tell me how excited they are that I’m coming. They share their goals for integrating the approach into the hospital and share their dreams of spreading the solutions to […]
VBAC Support Valentine’s Day 2013
From a Pregnant Woman hoping for VBAC I am 37 years old and am about to give birth for the second time (I’m at 39 weeks, 2 days). Thank you so much for your website because I have been reading it and practicing your techniques for optimum baby positioning throughout my pregnancy. And it has […]
Flexion, Looking “Down”
A woman wrote me today saying she’s due now but her baby isn’t engaged. Her doctor said her baby is on her left facing her right hip and looking down. Was that a problem she asked? I began to answer in one way and suddenly realized as I wrote that I wasn’t sure exactly what […]
Dynamic Body Balancing Weekend
Last weekend was really amazing. It started out with me having a meltdown into the magma of unworthiness. Forget “inadequate pelvis,” my head, my heart, my whole life sucked. Maybe being on such a steep learning curve curve with life was getting to me. I really lost my peace. Anyway, the Dynamic Body Balancing class […]