Three Relaxing Birthing Techniques Your Midwife Can Provide For You

15 February 2016
 Categories: , Blog


If you should choose to have a midwife help you through your first pregnancy and delivery, you may be wondering what kinds of delivery help the midwife can provide you with. Delivering your baby will undoubtedly be a difficult and stressful time, and you probably want some reassurance that it is going to be okay. There are some relaxing birthing techniques that your midwife can provide which will also help control your pain naturally.

Yoga Ball

Your midwife can help you use a yoga/Pilates exercise ball to ease pain and relax between your contractions. There are three positions you can do with this technique. The first one requires that you sit, or rather squat on the ball. It helps with the downward pressure as the baby enters the birth canal.

The second position requires that you lay over the top of the ball with your back pressed into the ball and your knees spread. This position helps with painful back labor while supporting you and allowing the baby to move down and out of your vagina.

The final position over the ball encourages you to press your chest into the ball, placing your knees on the floor. You can rock gently forward when the contractions come to alleviate some of the pressure and pain in your abdomen.

Back Massages

For this technique, your midwife will ask you to either lay on your side in the bed or stand beside the bed and lean over, pressing your forearms into the mattress. Then he or she will use the massage techniques taught in midwifery classes to ease your back pain and discomfort. The massages are also effective at relaxing your tensed shoulders, neck and hips. With the tension released, you can focus on breathing, which is key in the delivery process.

Birthing Tub

Despite popular belief, babies usually are not delivered in a birthing tub unless you have requested a complete water birth. However, your midwife can help you get into the birthing tub and use it to get through a lengthy labor. The warm water is very soothing, and when the baby has crowned, the midwife can help you out of the tub and to the bed where your OBGYN can deliver your baby the rest of the way. In addition to being relaxing, the tub can wash away some of the blood and pre-birth mess that begins when the baby is in the birth canal and beginning to crown (push its way out). Contact a midwife like George L Stankevych MD for more information.


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