Birth Preparation Using Three Approaches to a Better, Easier, Less Stressful Birth
Written by Dr. Madolyn Linka | April 15, 2020
Back in March I was set to take a one-day course through Spinning Babies, a technique system developed by Gail Tully, a midwife out of the United States. Gail developed the technique of Spinning Babies almost 20 years ago and has taught many birth professionals and mothers alike the knowledge and education to help create more of a proactive approach to birth preparation; helping mothers optimize the physical relationship between their body and their baby for an easeful birth experience.
Since our course was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I decided to do my own little course work on Spinning Babies and how it can help me in my practice with my pregnant mamas in the clinic and in prenatal yoga setting.
Spinning Babies has an enormous amount of knowledge and information, but I’ll focus on the basics for prenatal and birth preparation as they are found online.
The three principles of Spinning Babies are:
Balance – creating a balanced pregnant body so there is optimal alignment in the uterus so baby can grow within the pelvis taking up only as much space as they need; think not too tight not too loose. We want to keep the body strong but also find subtle ways to release tight ligaments or muscles that might pull or twist the pelvis.
Gravity – this is one we have little control over, yet it is such a dominant force throughout pregnancy with a growing baby. The better in balance and in alignment the pelvis is with strength and mobility the easier gravity will be able to do its job, which is keep babies head down and keep mom moving.
Movement – the final principle and the one that is sometimes difficult to do when in pain, discomfort, or lack of energy. But it’s the small movements that make the largest difference with a changing pregnant body. Prenatal yoga is a great way to relax, strengthen and move your body in a conscious way.
Prenatal yoga is a great asset to your birth preparation; at Holistic, we offer a prenatal yoga class 4x/year so you can catch it at the beginning, middle or end of your pregnancy journey. Each week has a different theme where we run through some common conditions, breath work, frequently asked questions and mom knowledge you’ll find useful when labouring, delivering and in the postpartum stages of your pregnancy. Movement is key in prenatal yoga as we aim to open the body, create space where baby is now growing and connect to the new life inside of us. Our current prenatal series is being run online and we hope to have our next prenatal available in person come June 2020.
Lastly, chiropractic care and pelvic adjustments can reduce or resolve pregnancy discomforts such as back pain, hip and groin pain, sciatic symptoms and overall increased ease throughout your pregnancy. Chiropractic helps with optimal fetal positioning by helping the pelvis come into symmetry or be equal. This in turn, helps the uterus to be more symmetrical. Adjustments can help the baby fit into the brim of the mothers pelvis better as well as making the pelvis more flexible so that pelvic joints move more easily in labor.
Using these three helpful tools during your pregnancy or birth preparation, can help make your journey more enjoyable as you bring your new little person into the world. It can help to focus your attention to the task at hand and also help the body cope with the ever changing physical environment.
Dr. Madolyn Linka
Chiropractor
Acupuncturist
Yoga Teacher
