Antenatal Refresher Course

Session 2

This Session…

This session we recapped the all important Up Breathing technique for established labour, when those contractions are at their most powerful- really dilating your cervix from 4-8cm.

We explored the window of transition which many women find overwhelming and dramatically different from the established labour they had become used to navigating. Understanding the adrenaline rush of transition, allowing your cervix to open those final few cm before allowing your baby to descent into the birth canal is really important to prevent your confidence in birthing being shaken by this powerful moment of change. Remember to discuss this with your birthing partner before the big day, so if you start shouting for all the drugs, or claim you’ve had enough and want to go home they’ll know you’re nearly at the finish line and be able to really encourage and support you overcome this moment of intensity.

We went on to discuss the descent and birth of your baby (link to video clip here) and the powerful Down Breathing teachnique to help breathe your baby out in time with your contractions rather than straining with directed pushing. The benefits of this technique include minimizing tearing, reduced chances of episiotomy and hyperventilation, as well as offering baby a gentle entrance into the world. You use this technique in labor when you start feeling downward, pressure all the way up until the baby is born.

Protecting your perineum and giving your body time to expand with the slow descent of your baby is a controlled way to birth and can be done with any form of pain relief (with an epidural you will need to be told when the contraction is there though). So it’s well worth practicing this breath (on the toilet) before your labou to gain confidence and practicing releasing your pelvic floor at the end of the breath. A visual reminder of this technique, also known as the ‘j breath’ is below.

Finishing up our session we talked about birthing your placenta, cord clamping and the golden hour after your baby is born (skin to skin, the microbiome and initiating feeding). You can find our more on all of these amazing topics via the links below:

• 3rd stage of labour- the placenta

• cord clamping options

• the golden hour

• the microbiome

You can also find some more documents below offering guidance and support. Feel free to print them out or save them to your phone as PDF:

• Labour and Birth Handout

• Guide to The Induction Ladder

• Understanding The Vitamin K Injection

• BRAINS Decision Making Tool

• Birth Planning Template

• What is External Cephalic Version (ECV)?

And finally, below you will find the link to this weeks Hypnobirthing Audio Relaxation for you to enjoy again.

If you need any further help or advice over the coming week do not hesitate to get back in touch, otherwise I look forward to hearing the wonderful news of the safe arrival of your little one soon.

All the very best,

Nicola

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