Active birth is a philosophy and approach to childbirth that emphasizes active participation in the birthing process. It views birth as a natural, physiological event and encourages you to be involved in decision-making, and to use upright and mobile positions to support the natural process of labor and birth.
You will feel so much more empowered when you are able to take an active role in your own birth experience and to use your own instincts and abilities to bring your baby into the world. And the benefits of staying upright and active are many.
Benefits of staying upright in labor
- Pain management: Staying active and upright during labor can help reduce the intensity and frequency of contractions, making the birth process more manageable and less painful.
- Improved blood flow: When you are upright, gravity helps to increase blood flow to the uterus and baby, providing them with more oxygen and nutrients. This can also help to speed up the birth process.
- Better positioning of the baby: By staying active and upright, you can help your baby find the optimal position for birth, reducing the risk of complications such as shoulder dystocia.
- More control: Staying active and upright during labor allows you to maintain control over your body and take an active role in the birth process. You can also change positions and move around as needed to find what feels most comfortable for you.
- Enhanced mood and confidence: By being active and upright during labor, you can boost your confidence and mood, and stay focused on the end goal of meeting your baby. This can be a powerful motivator and help to reduce feelings of anxiety and stress.
How the Relax-In Sling helps
As a midwife and prenatal yoga instructor I am aware of the importance of position during pregnancy and during labor Throughout history women have used slings and fabric to support positions that allow freedom of movement while providing comfort and relief in labor. I developed The Relax-In sling to maximize the effects of the pregnancy hormone relaxin and mimic the ancient practice of having fabric support during labor.
The design was altered to promote daily use during pregnancy by fitting over any door.
Daily forward leaning poses encourage your baby into the perfect head down position and ease common discomforts like round ligament pain, pelvic pain and lower backache. Regular use of the sling allows you to relax into the softness that comes with the pregnancy hormone Relaxin.
The sling is portable so that it can be used at home, in yoga classes and in the birth room or hospital.
During labor it provides alternative positions that create space in the pelvic outlet and assists labor to progress faster. The sling allows for partners to provide massage techniques during labor. Upright positioning guides the baby into the best position for birth.
Upright labor positioning is associated with quicker labor times, a decrease in the rate of intervention and a 25% decrease in primary caesarean rate (Gams, et al 2019) .
Watch videos of the Relax-In sling here
