Month: September 2022

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Massage during labour and birth

man massaging his pregnant partner head and smiling

Massage Massage during labour and birth? What is massage and why might it be helpful during labour and birth?

Massage involves one person touching the other to manipulate their body’s soft tissues. It is often used to help relax tense muscles and can also help people to relax.

There are different massage techniques which may benefit different people during labour. For example, some people may prefer intense massage over their lower back helpful. Others may find light effleurage[1], or soothing strokes more relaxing and helpful.

You can practice your massage techniques while you’re pregnant, which helps you relax during pregnancy, too! If you need some guidance and ideas for simple massage techniques, you can purchase my massage worksheets from my shop!

Alternatively, you could join one of my hypnobirthing classes or join my fully self-paced online course!

massage techniques for childbirth

Research suggests that are different ways in which massage techniques may help during childbirth:

  • Massage might work by decreasing stress hormones and increasing levels of serotonin[2] and dopamine[3] in your brain.
  • Non-painful gentle massage may flood the body with pleasant sensations, so that the brain does not perceive the painful sensations as much.
  • Deep, intense, or painful massage acts on something called the Diffuse Noxious Inhibitory Control method of pain relief. The idea is that this stimulates our brain to release our body’s own pain-killers called endorphins. The body is then flooded with endorphins which helps to perceive less pain from contractions.
man massaging his pregnant partner head and smiling
Head massage with a hand-held scalp massager

Things to note if using massage (during labour and birth):

  • Aromatherapy: Essential oils can be powerful substances and can interfere with contractions if used incorrectly. Before using / buying essential oils, consult an accredited aromatherapist and your healthcare professional. Always dilute essential oils. Your midwife may also be trained in aromatherapy and may be able to advise you directly.
  • Communication: Communicate, whether the massage is helping you and how it could be made better i.e. firmer pressure, less pressure…
  • Continued touch: During massage always keep at least one hand on the recipient’s body.
  • Oils: Massage may be more comforting and soothing if non-scented massage oil is used. For example organic, cold-pressed sunflower oil. Do not use any oils on damaged skin.
  • One-handed massage: If massaging with only one hand rest the other on the recipient’s body. So they know they have your full attention and know where your other hand is.
  • Positions: The person being massaged may be kneeling, sitting, laying on their side or standing. Their birth partner needs to be comfortable too.
  • Previous injuries: Don’t massage places which have been affected by previous injuries. Consult your health care professional first.
  • Timing: Some women like massage during contractions; others prefer it in-between.

Further reading and sources:

[1] Effleurage: a form of massage involving a repeated circular stroking movement made with the palm of the hand.

[2] Serotonin: a compound present in blood platelets and serum, which constricts the blood vessels and acts as a neurotransmitter.

[3] Dopamine: a compound present in the body as a neurotransmitter and a precursor of other substances including adrenaline.

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Potty Training – Toddler-led toileting

Potty Training Workshop for parents in Nottinghamshire

Potty training or as I prefer to call it toddler-led toileting is a journey every parent will have to go on with each of their children.

What is toddler-led toileting?

Learning to use the toilet or a potty is one step in your child’s development. Similar to learning to walk, eat foods (baby-led weaning) or learn to talk. Toddler-led toileting is treating the ‘potty training’ journey in the same way as learning to walk, etc.

Take your child’s lead. Trust the process. Make it fun! Allow for mistakes and setbacks. Be body positive. Normalise going to the toilet. Let them watch you go to the toilet, it’ll help them learn.

Getting started with toddler-led toileting

  1. Normalise it
    • 🚽 Everybody wees and poos.
    • 🚽 Let them see you on the toilet.
    • 🚽 Let them flush.
    • 🚽 Point out animal poo.
    • 🚽 Share picture books featuring potties, toilets and poos (get them from your local library or purchase them).
    • 🚽 Let their teddies/toys have a go on the clean (!) potty
    • 🚽 Let them observe and learn
    • 🚽Let them learn through play
  2. Observe
    • 🧐 Notice when your child is still.
    • 🧐 Use language to help them understand. “Did you just do a wee/poo?”
    • 🧐 Reassure and affirm, with no pressure. “Your body is working well.”
  3. Play
    • 🧸 Buy a potty (if using, you can let them use the toilet straight away if you prefer) & let them play with it.
    • 🧸 Put teddy/doll on potty and pretend.
    • 🧸 Let them sit on it with a nappy on.
    • 🧸 Avoid pressure. They’ll do it in their own time.
  4. Be body positive
    • 👍 Use positive language about your own body.
    • 👍 Toileting is a normal bodily function. Talk about it factually. Use factual terms for their body parts such as vulva, vagina, penis, buttocks, bottom, anus etc. Avoid pet names.
    • 👍 Avoid emotional pressure.
    • 👍 Let them feel happy with their body.
    • 👍 Explain that some people use different terms for their bodily functions and discuss common ones for your area/language/culture.

If you feel that you don’t know where to start or would like a chat with someone, I offer one-to-one online toddler-led toileting workshops. Get in touch to book yours!

Here is my top tips crib sheet to get you started! Let me know how you’re getting on!

Toddler-led-toileting-top-tipsDownload
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Breathing techniques for childbirth

Breathing techniques for childbirth can be a useful tool to keep calm during the birth but also support the birthing process. Being calm and relaxed during childbirth can make the birth of your baby easier, quicker and more comfortable. There are many ways to help yourself or your partner to be calm during childbirth. Breathing techniques are just one of them.

How can breathing techniques help the birthing process?

Some researchers think there are a couple of different ways that breathing might support the birthing process by using the technique as a form of pain management. When you focus on your breathing, it may interrupt the transmission of pain/discomfort signals to your brain by giving you something else, more positive to focus on. Being aware of your breathing and focussing on it, may also work by stimulating the release of your body’s natural pain-relieving hormones endorphins.

Breathing techniques for childbirth are a useful tool to help you and your partner build a positive birth experience! There is a catch, though… to make the techniques work well for you, practise your techniques regularly. The more you practise, the easier and more effectively the breathing techniques will work for you during the birth of your child.

TOP TIP:

Practice the techniques as well as your comfortable breathing pattern together with your (birth) partner. When your birth partner is aware of your comfortable breathing pattern/speed, they can help you by counting you in/out or by keeping eye contact and breathing at your comfortable speed until you have reached your comfortable pattern again.

Download my breathing techniques worksheets today to start your birth prep!

Breathing Techniques for childbirth worksheets

The Breathing techniques worksheets are included in your self-paced online childbirth preparation course!

Please also check out my online course! No videos, just text and images to learn in your own time. Includes hypnobirthing mp3s, scripts, workbook, handouts, infographics and much more! Lots and lots of information at your fingertips! Includes:

  • hypnobirthing mp3s
  • hypnobirthing scripts
  • written information
  • infographics and other imagery
  • printable handouts
  • printable workbook/journal
Enroll now