Here are 11 ideas 💡 for using your childbirth timeline banner (or beadlines) in your classes.
For group work, I recommend the large timeline banner; for 1:1 work, the smaller banners and/or beadlines. You can adapt any of the activities below for groups or 1:1 sessions, using either the banners or the beadlines.
1. Explore how birth might unfold
Reveal the timeline bit by bit, starting at the beginning of the birth journey. You might point out the changes happening inside the body: how the cervix softens and dilates, and how the baby moves. My Stages of Labour worksheets, activities and visual aids make a great visual add-on.
2. Add comfort measures along the line
Explore medical and non-medical comfort measures. As you discuss the pros and cons, add when each option might be offered or commonly used – for example, “When is too early or too late for an epidural?” I like to use little props, like a rubber duck for “water or birth pool”.
3. Explore induction and augmentation
As with comfort measures, the timeline is an excellent way to explore which methods of induction and augmentation are available locally, and when they might be offered. I like to use my induction discussion prompt cards and some props. See also my induction of labour decision activity.
4. Explore the role of the birth partner
Exploring the birth partner’s role as one of the guardians of oxytocin is an important part of many antenatal classes. The timeline helps birth partners work out what they might be doing, and when. I hand out sticky notes and pens and ask everyone to write or draw what they might be doing at each point.
5. Explore birth place and birth environment
While birth partners explore their role, I usually ask the birthing parents to explore their birth place and environment, with some questions to think about: Where will you be during early labour, established labour and so on? How can you make your birth space as comfortable as possible? Who will be there with you? This leads nicely on to what to pack in the birth bag, where they might like to give birth (home, hospital or midwife-led unit) and their birth plan or preferences. My Birth Place Decisions card sort works well here too.
6. Explore feelings along the timeline
How might the birthing parent be feeling? How does the birth partner feel? And how might the baby feel at that moment? I split the group into three, giving each a different colour of sticky notes – one colour each for baby, birthing parent and birth partner. They write or draw faces showing how that person might be feeling and stick them along the timeline.
7. Explore helpful positions
I use my positions for childbirth cards (also available as printable flashcards) and ask parents to place them along the timeline.
8. Explore hypnobirthing techniques
Simply ask: “Which hypnobirthing technique or track is most helpful, and when?” Give each person a card or piece of paper with a technique, or a copy of a script, then ask, “When would you use this?” Each person, couple or family places their item along the timeline in turn.
9. Explore breathing techniques
As with the ideas above, use printed cards and ask parents-to-be to place them along the timeline, exploring which breathing techniques might help at different stages of their birth journey.
10. Explore massage techniques
Try out different massage techniques together and explore which might be most helpful or comfortable during labour. Pictured here are my massage technique cards, which are also available as printable flashcards.
11. Explore the golden hour
Finally, when exploring the third stage of labour (the birth of the placenta), explore the golden hour and skin-to-skin, and why they help with the birth of the placenta, bonding and starting breastfeeding. For this, I use my newborn appearance photo set and, where appropriate and agreed with the group, placenta photos or my placenta and cord poster.
Want to make your own labour beadline? Take my self-paced online beadline course or use my Labour Beadline pattern.
