Teaching physical skills for childbirth is one of the most important lessons of your childbirth preparation classes! So how to go about it? It is important to note that your clients usually want to practice their physical skills, rather than just hear about them. From experience, I’d say you spend about 10% of the available time explaining the activity, then another 10% demonstrating and then let your clients have 80% of practice time. You can go around and give them individual feedback and guidance while they are practicing their new skills.
For example if you have 20 minutes for an activity, you spend a maximum of 2 minutes explaining, followed by a maximum of 2 minutes demonstration. Following that, your clients have 16 minutes to crack on with it! Alternatively, you could divide your time into two 10-minute slots. For example 1 for a deep breathing technique and the other for a massage technique. Then while trying out the massage technique, ask your clients to combine it with the learnt breathing technique from the previous part…
One idea which is always well received when teaching about physical skills for childbirth is the Ice Cube technique. Parents-to-be hold an ice cube and practise learnt or new coping skills to help them cope with the strong sensation. Parents-to-be can physically experience how breathing, massage, etc. can help them during labour and birth! A fantastic interactive and memorable way to facilitate learning physical skills for labour and birth!
Another great way is a labour rehearsal. Set up the room with some relaxing music, dim the lighting etc. Encourage parents to practice different positions for labour and birth using worksheets, cards or a poster. Alternatively, you could you my labour board game!
Observe others how they teach physical skills. Give each other feedback and share what worked for your clients and yourself and what didn’t go so well. Please feel free to share your experiences and ideas here in the comments or email me!
References and further reading:
- Buckley SJ. (2015) Hormonal physiology of childbearing: Evidence and implications for women, babies, and maternity care. Washington, D.C.: Childbirth Connection Programs, National Partnership for Women and Families. Available from: https://www.nationalpartnership.org/our-work/resources/health-care/maternity/hormonal-physiology-of-childbearing.pdf [accessed: 9th January 2023]
- Declercq, E. R., Sakala, C., Corry M. P., et al. (2014). “Major Survey Findings of Listening to Mothers(SM) III: Pregnancy and Birth: Report of the Third National U.S.
Survey of Women’s Childbearing Experiences.” J Perinat Educ 23(1): 9-16. - Gupta, J. K., Sood, A., Hofmeyr, G. J., et al. (2017). “Position in the second stage of labour for women without epidural anaesthesia.” Cochrane Database Syst Rev
5: CD002006. - Kibuka, M. and Thornton, J. G. (2017). “Position in the second stage of labour for women with epidural anaesthesia.” Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2: CD008070.
- Odent M. (1999) The Scientification of Love. London. Free Association Press.
- Thies-Lagergren, L. (2013). The Swedish Birth Seat Trial. Published by Karolinska Institute. Printed by US-AB digitaltryck.