Some time ago, we published a video on how to dilate faster during labor.
And in that video, we talked about tools that you can apply once you are in labor, so that
you dilate faster to 10cm.
However, obviously, the whole labor and birth process is not over once you are fully dilated, right?
The next important step is the actual delivery of your baby.
Yes, so with this video, we want to help you have an easier and faster delivery of your
baby.
So, first, we are going to talk about 3 things that you can already do during your pregnancy
in order to prepare your body for the pushing phase.
And then afterwards, we are also going to discuss 3 additional tools that you can apply
during the pushing phase, so that you have an easier and faster delivery of your baby.
Yes. This is Nathalie, a pregnancy and birth consultant and TCM therapist, and that’s Mathias a
researcher and science geek and on this channel we help you and your baby naturally and science-based!
So, let us help you have an easier and faster labor and birth!
Alright, so before we start, please note that throughout this video, we are going to talk
about the first and second stage of labor.
So, just that you know: the whole labor and birth process can be divided in 3 stages.
The first stage of labor is when you dilate to 10 cm.
The second stage of labor is the actual delivery of your baby, i.e. the pushing phase, right?
And the third stage of labor is the delivery of your placenta.
Yes, with that in mind, here are the three things that you can do already during your
pregnancy in order to prepare your body for the second stage of labor.
The first tool is a perineal massage.
Now, of course, the actual intention of a perineal massage is to bring more flexibility
into the area of your perineum in order to reduce the risk of tearing.
However, a large scientific study with more than 3000 women has found that a nice “side
effect” of a perineal massage is that it can also help speed up the second stage of
labor. Yes.
And this makes total sense, right?
Because a perineal massage is all about getting more flexibility into your perineal area and,
in particular, into your pelvic floor.
In fact, you want the tissue in that area to be super elastic so that it can more easily
be stretched once your baby’s head moves through your birth canal.
Obviously, the smoother your baby can move through the birth canal, the easier and faster
that stage of labor is gonna be, right!
And just a sidenote.
Some women prefer to do the perineal massage DURING the pushing phase instead of during
their pregnancy because according to scientific studies, this can also help reduce the risk
of tearing.
That’s great.
You can totally do that!
However, just keep in mind that according to scientists, a perineal massage during the
pushing phase alone may not help you with a faster delivery of your baby.
And because of that you really have to apply the massage before you go into labor.
Yes. In fact, we recommend preparing your perineum from week 35 of your pregnancy onwards.
And if you wanna know exactly how to apply a perineal massage, then check out the video
that you can find in the description below this video.
Right!
The second tool which can help you with an easier and faster delivery of your baby is
exercising during pregnancy.
Now, when it comes to exercising, some exercises have more of an impact on the first stage
of labor.
Birth ball exercises are a great example here, right? Because they can have a strong effect on the
cervix which can help you dilate faster during the first stage of labor.
However, when it comes to the actual delivery of your baby, you obviously won’t benefit
from that because the cervix is supposed to be gone by then, right?
Instead, you are gonna benefit from exercises that focus on your strength and your endurance
and which give you that extra flexibility in the very parts of your body which will
experience the most strain during your delivery.
Yes. And because of that, you wanna focus on exercises that can bring more flexibility into your
pelvis, your hips, your thighs as well as exercises which can strengthen your core.
So, if you want to know which exercises are suitable for that, check out the video that
you can find in the description below this video.
Right!
And then the third tool which could help you with an easier and faster delivery of your
baby are dates.
Now, if you follow our channel then you probably know that we actually propose dates from week
37 of a pregnancy onwards, in order to help the body soften the cervix.
And indeed, eating dates to help the body soften your cervix is our main goal before you go into labor.
However, scientists have found that dates could also help you with a faster first AND
second stage of labor.
Yes.
And that’s because it appears that dates help produce more effective uterine contractions.
On top of that, they are a great source of energy.
So, if dates are what you wanna try, scientists recommend eating between 60 and 80 grams of
dates per day.
However, please make sure that you eat plain dates only!
Avoid chocolate coated or dried dates because they contain lots of sugar.
Also, please be very careful when you suffer from diabetes or gestational diabetes and
talk to your doctor first, okay?
Yes, at this point, I am just happy that I am a man and not pregnant because I just love
chocolate coated dates…
You love anything chocolate coated.
Yes. That might be true actually...
Anyways, so far, we have looked into things that you can do already during your pregnancy
to help you with an easier and faster delivery of your baby.
However, there are also things that you can do during the second stage of labor, i.e.
when you give birth to your baby, in order to make that stage easier for you and faster.
Right!
So, the first very important thing that you need to pay attention to during the second
stage of labor is your breathing.
Personally, we think that correct breathing during labor is highly undervalued which it
should not be because correct breathing is really the basis for relaxation.
Yes.
In fact, ANY form of relaxation, it doesn’t matter if it is mediation, or Tai Chi or Qi Gong
etc, is always linked to correct breathing.
And if you are able to relax during labor and birth, it always goes easier and faster
which is why it is so important.
Yes.
As a result, scientific studies have found that correct breathing cannot only help you
speed up the first stage of labor when you dilate to 10cm, but also the SECOND stage
of labor.
But correct breathing does not mean acquiring an unnatural breathing pattern.
Correct breathing means conscious breathing rather than automatic breathing.
And studies have shown that slow, deep breathing can be particularly effective.
Now, unfortunately, we cannot show you how to breathe correctly during labor
in this video because it would take us some time, right?
However, we have plans to do like a mini birthing course or a free webinar or something, in which
we can take some more time and explain in detail how to breathe correctly in both, the first and
second stage of labor.
So, check out if it is already online by the time when you watch this video.
If it is, then you would now see a popup at the top of your video screen and/or a link
in the description below this video.
Right, the second factor that we are going to discuss is your birthing position because
that too could help you with an easier and faster delivery of your baby.
Yes. When scientists have investigated this topic, they found that there are birthing positions
which can significantly reduce the length of the second stage of labor.
And that’s flexible sacrum birthing positions.
What does this mean?
Well, flexible sacrum birthing positions are positions in which the woman’s body weight
is taken off her tailbone.
Right!
For example: when you lie on your back, then your weight rests on your tailbone.
On the other hand, when you squat, sit on a birth seat, stand, lie on your side, or
kneel either with your body in an upright position or on all fours, then your weight
is off your tailbone.
So, any of the positions that take away your weight from the tailbone were found to speed
up the second stage of labor.
That said, an important conclusion of that study was that women should
be encouraged to choose their own comfortable birthing position.
And that’s really something that we too always recommend to women.
Find the very birthing position that you feel most comfortable with and which enables you to
push your baby out.
Because if you are choosing your birthing position based on your desire to shorten labor
time, then you might end up in a position which you don’t find comfortable with.
And in such a position it is really very difficult if not impossible to give birth to a baby. Right!
Nevertheless, it does not hurt to keep the information, that flexible sacrum positions
could help you with an easier birth, in the back of your mind.
And then the third tool which you can apply during the second stage of labor because it
can help shorten that stage is acupressure, but not to the extent to which we apply it
in the first stage of labor.
Yes.
So, if you follow our channel, then you probably know that we propose acupressure not only
to prepare the body for labor, but also to dilate faster during the first stage of labor.
And because of that many women stop with acupressure once they are fully dilated, right?
That’s a pity because scientists have found that acupressure could also help you speed
up the second stage of labor.
Yes.
And because of that, we encourage women to continue with acupressure
during the pushing phase.
But you don’t need to apply ALL of the acupressure points that we apply in the first stage.
We can reduce the number of points to 2 points only.
So, let’s have a quick look at which points your partner needs to stimulate:
First of all, position one of your hands, like I am doing it here!
Then look for the highest point on the muscle!
It is located right behind the fold between your thumb and index finger.
When you put your thumb of your other hand on that point and then open your thumb and
index finger, the point is supposed to be at the center of that little triangle that
forms between the bones of your thumb and index finger.
Firmly press and massage the acupressure point!
Do it for as long as it feels comfortable and repeat it regularly throughout labor!
Afterwards, do exactly the same on your other hand!
First, you need to find the highest point of your medial ankle bone on the inside of
one of your legs.
Then you need the approximate width of four of your fingers.
If your partner helps you, he is supposed to take the width of your own fingers.
If you do it yourself, simply place your fingers right next to the highest point of the medial
ankle bone!
Your new point is located right next to the bone at the end of your fingers.
From there, simply move a tiny little bit away from the bone, until you can feel a fleshy
webbing.
That soft point is the acupressure point that you want to firmly press and massage!
Do it for as long as it feels comfortable and repeat it regularly throughout labor!
Afterwards, do exactly the same on the other leg!
Okay, so, as you can see, acupressure in the second stage of labor is much easier to apply
than in the first stage because it does not involve so many points.
So go ahead, tell your birth partner to watch this video so that they can support you with
acupressure once you are in labor!
Also, don’t forget to check out our other videos that we have mentioned throughout this
video so that you too have an easier and faster labor and birth.
Links can be found in the description below this video! Right!
We really hope that our video helps you with an easier and faster labor and birth!
If you did find our video helpful, we would be super grateful if you could leave us a like!
Yes. And for more useful tips and tools on pregnancy and baby-related topics make sure to subscribe
to our channel and to hit the bell!