you've probably learned about several techniques for reducing the pain of labor now here on this
channel I've taught a lot of them but today we're going to go in a bit of a different
direction because I want to share with you what I believe to be the most powerful skill that no
one seems to talk about now this skill is the one that I teach first in my online childbirth
class because I think if you can Master this skill you're going to have such a powerful way to deal
with the contractions of Labor now I call this technique limp and loose in labor but it's not
an official name it's a technique that probably doesn't get a lot of focus because it doesn't
have an official name like changing positions or breathing or movement limp and loosen labor
is a head to toe relaxation technique that you do as you feel the contractions start so let's
just back up a little bit and talk about what's happening during a contraction so the uterus is
a muscle that's Contracting and the purpose of the Contracting is to pull open the cervix
and move the baby down so each time you have a contraction your uterus is working on getting
that exit to open now what we can do to help this effort is to allow for this work to happen allow
is the key word here when we tense our muscles we're fighting against that contraction we really
aren't allowing and we're making the contraction less effect and less effective contractions mean
more contractions are needed and we don't want that it certainly isn't it our intuitive action
it's almost like a reflex where we immediately brace ourselves against the intense feeling of
the contraction it's kind of like when you feel like a cold wind come you know when you
feel that cold you release it immediately like raise your shoulders and bring in your limbs
it's your your bracing against that cold wind now pain is just like this too imagine stabbing
your toe really badly like stay on the bed in the middle of the night you wouldn't look like
this would you no you would be like ow all bunched up all of those muscles contracted
just like the pain and flavor this limp loose and labor technique is a practical way to learn how to
relax your body through the contractions and allow your uterus to open the cervix now to demonstrate
this technique I have enlisted another dually YouTuber who is currently in her final month of
pregnancy so Victoria Wilson at the motherwell here is in the sideline position now this is a
great position to rest in during contractions and you can see that as she gets a contraction
clearly she tightens all of her muscles notice her arms her shoulders her head her hands her
hand that is behind her head so clearly her body is working against the contraction here then watch
as she intentionally releases her muscles she makes an effort to think about releasing her
jaw her shoulders and all the way down her body now if you've ever heard someone say
ride the contractions or ride the wave of Labor that's what this means to allow the body to do
its work by staying limp and loose allows you to ride that contraction and allows it to work
so here is Victoria again this time she's in a standing position when her contraction starts
she clearly is not riding this wave yet but after a few seconds of the contraction she remembers to
be limp and loose this is what it's like in labor releasing your muscles in your face your arms your
shoulders she's also using Rhythm as a coping technique which goes really nicely with lymph
and loose in labor these strategies are good pairs now as you work through contractions you'll likely
get better at relaxing through them where you'll feel the contraction maybe tense up and then
intentionally release your muscles and once you master this technique your contractions are likely
going to get longer stronger and closer together as your labor progresses which is great and that
might mean that you'll have to go through this process again because the contractions themselves
might be more difficult now Partners can support the technique by using words like limp and loose
Ragdoll go boneless one of my childbirth education students suggested the phrase Lucy goosey and I
love that one too saying a little short phrase as the contraction starts is so much better than
saying something like you're all tense or don't tense up or just relax it's not quite as effective
so if you're wondering how to make sure that you will remember this technique when labor comes
then I have an answer for you it's to practice now in the birth toolbox childbirth class that
I teach we spend 30 seconds during each class practicing which is really super short but when
you do it daily or a few times a week it's going to start feeling like second nature now let's do
a 15 second practice here together since we're talking about it are you up for it so when the
timer starts you're going to tighten up your face your jaw your shoulders and then you'll take a
deep breath and then start the relaxation process from your head down to your arms so that breath
moment is like a reset switch telling yourself be limp and loose you ready let's do it now
[Music]
great work on that practice did you notice how differently your body felt after it wasn't tense
anymore I am really excited that you have this technique as a tool in your toolbox so that when
real labor comes along you will be able to pull it out because of the practice now if you'd love to
learn more tools like this click on the link below to the birth toolbox class it's in the
description and I also included a special coupon for this online self-paced class that I teach so
just as important of knowing what to do during contraction it's equally as important to know
what to do in between contractions in that rest phase I want you to make the most of that and so
I have a great video on that topic that I'm going to link to next see you next time guys bye [Music]