Everyone in my active birth yoga class seems to end up with forceps or ventouse...

[LoveInASnowyClimate]

...does anyone know the stats for their use in a first birth (as nearly everyone who does the class is a first timer)? I have googled but can't find it. It really does seem to be virtually everyone (we get an email round up of that week's births, which covers about ten classes a week, so always quite a few each week). I am wondering if our local hospital, where most of the births take place, has an incredibly high number of interventions. I am trying not to think that the yoga class somehow causes it . Thanks.

Just a thought but are there many long-term yoga practitioners in your active yoga class? Pregnancy yoga probably attracts those new to yoga but also those with quite an experienced practice who are adapting to pregnancy.

The pregnancy yoga will be soft-ish IYKNIM but there may be experienced yogis in the group? I've read in my pregnancy yoga reading and from my teachers that experienced yogis who've done lots of work with bandhas, especially the pelvic floor lock, can have quite strongly engaged pelvic floors. I'm 36 weeks with my first, teach yoga and have been practicing for 10+ years and have been told to really focus on relaxing my pelvic floor after years of working hard to engage it. It's all soften, soften, soften to prepare for birth which can be hard for expeienced yogis to learn when you're used to focusing on pulling the pelvic floor up to protect the lower back and doing less release work.

Just musing - may have nothing to do with it.

Sure the active birth yoga can only be beneficial

Zen - that's interesting, as quite a lot (not me!) did a lot of yoga pre-pregnancy. Maybe that's a factor.

I have managed to find the stats for my hospital, and they're actually pretty good - 82% with no intervention, and 6% each for ventouse, forceps and c section, as long as you start out in the midwife centre (where I will hopefully be), even if you transfer to the main delivery suite. No stats for first timers, but did find those reassuring.

I totally agree with you zen. I've been practicing for a long time, mostly Ashtanga first and then Anusara-style, and did tons of yoga while pg. It's all "lock those bandhas!!" etc, which is complete counterproductive for trying to get a baby out. Teaching prenatal yoga was a complete mind bender at first, coming from the background I did.

Also agree with whomever said age may be a factor. Here, the average type of woman who takes prenatal yoga is older (30-ish), reasonably well educated and can afford to take the class.

Anyway, after all that, I still think what kind of a birth anyone has is a total crapshoot, you just never know. I think accepting that can help take away a feeling of personal failure when intervention is required.

This is completely anecdotal obviously. I didn't do NCT or any ante natal classes - But I do go to local Surestart cente where, honestly, the mums in their 20s are popping them out like anything - no CSs or instruments involved, even when they've had epidurals.

I wonder if there is some merit in not over thinking it beforehand?

Yep, I found antenatal yoga classes enormously useful, both mentally and physically. Not sure of the statistics for intervention in my group, but I did the class with my friend who had an ELCS for breech and she also said it was nevertheless worthwhile because it helped her feel chilled throughout the pregnancy.

"I still think what kind of a birth anyone has is a total crapshoot" - pretty much so, but not entirely. The physical circumstances are one thing that it's difficult to influence and you just have accept the cards you've been dealt, but if the birth is straightforward then having a positive attitude could make the difference between needing intervention or not. I think that's where yoga can help.

I clearly need to shave 10 years off my age and stop obsessing .

I have found the breathing and relaxation useful in gereral life and will keep going to classes afterwards, so even if I end up flat on my back with an epidural and forceps I suppose it won't have been a total waste of time!

I agree with you love. Hoping my yoga helps me but if it doesn't and my mid thirties body won't do the deedas naturally as I hope, no harm done in having prepared. Besides, I love my yoga - no-one takes it from me pre birth and will be my daily stress relief post birth (even if only 10 mins meditation or short practice) . You never know what will happen but being as relaxed as you can be has to help

I think the yoga, and pregnany hypnotherapy, have helped me with my driving phobia. On Sunday I managed to overtake another car and drive on a duel carriageway (admittedly with my DH there), with the help of lots of deep breathing rather than hyperventilating and weeping. This phobia blights my life so I am thrilled that this seems to be helping even if it does sod all for the birth.

LoveinaColdClimate just seen that you're 31, I was a month off 31 when I gave birth and I had a very easy labour! I was quite physically fit at the time so maybe that helped. Good luck and yoga sounds fab, wish I had done something like that!

Hurrah! Thanks, Countess, that's what I like to hear.

NCT class of 5: 4 aiming for as few drugs as possible, one wanted an epidural.

1st time: 2 inductions (1 forceps, 1 ventouse -both significant 2nd degree tears), 1 hospital bith with pethidine resulting in unusual 2nd degree tearing (denied epidural because no anaesthtist available) and v long recovery, 2 hospital births with epidural (one had 3 stitches, the other too many to count).

2nd time: 3 home waterbirths with no drugs -2 using Hypnobirthing (one born before arrival), 1 hospital birth too fast for the desired epidural, 1 hospital birth no assistance. 1 homebirth and 1 hospital birth had pph. Only a few v minor tears.

One mum went on to number 3 and had another drug-free home waterbirth.

All mums and babies OK

Ages for first baby ranged from 26-38. No-one did yoga either time

Statistically if there have been so many instrumental deliveries then surely there will soon be some normal ones. ie Hopefully you

I had my first (and second and third) normally at the grand old age of 30 (32 and 35)

I think normal deliveries for first time mums are usually around 50% which seems hideous to me but that statistic will rise a lot if you take out the high risk mums and only include mums in birth centres more likely to be around 70%. (these figures are from memory/educated guess)

Being in a birth centre or at home will significantly reduce the risk of interventions.

Stat for first time mums is 50%intervention (25%forceps/ventouse 25%CS) my consultant actually said was 6/10 for first births 1-2 in 10 for second. (am an intervention stats dork as had horrific first birth resulting in tokophobia PTSD etc. Was down to ELCS #2 but had fast natural amazing delivery on Monday on just G&A which surprised me!)

Oh, congratulations, SubOpi, how lovely for you .

Actually even 50/50 sounds ok - it must be more like 80-90% in the yoga group, but as maxbear says, maybe it's my turn to have the lovely birth where I sneeze the baby out .

Antenatal group of five, not NCT. Two did pregnancy yoga, two older mums. Sensible group not overly concerned about having a 'natural delivery.'

1 induced 36 weeks: natural birth in hospital.
1 spontaneous labour: forceps
1 induction (post dates) : forceps
1 induction (post dates) : natural hospital birth
1 induction (post dates): EMCS

This sounds terrible & superstitious (sp?) but as a Dr we always say the longer the birth plan & the more NCT classes attended the higher the chance of EMCS/instrumental delivery. Of course there are lots of confounding factors!

Zen I think you're right about the bandhas. I came from an Ashtanga background and ended up with a long labour and c-section first time around. I've always wondered whether in that instance my yoga played a contributory role. I decided to do additional yoga for pregnancy training and now have a few different related qualifications. I had VBAC for subsequent births.

The stats for my first-timers are pretty good and I have very low numbers of assisted births. Most of the women are in their 30's. I use a range of techniques in my classes, and of course people will be going to NCT etc. too, so I couldn't necessarily attribute it all to yoga!!

breathless my paediatrician friend also says it is the ones who are hellbent on a natural birth who are most likely to end up with lots of interventions!

"but as a Dr we always say the longer the birth plan & the more NCT classes attended the higher the chance of EMCS/instrumental delivery".

I wonder how much of that's down to unacknowledged hostility on the part of care-givers who possibly dislike looking for those people who they see as be compliant, and those who challenge their opinions as professionals.

"Of course there are lots of confounding factors!"

Of which the main one would be, that the vast majority of women who attend NCT are 1) over the age of 30 and 2) expecting their first baby. Both factors which HUGELY impact on likelihood of straightforward birth.

Stats for my NCT class of 8: All c-sections. Don't think anyone thought about how they would give birth.

I have to add that I did hypnobirthing with DS2 and it REALLY works if you are diligent about it (listening to the tapes and doing the exercises).

So what I've learned so far in this pregnancy yoga teacher training: in our usual yoga practice, we emphasize locking the bandhas and constructing the back of the throat for ujayii breath. In pregnancy yoga it's all "relax, relax, relax, soften, soften, soften". Emphasis on drawing in the pelov floor (mulabandha) and then relaxing it. So, pretty different. Interesting. Too late to make a difference for me :o but maybe it will help someone else if I do a good job teaching.

Pelov floor?? Wtf is that?? PELVIC floor. Obviously.

The stats on intervention rates are available on the NHS Choices website (www.nhs.uk). Go here and put in your postcode to see your local hospital. The bit you want is where it says 'types of births'.