ACTIVE BIRTH

[creamcake]

Just wondered if anyone has had or knows anyone who has had a so called "Active" birth and what they thought? I get the impression you do lots of pregnancy yoga beforehand, have v. little pain relief and are allowed to move about and give birth in the most comfortable position for you (unless there are complications of course) but I would love to know the ins and outs if anyone knows?

Well I use to teach active birth... yoga aside, it is about having a birth where you are not on your back (during labour and delivery). The fact that you are in a position that suits you. In my experience the more active you are (that doesn't mean changing position every 2 minutes!) and the better the breathing, the easier/pain"free" the birth.
Most women who want an active birth also don't want an epidural (or pethidine), they often opt for a TENS machine or a labour in water. If they give birth on "dry" land it will be squatting or on all fours, sometimes in a supported squat where they are more upright... everyone feels different.
Breathing is also important, I don't believe it should be taught (I don't teach it !!!) because yhou won't remember but your partner should be able to re-direct your breathing if you start to "loose" the plot....

I had active bith classes and an active birth - fantastic. Had no pain relief, no gas & air, was 6 hours from start to finish, no tearing. Was going to have a water birth but as I arrived in the hospital fully dilated and ready to go I realised that i didn't want to stop walking around so didn't go with the water in the end. i ahd my DD standing up, one leg on the bed in a part of the hospital led only by midwives.

Highly reccomend it.

The classes were a lot about mentally preparing yourself and feeling in control of the situation and therefore being calm.

I had an active birth with both mine.

Moved around lots and only had gas and air for pain relief. Worked very well. Midwives couldn't have been more helpful.

Did pregnancy yoga for relaxation in the run up to the 2nd one and would definately recommend it.

Go for it.

i did active birth classes (rubbish i have to say -- crocheted vaginas, a silly instructor from california who talked about 'the power of birthing'), AB yoga classes while PG (relaxing but also fairly useless though met nice people) but was always dead keen on getting my hands on lots of drugs when i needed them. i just wanted all the info i could find, i think that's why i signed up for the AB angle. that, and living in north london...

however when i got to the hosp, no one believed i was THAT far along (too lazy/busy to measure) so i ended up having an inadvertent natural birth and i have to say that keeping moving and upright really did help a lot.

i think the key is to keep your mind open... i don't know anyone who had the sort of birth they'd intended, and i do feel sorry for women who feel they've let themselves down in some way by asking for pain relief at the last moment. birth is full of surprises, my attitude is that you should make it as easy as possible on yourself before during and afterwards...

Bakedpotato - so glad to hear your story. Nobody bellieved I was in labour either. Good job I refused to go home from the hospital! I managed the whole thing without drugs as they kept telling me to 'save them for when labour really kicks in', not even gas and air. Spent some of the time lying on my side, ages in the bath, and most of the pushing stage walking back to my room from the bath. At this point I sent dh to get midwife who only examined me once I said that either my lungs were coming out or it was the head - it was the head! I actually ended up sitting upright on the bed with heels to bum (sorry to be graphic). No tears or anything. Hooray for active birth - 20 minutes after, I was in the shower.

I had an active birth - lots of walking, crab walking up and down the stairs and bouncing on the birthing ball. I didn't do any classes beforehand (yoga or otherwise).

It was great - I was able to get into the most comfy position to manage the really intense contractions of late labour. Managed with just gas and air and really controlled breathing.

It was fabulous !!!

crocheted vaginas!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT???!!!!!!!!!

hi all, i know this is a really old thread but does anyone have a link to any active birth classes, especially in the north west of england. I sooooo want to find out more about this

Check this - I found it informative and inspiring.

Ended up having EmCS but I'm sure all the yoga has helped me heal and recover quickly...

Thanks IC...am now waiting on my delivery from Amazon

Can you not just 'choose' to be active during labour, without actually opting for a formal Active Birth by title?

I fully intend to be moving around lots during labour, using my ball, and would like to have a bash at delivery in a standing/supported squat position if possible - surely if it's a straightforward birth, the hospital can't make you lie flat on your back?

At our antenatal classes, we were shown rooms in the Labour Ward where women are encouraged to move about and use birthing aids eg. ball, beanbag, wedge pillow, and hospital policy seemed to be encouraging active birth . . .don't know if it'll be a different story on the day though - they might whisk me in and have me in stirrups before I know it?!

I'm in the north west too - which hospital are you going to?

I'm going in whiston hostpital....hopefully in the brand new maternity unit What about you stressheaaderic? I'm still only 21 weeks so haven't had any antenatel classes yet, also i'm the first in my group of friends to have a baby (i'm 29) so am short of people to ask about what i have coming.

I fully intend on moving round as much as possible but had read about 'active birth classes' and thought i'd give them a go. I'm pretty worried about labour but really don;t want loads of drugs so i'm willing to trying anything.

Hi

I gave birth to DD1 (3rd DC)just over a week ago.

Previous 2 labours I was on bed and didnt get off at all during labour-my choice not hospital.

This labour I wanted to do it differently. I didnt get on the bed once, kept walking around, had a little bounce on birthing ball but got off as for some reason slowed contractions.
Midwives were wonderful-they just let me listen to my body and most importantly they listened to me.
I delivered kneeling, leaning on to the bed with no pain relief and no stitches

Now I dont know if this lovely experince had alot to do with me staying active and delivering in that position or the fact this was DC3 and everything was already stretched if you know what i mean (sorry tmi).

Well anyway this last labour was a million times better than the previous-and they werent bad ones

Oh I am going to Whiston too! But in the old bit as I'm due in just 2 weeks...
The new hospital and its facilities look fantastic - the only thing i have heard is that the Maternity Unit is much more open plan, with big open bays and a few smaller side rooms if needed.
Well I hope what I said above is encouraging then - they do seem to promote active birth techniques, they have a birth pool too which gets a fair bit of use apparently.

I will let you know how I get on there, although having spent a few nights in during my pregnancy due to various complications, I honestly can't fault it in anyway, and I'm quite a wimp when it comes to hospitals... the staff are fantastic and caring, they really listen to you, and the unit is spotless, quiet and well-run. The food isn't great but you can't have everything!

You have no idea how good it is to speak to someone whose from the same area and will be using the same facilities as me. I may start a new thread to see if there are any more of us

i hope you have a fab birth, i'm sure you will. Please keep in contact too, i'm not sure if theres a way to private message on here?

I don't think there are that many of us, I dug around trying to find out about Whiston when I was choosing between there and Ormskirk (glad about my choice now), plus asking for info on pregnancy yoga and aquanatal classes, but didn't come across anyone too local.

I live in St Helens, and I'm 29 too.
I think you can pay £5/year to have a private message function on here -not sure if many bother with it, I wouldn't mind though?