So, AGES ago, I wrote a blog post about what you can do during pregnancy to stack the odds in your favour of birthing your baby with an intact perineum. I intended to follow up with another post on what you or your birth partner can do during labour too, but completely forgot! So […]
As a Women’s Health physio, this question has occurred to me. And I have been asked by women too. They may have been told that having a tight pelvic floor may be the reason they had a more challenging birth. But can having strong or ‘tight’ pelvic floor muscles really cause a problem in […]
During your labour and birth, you may use physical comfort measures like TENS, massage and movement. As labour progresses you may feel you need to avail of some of the pharmacological comfort measures your hospital or birth centre can provide.
There are several options available to you. As with all medications, they do have some […]
It’s safe!
Many pregnancy classes are designed and led by specialists in pregnancy like midwives, specialist physiotherapists, antenatal teachers and doulas. As a Women’s Health physiotherapist, doula and Gentlebirth instructor, I choose exercises that encourage flexibility, balance and strength. These are all helpful in pregnancy, labour and post-partum.
It boosts energy.
After a tough day […]
Where do you plan to give birth? Many women who plan to give birth at home, also plan on using a birth pool. If you plan to give birth in a hospital setting, maybe your hospital has a birth pool. So you may be wondering about the pros and cons of birth in water […]
I recently did a Facebook Live discussion on ‘Protecting Your Perineum for a Positive Birth’ on the Gentlebirth mums Facebook group which you can join and watch back if you’d like. I’m including some of the main points we touched on in this article too. So first of all, what is a perineal tear […]
Recently, I’ve heard from a couple of mums that they’ve been told that birthing in a squatting position is a bad idea.
They’ve been told that makes it more likely that they’ll have a 3rd or 4th degree perineal tear and/or increased blood loss after their baby is born. So, is there any truth to […]
What is Episiotomy?
An episiotomy is a surgical to the perineum made during childbirth. The perineum is the area between the vaginal opening and the anal sphincter. In my Gentlebirth workshops, we discuss worries that expectant mums may have about the birth. Having an episiotomy is almost always close to the top of the list.
Why […]
