Hey Mom, I am talking about how to engage your baby for birth. This means getting your baby into the right position for a smooth labor and successful vaginal birth.
If you are interested in a natural birth, or you want to know more about it, then download my free workbook below that will walk you through my 4 simple steps to a natural birth.
Watch video above for more details
Have you heard that baby is not in the right position for birth?
- “Not low enough.”
- “Hasn’t dropped.”
- “Isn’t engaged.”
- “Isn’t in the right position” (head down, face towards spine).
Please don’t stress. I am going to explain what this means and how to get your baby into the right position for birth.
I’m giving you these tips to help you start preparing your pelvis for childbirth. But if your baby hasn’t engaged yet, and if your cervix is still closed, DON”T STRESS!
This matters in labor and it can happen fast. Even if your baby is in the “wrong” position during labor, you can do these things to help your baby get into the right position during labor and deliver vaginally.
In labor, you want your baby to be low…head low and back to your belly. This will help labor move forward more smoothly because baby can put pressure on your cervix and move down your birth canal.
Even pressure on your cervix from baby’s head causes chemicals to travel to your brain and signal oxytocin to release.
Oxytocin travels down to your uterus and causes contractions! Yay!
Contractions push baby down into your pelvis to put more pressure on your cervix. This pressure causes the cervix to open and thin out (dilate and efface). This is what will lead to a smooth and successful vaginal birth, and you holding your precious joy in your arms!
Some moms experience “irregular labor contractions” or a “slowing of labor”, which can lead to slowing of cervical dilation and slowing of birth of baby. This might mean that baby is not engaged in the pelvis and putting good even pressure on Mom’s cervix.
So, again don’t stress! Mom can do these things to help baby maneuver down the bony pelvis and put even pressure on the cervix to come down the birth canal and into Mom’s arms.
How to get baby to drop and engage before or during labor (at home or at the hospital)
1. Good positioning for mom changes the space for baby and the position of the pelvis for baby.
- Straight posture – No more slouching, Mama
- Stretching
- Prenatal yoga – use caution
- Squats/lunges
- Butterfly
- Indian sitting
- Hands-and-knees
- Forward leaning over birth ball or resting on the floor with butt in the air
- Pelvic tilt – like cat-cow but keep your back neutral
2. Movement makes space and adjusts the pelvis shape by moving the bones slightly
- Walking
- Subtle movements of swaying and moving pelvis
- Curb or tilted walking to tilt the pelvis enough to help baby maneuver around bony prominences of pelvis
- Birth ball
- Huge hip circles
- Hip tilts
- Bouncing fast or slow
- Tucking or scooping hips forward
- On birth ball
- On hands-and-knees
- Rebozo on belly helps with pubis symphysis pain as it lifts pressure of baby off of pelvis and helps baby maneuver bony prominences of pelvis
3. Prenatal chiropractic care if you have misalignment of spine and pelvis
You can do this, Mama!
Do you still have questions or concerns about your birth experience? I would love to give you my strategic yet simple 4 step process to a natural birth. Download my free workbook to get started. Click the button below.
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