Renewal Pelvic and Exhale Pushing will help your patients be more effective during labor and can help prevent post-partum complications5
Breath, positioning, trust and confidence make for a more fulfilling birth and an easier post-partum recovery. When I gave birth I was instructed to hold my breath and push with all my might. I am convinced that this is where I developed my bladder prolapse.
Renewal Pelvic and Exhale Pushing involves a profound mind-body connection and training.
It consists of three parts:
1. Active exhalation which is slow and deliberate
2. Engaging the transverse abdominal muscles by bringing the abdominals to your spine as you exhale
3. A reverse kegel which is all about letting go of any tension in the pelvic floor muscles and making sure not to contract them while pushing.
4. Only do 1,2,3 at the same time and only when you feel the urge to push and no one in the room is directing the laboring woman and she is following her instincts.
When you are in the labor you just tend to trust those around you even if they don’t know any better. To this day many OB/ GYN and laboring nurses are still telling women to perform a valsalva or breath holding while they push. This type of breathing is not natural and can cause more harm than good. I have seen women who push this way break capillaries, strain their pelvic floor muscles and end up with organ prolapses and or full body pain and exhaustion.
There is a better way to breathe during labor that goes with the natural rhythm of the body, so that pushing is more effective for the laboring woman.
Over the years I have developed a system that women tell me works well for them and minimizes stress to the organs, baby and pelvic floor muscles. It’s called Renewal Pelvic and Exhale Pushing. It involves a physiologic and natural coordination between breathing, the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles.
Please remember that this type of pushing requires training and should be practiced for 4-6 weeks before the big day. This method is similar to spontaneous pushing except that you are using your inner core and pelvic floor muscles as you gently exhale.
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