Active Birth is… a physiological birth

by Suzanne Swan

Active birth is enabling normal birth physiology by avoiding disturbing the natural process with unnecessary routines and interventions except where there are demonstrable medical indications.  You may increase your ability to experience an Active Birth by:

·      Going into spontaneous labour and staying at home until established labour

·      Stimulating own oxytocin hormonal system for medical induction of labour if required

·      Walking and moving in labour

·      Continuous labour support with a known carer

·      Avoiding routine interventions (<5cm) except for demonstrable medical indications

·      Doing upright and spontaneous pushing

·      Keeping you and your baby together

·      Feeling confident

An Active Birth is one in which the woman gives birth in the best possible, uniquely individual way, for her at that particular moment in her life.  She can focus her mind in a relaxed and confident way to engage in the process of birth, creating for herself an altered state of consciousness that will ensure the safest possible birth for her and her baby.  As she learns to integrate her thoughts, feelings, actions and imaginings with the strong bodily sensations anticipated at birth she finds herself allowing the optimal pregnancy and birthing hormones to release spontaneously.

To help her she chooses a homelike, private, warm, dimly lit environment that feels physically and emotionally safe for her. She also chooses labour supporters that guard her and her birth environment so that she may labour, feeling safe and supported, without unwanted intrusions, distraction and interruptions.

To become a really effective labour supporter requires work, effort, tools and skills.  Practice the tools and skills you learn in the Active Birth Workshop regularly with your partner.  Together you will learn to focus in a mind-full way to achieve a positive birth experience.

Simple ways we can enhance the physiology of labour and birth are:

·      Slow breathing

·      Conscious relaxation techniques

·      Massages

·      Acupressure

·      Warm water immersion, showering or hot compresses

·      Provision of sweetened foods or fluids

·      Stimulating the sexual release of Oxytocin through skin to skin, hugging, kissing ( in privacy) and nipple stimulation

·      Keeping distractions and side conversations to a minimum

·      Having a constant supportive presence in the birth space

Masking external noises with music or the shower to decrease disturbance

Read the Active Birth Manifesto by Janet Balaskas