Meredith and Brett welcomed their first child, a son, on March 14, 2022. Meredith found out her baby was breech and OP around 32 weeks and made it her mission to encourage her baby to turn! Then attended my Spinning Babies® Parent Class to learn tips for encouraging their little guy to rotate. And rotate he did, into the OA position before labor. Yay!

Meredith’s water broke around 5:00 pm on March 13. She and Brett were watching a movie, Murder on the Nile, when it happened. Meredith texted me right afterward, and I recommended she do some of the positions we had gone over in the Spinning Babies class to help optimize baby’s position for birth, and hopefully to also encourage contractions. Meredith didn’t feel anything immediately, but she soon detected period-like cramps. It was wonderful that her body responded relatively soon after her water broke, and we were very encouraged she would continue to move into labor. The contractions began erratically and were short, so Meredith tried to rest and not pay too much attention to them until she had to.

Then around 10:00 pm Meredith texted to say she was unable to lay down anymore because the contractions were much stronger and more frequent when she did so. I gave her some suggestions to facilitate rest between them as well as getting in the shower to help and she planned to try them. The Miles Circuit was also recommended, and Meredith had already done it earlier that day! I was pleased to know she was being diligent about helping her baby and her body as her labor developed.

Many hours passed which led me to believe perhaps Meredith’s contractions had died down. But quite the contrary. Brett texted just before 3:00 am to say that Meredith was having a pretty hard time with contractions that were 3 minutes apart, but not lasting a minute yet. She was nauseous and had made good use of the shower. From the sound of things, it was probably time to call the midwife and see if it might be time to head to the hospital. 

Brett conveyed what he saw quite well. Meredith was moaning through contractions and acting differently. She didn’t feel she got any relief between the contractions; they were coming so close. They agreed to call the midwife who recommended they head in once Meredith got something in her stomach. They would update once they arrived, and I would meet them there. Brett ran two red lights to get to the hospital as soon as possible and it was a good thing he did. They waited at the front door for what felt like forever, and then a janitor opened it for them. Thank goodness.

It turned out that although this was their first journey through childbirth, Meredith and Brett did an excellent job of minimizing and ignoring early labor! By the time Meredith got upstairs on the unit and was checked in triage and she was 9 cm dilated! She would not be getting the epidural she thought she might need, and instead relied on her support team and comfort measures to finish the birth.

Meredith breathed deeply as her body opened to complete, and her involuntary urge to bear down grew stronger. It had been a particularly crazy delivery night, and the resident midwife was standing in for Meredith’s midwife until she was available. Everyone swirled around her taking care of their tasks to get her admitted and ready for delivery. The table was set up lickity split and one of Meredith’s doctors arrived in time for the delivery. Her midwife got there a bit after.

Meredith pushed well and her baby moved down nicely every single time. Her baby’s heart rate dipped as she pushed so she breathed oxygen from the mask given to her. Brett was so encouraging, speaking words of affirmation and strength to her as she worked hard to birth their baby. And when he was born, everyone was elated and so excited for this couple. Meredith cried and Brett touched his son in awe of what had just happened. Grant Nelson was born at 5:38 am on March 14, 2022, after an hour of pushing. (See? They still have plenty of time before baby, even though Meredith arrived 9 cm!)

I love watching new parents get to know their baby. They marveled over Grant’s features and Brett placed his finger in his son’s hand and was rewarded with a tight grip. As things settled and Grant had his first go at laid back breastfeeding, Meredith was able to think about what had transpired. It was kind of crazy and wild, and confusing how it didn’t fall into the typical labor pattern that we discussed. But when Meredith listened to her body, things happened. And she got to the hospital in plenty of time to welcome her son. She even managed to squeeze out the possibility for a chance at an epidural which turned out to be a very good thing. Meredith wasn’t sure she would or could labor and birth without pain medications, but she surprised herself and did! And she was very proud of herself and amazed at her body too. And she should be!!  

If you are pregnant, you have probably heard of Spinning Babies®. Maybe you visited the site and tried a few of the recommended positions. It can be overwhelming, to say the least. Visiting the site and leaving it confused, is a common tale. Perhaps your doula or a friend has given you some Spinning Babies® tips and testimonials. But both ways to get Spinning Babies® information fall short. One is missing the hands-on practical side of it, while the other might be overlooking the nuances of position that benefit mom and baby or might not explain contraindications for some of the movements.

I had attended two Spinning Babies® training workshops before going to my Spinning Babies® Parent Educator training. And I can honestly say that despite being trained twice, I lacked skill and confidence in many of the techniques, so I simply didn’t do them. The Three Balances intimidated me! And I certainly didn’t feel I could appropriately recommend that my clients do them if I couldn’t even show them myself. 

Spending three days learning from Gail Tully and Jennifer Walker, surrounded by other birth workers seeking certification as Spinning Babies® Parent Educators is what changed it for me. My eyes were opened and I had a much more thorough understanding of the concepts. I retained the information in a totally different way, knowing I would be teaching it. We explored the techniques more in-depth and pored over the reasoning behind each one and reviewed the contraindications for each movement. I learned some things that will impact my doula-ing too. After nearly 20 years, there is still plenty to learn.

The Spinning Babies® Parent Class taught by a Certified Spinning Babies® Parent Educator, bridges the gap for expectant couples between the informative but overwhelming Spinning Babies® website and a well-meaning doula or friend. In my Spinning Babies® Parent Class the sequence of learning aids in retention. First, we review the parts of the pelvis and how the bones, ligaments, and muscles are connected. Then we explore the Daily Activities(SM) and Rest Smart recommendations, which are easily incorporated into your daily routines, adding flexibility and helping the ligaments and muscles to be supple. We reinforce proper posture, how to sit, and even how to sleep. The Three Balances®, which used to intimidate me but no longer do, are the pièce de resistance, and when done in proper sequence and form, can have a significant impact on your baby’s ability to settle into an optimal birth position. The Three® Balances are also a nice activity to do with your partner, creating the opportunity to collaborate and bond over your pregnancy preparedness. And in preparation for the big day (or night!) baby comes, we review key positions that make room for baby by opening the inlet, middle, and outlet of the pelvis. Once you know the station of your baby, you will know which position makes the most sense!

With every one of these movements, activities, and positions we go over in the class, you will have the benefit of hands-on learning and reinforcement and correction from someone trained to give it! My Spinning Babies® Parent Classes are limited in size to ensure enough time and space for all participants to feel confident in executing the movements. That’s another key difference you get in the class that you won’t get from reading the Spinning Babies® website or from a helper who claims to know. You get a teacher giving you one-on-one attention as you navigate the movements.

Does this sound like a lot of information? It is, but don’t worry because everyone who attends my Spinning Babies® Parent Class will receive access to the eBook as well as downloadable worksheets from Spinning Babies®. It’s an investment, just like all the other things you’ve put time and money into as you make room for baby in your life. But this investment, can literally MAKE ROOM for baby when it matters most. In birth. Oh! And much of what you’ll learn in the class can also ease common pregnancy discomforts. So, what are you waiting for? Enroll now!