My son was born at home on Tuesday morning (fourth child, but my very first home birth). I laboured in the tub for most of the time and delivered in the tub, but in between my midwife had me get out and try a few different positions since we both felt that he wasn't moving down and there was probably a positioning issue. Her best suggestion was to get on my hands and knees and to have my husband shake my hips back and forth as fast as he could. She phrased it as "if you can stand it..." but it actually felt wonderful at a time when I didn't think anything could. My husband did it for a few minutes, took a break for a contraction and then did it for a few minutes more. He was exhausted at that point, but it did the trick! I had a huge contraction, my water broke, the midwife checked and said I just had a tiny cervical lip left all around and the baby's head was down. I got back in the pool and he was born less than 15 minutes later with no tearing (yeah water for that!).
It reminded me a little of Ina May Gaskin's description of how in China they would take a woman who was having problems and shake her all over (I think they called it "chung"ing the mother). I highly recommend it to any one else having the same problems!
It reminded me a little of Ina May Gaskin's description of how in China they would take a woman who was having problems and shake her all over (I think they called it "chung"ing the mother). I highly recommend it to any one else having the same problems!
