#Paraneal

Your OB’s job is to monitor your pregnancy and keep you and baby safe. And they do that beautifully. But pelvic floor preparation? That is not part of their training. Most moms show up to labor never having practiced pushing. Never having learned how to work with their body during contractions. Never having been taught how to protect their pelvic floor in the process. This is not about blaming anyone. It is about filling in the gaps the system leaves behind. If you are pregnant and want to feel genuinely ready, not just “cleared,” follow along. I share what I wish someone had told me before my first birth. From your girl on the internet who cares about your birth journey, xo, Dr. Betsey #birthprep #pelvicfloor #pregnancytips #firsttimemom #standaretopost

I am a chronic leg-crosser, but the minute I get that positive test, they stay uncrossed until baby arrives! Why? Because crossing your legs can make labor LONGER and more PAINFUL! This tricky habit forces your pelvis into a closed position, and over time, your muscles train themselves to stay like this. A closed pelvis —> baby cannot descend —> long, painful labor 😓 So keep ‘em uncrossed! P.S. Download the Primal Pregnancy app for more evidence-based birth hacks. Comment APP and I’ll send you the link! 💜

Physiology before force 🙌 💡No purple pushing: Holding your breath and bearing down hard while you push tightens the pelvic floor which leads to more tearing and straining. ✅Try a controlled exhale instead as you push. 💡Don't push flat on your back: This immobilizes the sacrum which needs room to move as you give birth. ✅Try side-lying, hands and knees, or an upright position instead. 💡Labor down: 10cm doesn't mean immediate pushing. ✅ Gravity and time is your friend. Allowing baby to engage more means less pushing for mom. 💡Knees together while pushing (if needed): I know this is counter intuitive, but knees together and heels apart actually creates more space in the pelvis. Doing these things lowers your risk of major tears in birth 🙌 Less tearing means less trauma and quicker recovery in postpartum. 🩷💙 Save for later 📌 If you've gotten this far, Hi, I'm Rachel. I have 15+ years experience as a postpartum RN and Childbirth Educator, and recently had a postpartum book published. I would love to be your postpartum buddy!

Knowledge is power baby!!! Let’s break it down… BIG PICTURE ⬇️ The pelvis has 3 layers. Each layer has a slightly different shape. And babies rotate as they move through the pelvis during birth. So there are 3 different types of mobility drills - one for each layer. ⭐️ THE PELVIC INLET It’s an oval shape that’s widest SIDE TO SIDE. Baby is ideally oriented sideways as they pass through this layer during late pregnancy and early labor. It’s widest when we’re in a POSTERIOR pelvic tilt, with our hips EXTERNALLY rotated. Example: cat spine with butterfly legs ⭐️ THE MID-PELVIS It’s more circular. Baby is ideally rotating as they pass through this layer during active labor. It is widest when we’re in ASYMMETRICAL positions. Example: 1/2 squat *This is also why curb walking is recommended ⭐️ THE PELVIC OUTLET It’s an oval shape that’s widest FRONT TO BACK. Baby is ideally facing toward your tailbone as they pass through this layer during the pushing phase. It is widest when we’re in an ANTERIOR pelvic tilt, with our hips INTERNALLY rotated. Example: cow spine with the knees together These positions are helpful to practice during pregnancy in prep for birth, but they’re also powerful tools to use DURING labor. This position I’m in here in the video is the EXACT POSITION I BIRTHED MY DAUGHTER in because I knew it was opening my pelvic outlet as much as possible. I hope that understanding the why helps this feel less overwhelming and more empowering ❤️ Happy to address any questions you have!! 🤰🏻ALSO, comment PREP for my free 5-class Prenatal Foundation Series (everything you need to know about core + pelvic floor in pregnancy)

If you’re pregnant and the thought of getting on the floor makes your knees scream… this is for you. You do NOT have to force traditional positions to prepare your body for birth. Using the stairs gives you: • Support to get up and down • Something to hold for balance • Less pressure on sensitive knees • More stability as your center of gravity shifts These movements still help: – Open the hips – Create space in the pelvis – Encourage baby lower – Reduce tension in the pelvic floor Pregnancy prep should feel supportive, not like punishment. Save this for later + send it to a mama whose knees are over it 🤍 (Always listen to your body and modify as needed.) #laborprep #relatablemom #vbac #naturalbirth #unmedicatedbirth Pregnancy | birth prep | toddler mom

I’m gonna be honest — I am 100% here for these questions and think it’s a so important to understand how labor actually works so that you can truly come along for the ride, BUT— Please don’t overthink it!!!! When you’re going through contractions, you won’t be thinking “okay, gotta work on my pelvic inlet right now!” You’ll likely have your eyes closed, hips swaying, listening to your body’s innate wisdom and responding as it guides you. That’s why the mind-body connection is so important for labor and birth. And that’s why it’s at the heart of what I teach when it comes to birth prep. 🤰 Comment PREP down below to get started 👇

📍Moms have you heard of baby’s station during birth? Most of the time we hear about dilation and effacement. Baby’s station or position in the pelvis can give you clues on what birth positions to use. Baby’s station describes how your baby is moving down through your pelvis. Your pelvis isn’t fixed, it’s designed to move. This can help you work with baby in birth. Example of stations (poster in reel): ☑️ Engaged: baby is high -3 ☑️ Re-engage: -2 or lower ☑️ Rotate: -1, 0, +1 or 5-8 cm ☑️ Descend: +2 or lower When you understand: • how the pelvic bones shift • how the pelvic floor lengthens • how positioning creates space…and more You start feeling prepared and confident for birth. If you’re pregnant and want your body to feel ready—not just hopeful—this is what we work on. 🤍 Send us a DM for a discovery call today! #pregnancy #laboranddelivery #thirdtrimester

If you’re in your third trimester and realizing you’re not as prepared as you thought… Everyone keeps saying “you’ll be fine.” But no one is actually explaining what labor feels like. What’s happening in your body. Why women panic. How interventions start. What you can control. And you don’t want to leave the most transformative day of your life up to luck. You want to walk in calm. You want your partner to actually know what to do. You want to understand your options before someone is asking you to decide in the moment. That’s what I teach here. Not fear. Not drama. Not anti-hospital. Just physiology. Preparation. And confidence you can feel in your nervous system. If you don’t want to look back thinking “I wish I knew that…” Follow now💖 Start building the kind of confidence that changes births.

Optimal fetal positioning is a key component of your pregnancy, labor and birth! When baby is in a good position birth unfolds with no hiccups and in such a smooth manner!

Your baby isn’t passive in labour. They are rotating. Tucking their chin. Navigating your pelvis. Responding to hormones. Working with every contraction to come earthside. Birth is a physiological, coordinated dance between two bodies. That’s what we do inside my Birth Education course. ✨ How your pelvis actually moves and ways you can prepare your body DURING pregnancy. ✨ How babies rotate and descend ✨ Positions that labour more effectively progress ✨ How to work WITH an epidural if you choose to have one. ✨ How your partner can support you. ✨ What’s normal. What’s not. What your options are. Because if your baby is working that hard to meet you… Wouldn’t you want the tools to help? 📍 Coffs Harbour 🗓 9th May ⏰ 9:30am- 3pm 👫 For couples Spots are limited. Comment “BIRTH” or DM me and I’ll send you the details 🤍

Grab your labor tea. Put on a good show & join me for birth prep! Your pelvis isn’t one solid bone, it’s a ring made up of multiple joints designed to adapt during birth. 👉 Your baby has to move through three different levels of the pelvis — and each level opens best with different movements. Pelvic inlet (top): Opens best with hips externally rotated Mid-pelvis (middle): Opens best with asymmetrical movement Pelvic outlet (bottom): Opens best with hips internally rotated This is also why the mid-pelvis is one of the most common places for labor to slow — tension and asymmetry can limit space right where baby needs it most. There isn’t one “magic” position for labor. There are strategic movements that help your baby navigate each level of your pelvis more efficiently before labor and during it. These are the moves I’m doing daily in the final weeks of pregnancy to prepare for birth! #pelvicfloor #vbac #naturalbirth #birthprep

EDIT: First time mom call is postponed becuause I lost my voice completely 🥲 stay tuned for the next one! • Let’s talk about ✨PUSHING ✨ You may not know this… but a major reason many women choose to birth unmedicated is because pushing without an epidural has sooo many benefits. First of all, the fetal ejection reflex. If you haven’t heard about it, give that a quick google and let your mind be blown! Second, because it’s incredibly helpful to be able to FEEL your baby move down. Why? So you don’t tear! Many moms with epidurals can’t feel exactly how or how hard to push and end up pushing too hard and too fast. When you can feel everything, yesss it’s more intense but you can also feel how hard to push and when to slow down and wait. Third is MOVEMENT. You’ve probably heard by now that pushing on your back really ain’t it… having the ability to push in different positions can make it SO much easier to get baby down and out. It’s intense. It brings you to the end of yourself. And it’s PERFECTLY designed. Your body KNOWS what to do. • If you’re a first time mom and have more questions like this, I’m doing a free call tomorrow evening at 8pm EST specifically for first time moms delivering in the next 6 months. We’re talking birth plans, common interventions, how to advocate for yourself, how to mentally prepare for birth, where to find trustworthy and unbiased resources on birth… I’m truly just going to give you as much of what I give to a personal client as fast as I can in 90 minutes 😂 Sign up using the link in my bio and I’ll email you the link for the call tomorrow 🫶🏼 • You got this, sis. Forreal. #atlantadoula #empoweringbirth #naturalbirth #naturalbirth painfreebirth