Dancing Your Baby Down: How Movement Can Transform Labour and Delivery
Labour is often portrayed as a stationary, passive process, but nothing could be further from the truth. Movement – both in the prenatal period and during labour itself – can profoundly shape the experience of birth. By embracing intentional movement and bodywork, birthing individuals can unlock their body’s innate wisdom and create the space for a smoother, more empowered delivery.
At its core, labour is a dance between you and your baby, a choreography that unfolds as your body opens and your baby descends. Movement supports this process in several remarkable ways. Let’s explore how prenatal preparation and freedom of movement during labour can make all the difference.
Prenatally;
Prenatal movement isn’t just about staying active; it’s about fostering alignment, balance, and strength to prepare your body for the journey ahead. Techniques such as pelvic floor fascia work, prenatal yoga, and body biomechanics help create optimal space in the pelvis, enhance flexibility, and reduce tension that might otherwise hinder labour progress.
Our doulas, trained in bodywork, prenatal yoga and the Franklin Method, use these tools to guide you in reconnecting with your body. This preparation often includes gentle exercises and stretches that target the muscles and ligaments supporting your uterus and pelvis, creating an environment where your baby can move into the best possible position for birth.
“Dewi is a warm and encouraging doula who takes care of both the physical and mental well-beings of her clients. She teaches Spinning Babies techniques to help with optimal fetal positioning and also helped me manage my contractions during birth without use of drugs or epidural. Her profession as a yoga instructor was a great synergy to the Spinning Babies techniques as well! I consider engaging Dewi as a doula one of my best investments during my pregnancy and I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone who may benefit from one.”
During labour;
Labour is not a one-size-fits-all experience, and having the freedom to move is critical to finding what feels right for your body. Movement during labour is supported by organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO)¹ and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)², which recognize that freedom of movement can reduce the length of labour, enhance comfort, and lower the risk of interventions. However, despite this evidence, standard hospital practices in Singapore often encourage prolonged bed rest, limiting opportunities for movement and position changes.
Moving – whether through walking, swaying, or using birthing aids like balls or rebozos – can help to:
Encourage optimal positioning: Movement helps your baby navigate the birth canal, facilitating rotation and descent. Techniques like Spinning Babies® positions can assist in gently coaxing your baby into the ideal position for birth.
Reduce pain: Shifting positions can alleviate pressure and reduce discomfort by distributing the weight of your baby differently.
Promote progress: Upright positions harness gravity, allowing your baby’s head to apply steady pressure to the cervix and encourage dilation.
Empower you: Movement gives you a sense of agency, letting you respond intuitively to what your body needs in the moment.
Our MAIA House doulas are trained in a variety of physiology-based approaches to birth, including Optimal Maternal Positioning®, Spinning Babies®, Body Ready Method® and the Franklin Method®, to name a few! We provide evidence-based guidance on how to move with purpose during labour. Whether it’s pelvic tilts, supported squats, or gentle lunges, our expertise ensures you feel supported and confident.
The power of choice and freedom
Labour is a deeply individual process, and having the freedom to explore different positions – standing, squatting, hands-and-knees, or side-lying – can lead to a more positive birth experience. Research consistently shows that restricting movement during labour can prolong it, increase discomfort, and lead to unnecessary interventions.
By integrating prenatal bodywork, yoga, and the principles of biomechanics, our movement-trained doulas help you understand and practice these positions ahead of time. This ensures that when the moment comes, you can move intuitively, guided by your body’s cues and your doula’s support.
“We wouldn’t have been able to do this without [Gem’s] knowledge on contraction patterns and her hands on help with OMP exercises. And without this immense help which she has provided, I don’t believe we could have gotten baby into an optimal position for birthing.”
Ready to move?
Movement isn’t just a tool for labour – it’s a way to reclaim your power and write your own birth story. If you’re curious about how movement can transform your labour and delivery, we’re here to help.
Book a 30-minute free consultation with one of our movement-trained doulas here. Let’s dance into birth together.
Ready to begin? Schedule a 30-minute discovery call with one of our MAIA House doulas here. Let’s explore how we can support your journey.
1 World Health Organization. WHO Recommendations: Intrapartum Care for a Positive Childbirth Experience; 2018. Accessed December 07, 2021. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/260178/1/9789241550215-eng.pdf?ua=1
2 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Approaches to Limit Intervention During Labor and Birth. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 766. Obstet Gynecol. 2019;133:e164–73. Accessed January 21, 2025. https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2019/02/approaches-to-limit-intervention-during-labor-and-birth
