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Coached pushing is the type of pushing we are all familiar with. It's what we see in the media all the time.
A woman usually on her back with her chin to her chest, being told to hold her breath and PUUUUUUSSSSSH into her bottom. It's also known as purple pushing ( as you tend to go a lovely shade of purple while you are doing it) and is standard practice in most hospitals. But it may not be a good idea for you or your baby.
So why does it happen?
There is some but not much evidence that suggests it may speed up your labour by about 15minutes. So it may be useful in some cases where there is a need to get baby out asap or in hospitals with strict policies on how long the pushing stage should last before they do an instrumental (forceps or vacuum) birth. . But it is used routinely for all births in our hospitals.
Howerver, research has found that it can increase your risk of a perineal tear. as you end up putting additional pressure on your already stretched perineum.
And prolonged holding of your breath may deprive your hardworking uterus of oxygen. This can actually cause your labour to slow down or be less efficient.
AND prolonged holding of your breath may deprive your baby of oxygen. Which increases your risk of needing a forceps birth or emergency cesarean . Babies born after coached pushing have also been found to have lower Apgar scores when compared to those whose mothers breathed during the pushing stage.
So what's the alternative?
Mother led pushing - where you breathe your baby out. NO holding your breath.
In normal physiological birth your body will push the baby out on it's own - there is a natural pushing reflex known as Fergusons Reflex that pushes baby down and out. You can decide if you want to add your own extra push while you breathe or just let your body's own natural pushing reflex do the work. This may result in a slightly longer labour but you will decrease your risk of damage to your pelvic floor, reduce the risk of tearing and allow vital oxygen to your baby.
Even if you don't experience Fergusons Reflex or need to be coached WHEN to push (e.g. during an epidural) you can still breathe your baby out. You don't need to be holding your breathe even in an epidural situation.
As always use your B.R.A.I.N to help you decide what is best for you and your baby and include your decision in your birth preferences.
How to breath in the pushing stages of labour is one of the many topics I teach in my Positive Birth classes. More information on these classes is available below.
Or if a live workshop is not for you I also teach it in my on demand Breathing techniques for labour course. This is a Prerecorded course you can access anytime. See below for more information.
And as always feel free to get in touch if I can help you with anything
x Emma
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