| Active birth means simply that, rather than lying back, flat in a bed and delivering in a similar way, you remain on your feet, as active as possible, throughout labour, choosing a position at the time of birth which feels comfortable to you. Staying active allows gravity to help the baby''s head to press on your cervix and allow it to open more readily. It also has psychological benefits, as doing anything that takes your mind off the labour helps to pass time more quickly and will help you to re-focus away from your pain and tiredness. Active birth, by the way, is different to ''the active management of labour'': a method of obstetric management pioneered in 1960s Dublin. |
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