....If men had such an organ they would brag about it. So should we” - Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, Ina May Gaskin
You may not have spent much time thinking about your uterus, but if you're pregnant now is a good time to become aquainted with this amazing organ. Its currently home to your baby and plays a very important role in your labour.
The uterus (or womb) is a hollow, pear-shaped organ made primarily of muscle. During pregnancy it grows from the size of the pear to the size of a watermelon.
There are vertical and horizontal layers of myscle fibres in the main body of the uterus and it's important to think about these muscles and how we can support them moving and working freely during labour. The muscles are working hard contracting and retracting to thin and widen the cervix once it's soft and ripe, and shortening so there are powerful muscles up the top of the uterus (the fundus) ready for expelling baby when the time comes.
This is a great video from Dr Rachel Reed that explains this action really clearly.
Like other muscles in our body the muscles working in the uterus need 3 key things to keep them free from restriction and able to contract with ease: Oxygen, Hydration (drinking) and Energy (Nutrients/Food). So that means making sure we're drinking enough, and snacking enough to keep our energy up, and breathing deeply to get lots of Oxygen in and keep us in a calm and relaxed state.
In Bumps classes we focus on visualising this action and using our breath to fuel the muscles with oxygeninated blood. When we imagine the powerful muscle rising to the peak of each contraction with ease, muscle fibres moving like silken threads - we remember that our breath can help fuel the muscle fibres with oxygen, minimise the release of adrenalin and help prevent the build up of lactic acid that can often make contractions more intense than they need to be. This can be a really powerful tool to help you work with the sensations in your body, rather than against them.
When your baby is ready to be born your incredible uterus will now have a powerful collection of muscles at the top ready to expel baby out. After your baby is born the Uterus will continue to contract and work, shrinking in size, and expelling the placenta. Then magically over time it shrinks back to its original size (around 6 weeks).
Isn't your body and the uterus amazing?
I hope you enjoyed learning more about the uterus. Please do join me at a Bumps class if you'd like to learn more about your incredible body and preparing for birth, as well as gentle yoga based movement and hypnobirthing techniques.
You may also be interested in reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth.
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