Labor and delivery nurses at Ascension St. Vincent’s in Birmingham, Alabama are going through extra training to help moms and babies prepare for an optimal birthing experience.
“Spinning Babies® is a different way to look at pregnancy, labor and birth preparation. It involves a focus on physiology that encourages options that are centered around a pregnant and laboring mother’s body,” said Madonna Nichols, Director of Women and Children’s Services at Ascension St. Vincent’s. “The focus begins prenatally when moms begin to prepare their bodies for birth through caring for themselves and focusing on body balancing while making room for their baby to be born.”
Spinning Babies® is a training program that teaches nurses and expecting parents techniques that will help with a baby’s delivery with a focus on body movements and fetal rotation. Over the decades, more studies have shown that the position of the baby engaging in the pelvis, paired with the mother’s physical birthing position can result in less medical intervention during labor. The Spinning Babies® philosophy is a physiological approach to preparing for and caring for birth.
Ascension St. Vincent’s labor and delivery nurse Kenna Praytor has seen first-hand the success the program has been in her department. Kenna serves as a resource nurse who assists in helping to coordinate the care for all laboring moms on the unit and serves as an extra set of hands during delivery.
“All of the resource nurses on our unit have been trained in many courses concerning care of laboring and birthing moms and their babies, including the Spinning Babies® Workshop,” explained Kenna. “By using our years of experience and the knowledge and techniques learned from Spinning Babies® we are able to assist in encouraging progression of labor while also decreasing the need for unnecessary interventions.”
Kenna explains that simple movements, such as having a laboring mom move to her hands and knees can be an extremely effective maneuver to help a baby turn to face the correct direction for a smoother delivery.
“By utilizing these positions regularly we have been able to significantly decrease pushing times in patients and also help to decrease C-section rates for moms who choose elective inductions,” Kenna said. “Ascension St. Vincent's Birth Suites is always striving to give our patients a safe comfortable environment and we enjoy working with all our patients to be able to help them achieve the birth experience they desire whenever possible.”
Labor and delivery nurse Sarah Phillips, BSN, RN, has been a nurse for just over five years. Sarah’s first career was outside of the healthcare field, but after becoming a mom and having a traumatic birthing experience of her own, her passion for helping other moms was ignited.
“I understand the fear and uncertainty that expectant parents can sometimes face, and I recognize the profound impact this day holds for them,” Sarah said. “Every labor is its own unique experience, which I believe makes it a necessity to have a deep understanding of the patient and their anatomy as well as how their baby tolerates labor.”
Sarah started in the birth suites before Spinning Babies® was introduced to the nursing team. She remembers traditional birthing methods like she experienced, and recalls the feeling of defeat she’d feel if one of her patients did not deliver by the end of her shift.
“I would replay it all over and over again in mind on what I could have done better for her,” Sarah said. “Attending the Spinning Babies® Workshop was a pivotal moment in my career. It equipped me with the knowledge and confidence to educate mothers and their partners on effectively managing labor and understanding what to expect.”
Sarah is able to use her knowledge of fetal heart rate tracing, contraction pattern and belly mapping to determine labor progress before an assessment of dilation is even made.
The unique aspect of Spinning Babies® is that movements are not reserved only for those choosing an unmedicated birth. Labor and delivery nurses are also about to help patients who have had an epidural with positioning and movement throughout their labor.
“We actively help these ladies who have received an epidural with many positions throughout the labor experience to assist in using their bodies to help them give birth to their baby,” said Sarah. “I love to open the world of position possibility to our patients and comfort them as they make that decision.”
Not unlike yoga, Spinning Babies® is all about helping the body achieve great things through slow and simple movements. Another thing they have in common are some unique and silly position names.
“I get tickled explaining to my patient we would like to put them in ‘Flying Cow Girl,’” Sarah jokes. “Our doctors are also educated in Spinning Babies® and support the staff as we help care for their patients. I love when a doctor comes in and asks if we have done ‘Shake the Apple Tree,’ and the many reactions we get make for fun times when anxiety can be elevated.”
Spinning Babies® is both a technique used by the labor and delivery team during the birth experience, but pregnant mothers are able to take the course prenatally through Ascension St. Vincent’s Monogram Maternity. To learn more and register for a class, visit ascension.org/StVincentsALBaby.