Structure determines function
Always
There is a often simple engineering reason why birthing is tricky.
Nothing to do with age – or condition or maternal history – but what a pelvis is capable of doing ..
Can it open as, and when needed??
That is the question.The answer is nature provides – when we listen. Warnings are sent out – yet the medical model will say ‘ don’t worry – it will all settle down when baby comes ‘ . BUT and it is a big but – the aches, pains body dysfunctions that are now seen as ‘being normal’ when pregnant are actually the bodies’ cries for help. Listen – any pain is not normal. Any body distress – not intended at this time – imagine being a lioness on the veldt – she needs to be still doing what she does – and we do too.
Nature does not set us you to use, but to win – so any problems – are not ‘medical’ but life related and need addressing to allow optimal foundations for the one we are making and the life s/he is to have. And the mum to be in perfect health /sanity to be able to be the best mum possible.
We can assist the body to maximise what is possible.
Age and gestational history is not necessarily a marker.
Yet so many women are advised NOT to birth as they are ‘too old’ or ‘never had a baby before’.
EXCUSE (you may hear/be told) – ‘Too old’
The sacrum does become more set/concrete as we age. All structures can. We work on reversing this.
Totally possible in pregnancy as the relaxin hormone is on our side helping to loosen all ligaments. With an increase in the nutrients needed – especially magnesium – anything is possible – when we work with nature.
P saw me 23 years ago was 40 on conception, first baby and she turned breech 4 weeks from dueness. P was not interested in having a medicated birth, she had strong feelings about hospitals and at that late stage found a home birth midwife to tale her on and to assist her with her dreams. Baby born breech, perfect birth at home.
How?
Nature provides – plus we helped. Regular sessions with me – always a hands-on acupuncture worker, plus the care and attention she paid to exercise, life and eating well. She also had my work to guide her. Her partner was fully engaged ‘opening the baby gate’ using moxa and massage. As a natural therapist herself, through her own therapy journey she had moved a lot of what can be stuck in her structure and was easily able to birth.
EXCUSE (you may hear/be told) – ‘Too many babies’
P saw me prior to her 6th pregnancy as she was so concerned abut eh back and pelvic pan that had her in a wheel chair from 26 or so weeks into each pregnancy. I suggested that she add in my three magic helpers – Magnesium, Moxa and Massage – the first to be added onto her skin and the moxa and massage done nightly by her husband. They complied. She had a very different birth than the past last 5. Her first as a breech and as she was so wasted by hyperemesis was a C section and the next 5 were home water births. This means for her at least 2-3 days of labour with a non engaged baby and at least 3 hours strenuous pushing at the end.
I personally do not think we need to do this – and have worked out how to avoid this. (See more here).
From my perspective (after 40 years of helping women) the pain is a warning – and she had so many of these as her body was NOT happy.
Her back and pelvic pain disappeared. Husband diligently did his homework nighty (spinoff – more sex).
The labour was 3 hours – she was in the birth pool, wondered what that was between her legs, put her head there, felt a head, gave a tiny push and he shot out!
She was in shock – it was easy!
The next birth was a couple of hours again – simple and the 9th – 18 minutes start to finish – we had ‘cracked’ the problem – ingredients added on (more than the magnesium, though always more of this) and I had started my advanced pelvic work and her back was now easily corrected so the sacrum and tailbone were as they needed to be to allow easy baby exit.
EXCUSE (you may hear/be told) – too old and too damaged
Recently a 43 year old woman had her first born – much awaited baby. She saw me after seeing so many others including a pelvic/belly specialist body worker for some time. I found that I still had to undo all of her incompletely addressed adhesions from past surgery and get her body Baby Ready – and that of her husband whose massive varicocele. I mention this in case you may know of (up to a third of men attending IVF clinics have this and it is usually not corrected). Sperm thus not in an optimal reproductive state).
https://heatherbrucehealing.com/healsbruh/varicocele/
His testicles were way too hot. He needed surgically correcting. This was after a lot of work done with me on many levels – herbal/acupuncture and naturopathic plus a great deal of structural. She had also a very worked on pelvis and after all her corrections, they conceived naturally – within 4 months of corrective HIS surgery. Advanced age indeed!
Again – nutrients, herbs and a lot of work at home – they were onto my Self Care and diligently applied all they needed to – they were the ones who wanted their children – and they worked for it.
After an easy pregnancy – we had done all the work pre conception – she enjoyed a simple birth (at her age – 43).
5 hours
It was a five hour labour – easy in water in the hospital
Recently another case –
‘high risk’ (medically) reverted to very well..
Several sessions after she first arrived – and after so many massive health corrections – here we have the ending.
Wanting to experience birth to her last child. 3 children from 2 C – sections. Correcting her escalating health concerns was first priority. (Always so hot, itchy legs, feet and felt as though her inner body burning up, HELPP at 35 weeks in second (twin) pregnancy. She saw me at 29 weeks initially – feeling worse than in the first 2 pregnancies. The return to wellness took precedence over her 4th breech presentation. she just wanted to be well.
Driven also by a fear of what may happen to her after 2 C sections that left her with a weird back sensation. She felt that general anesthesia was her only option. Both the past spinal block and epidural messed with her.
Stabilising baby’s lie (was breech for weeks – and that is a low priority – as when mum is in balance usually bub is also). Not that breech is NOT a normal position.
Here she is reading the herbal use of magic plants from Miss Beatrice’s book – Fire Heart.
She had had trouble with both the epidural and the spinal block.
She was left with odd anxiety inducing feelings. These totally freaked her out around any future needles (including my acupuncture). A backup G.A. was planned if she had to have a C section again.
By now – this is an extension of the few months we have been working on creating her journey back to wellness. At 37 weeks’ I felt it was time to look ahead as she has been in labour once and she is more pregnant than she has ever been – so this is a surprise for her body.
Pubic symphysis pain – started and instantly relieved.
The gentle Gua Sha applied to her back around where the weirdness had been – left totally and she was from then on – normal . .
(Both of us were very impressed). Such simple home remedies . .
Pelvic loosening
A close up – and all the acupuncture needles (3 inches in at the hips) to undo any tension/stagnation built up.
What do we need to address next?
She had a roller skating accident in her teens.
I palpated her tailbone. This is within the scope of practice of those of us who have done gyno – visceral advanced trainings – Arvigo work – as I have – plus the Mercier plus all my decades of being an acupuncture worker. As I was trained by a chiropractor initially – and lived always – this mantra – ‘structure determines function’ – I knew that her structure had set itself in a funny way.
Clue – all her 4 babies presented breech. The only time an attempted external version was with number 1 – it was very painful and did not help. Her tailbone was almost hooked into her anus – broken and bent in.
Some women break their coccyx at birth – I feel this is one likely outcome.
IF she could birth – and when baby was head down only.
The week before – she had experienced my needling GV 1 for the first time. Gentle introduction to the final part of the sessions – opening actively. She had had her children all early and I wished them to have the best start possible – plus there was so much in the way of turning of her health around needed.
This is part of my working up to birthing plan. Lying on left side and having a rest with this in GV1 prior to leaving. It is a great beginning to or exit from – all the opening work done before in the session.
Following week – I showed her husband all he as to do in my childbirth education/pelvic opening classes – one to one – on her body. This left us with the Accident Recall (after the PACE process). This is a profoundly transformative process. Deeply undoing what has held a body stuck for so long.
We cleared the pelvis of the incident at this deep level and after having her wander about, drinking a lot of water – as happen for all undergoing the Gentling Way – we want to work on the structure – on the ground as that is so easy for very pregnant women plus I can make better use of gravity.
All through this work I get the her up and walking.
It is too much change otherwise. Posture and body orientation are massively altered.
In position – ready to start. This is much easier than what I have done for decades – had mum on her belly in the table – now we are both on the floor – as you will see soon – so easy then for me to work magic.
This is so much easier in this position – for all of us – plus it gives baby space to move – although he already did all of his massive shifting whilst GV 1 was in.
Very deep gouging pressure – and undoing all obstructions in my path. Pressing into the underside of sacrum
Most change happened here – very deep pressure on Bl 35 Checking ovarian suspensory ligament position
Checking the uterine attachments in the sides of the butt cheeks
Deep pressure – where it was the sorest in her – vastly improved after the deep Bl 35 pressure
‘Shakey shakey’ – in between all moves – best with both hands
Pressure down towards the feet – a good stretch Checking to see how much pain the coccyx tip now. Was fractional to what she felt initially prior to GV 1 insertion.
Those changes allowed the very deep (different action in the current position) pressure at Bl 35
Showing dad where to press in labour.
Lower as the baby descends – Bladder sacral points . .
This work is easily sourced on this site
Also in this work
Pressing in to see where more work is needed.
Different view
Deep pressure into hips
Brushing off after ‘kneading’
Gouging into sore hip points
Different view
She said that she left not feeling pregnant.
Also she had such shiny eyes
She was glowing.
Said that she had not felt that good in memory.
We had undone a severe life issue and it showed!
Without needles I am not sure how much of this I could have done – GV 1 is crucial.
It undoes so much.
As did the Accident Recall before we started – taking away what has held the body hostage
Up Until Now..
They left and eventually showed up at the hospital about 4 hours after this session – it was a dream run. Baby now OP.
A week later . . midwife came in to see what I was up to.
Mum was very concerned as a hospital visit the day before. She had just received a phone call back to do baby manipulation today . . and she was conflicted. This had been tried with the first baby and was very painful and unsuccessful. It was all about moving baby from breech NOW. As bub had been head down after my last session and moved to breech a few days later, I supposed that it would happen naturally again – that body settling into new position would mean baby would (as he had done so before). Their point was baby gets bigger. . . whilst true – they are not opening the Baby Gate – and I know babies even in labour can flip.
Why the hurry?
Fear . . .
My conjecture was that being born head down at that point was unsafe with a broken tailbone and he was safer in breech – so no labour was to happen yet. She reported sex being so much better (it was wonderful for her anyway) – and that her pelvis and hips and back felt as she has never had them. She kept on wondering how much better she could feel – everyone she knows has never seen her ever this well – and all remembering how she was in her previous pregnancies are astonished.
What did I do?
Repeat of above (including massive sacral work). After much reflection on my part, I added in Mercier sacral press (and all that leads into this) finishing with an Arvigo anterior lift on the RHS. Her coccyx LIFTED UP – so we could now feel it. It was under the skin level. Both the midwife and she herself were palpating it before, during and after and amazed (as I was). Of course – we were giving permission for her body to return to where it would have been without the skating incident year before – and in later pregnancy – we have the best likelihood as the tendons/ligaments are expected to be loose and pliable then.
Alcock’s canal (Hortencse’s point) RHS and right lower by the coccyx very sore. Her tailbone moved upwards again.
(We could now find it). I finished with GV 1, massaging whilst it was in, as I was also keen on removing the fluidy odd bulge she had on the left side of the sacrum – not a bony feel but hardi-sh.
All felt – as usual – astonishingly different in a good way on leaving. She left completely different – the sesson took 3 hours . . This combo of needles and moves and letting it all shift in its own time is a huge success.
Easy.
After much debating, she and husband and midwife went up to hospital and had the baby turning experience this last session . .
Hear more here . .
I had suggested to leave it for a few days to let the body settle as it was a huge amount of work done. She decided to get bub to be head down so they then drove all the way to the hospital. . Session with the 2 obstetricians was perfect and baby is still head down though OP.
I suggested today we are still NOT about turning baby to LOA but sorting out the coccyx as not perfect yet.
Sequence is the key – steps in logical progression as the body moves closer to being in perfect position.
Continuation of what she is now used to – Liver 3 in very deeply angled to Ki1.
All GB 30’s in 3 inches, all back sacrals – and today also needled Bil Bl 35.
All out then .. .
Finding the point Bl 35 . .
Pressing in at 45 degrees.
Ensure she has feet in front to stop her from falling forwards.
Bruising is from dad using the ‘What Dads Can Do’ as pelvic opening and of course moxa sacral fan first .
Then we move on to the steamer . .
(Shock Horror!)
Why?
I want that broken tailbone – to be ready to let bub through
Is Opening the Baby Gate . .
Why has no one else worked this through?
Which herbs Heather?
Oregano – in case of GBS
Motherwort and lavendar leaves
How long on?
20 minutes
After this she felt her hemorrhoids fall down.
GV 1 and bil Bl 57 and they left . .
Now we need to sort out the direction and the depth of the tailbone – hence we are now in ‘off piste’ mode.
Needles out .. .
Now we have dilemma time . . not repeating what got us to here – what next?
Called in Elizabeth to attack the sacral area how she felt – and then I came back in to see if we had had any movement of the tailbone – was easier to feel.
Now – Hortence’s points and around the coccyx lateral still very painful when sore points found – so – placed needles (40cm) in where ever .and left about 10 minutes. Out they came – I checked – these of tailbone no longer sore.
Attack time!
Pressed where I felt to – she felt as though would vomit – I released and when we checked again – we have
A STRAIGHT coccyx!
Baby gate is more open . .
Next time (if we have one) in 3 day’s time . .
My intention is to steam again then cup all of the bum area and then see about baby position . . . she looks so well. .
Has not felt this good before in her life . . .
She chose to stay at home as the birthing happens in context – and as she is a mum of three other children – one needed her – so she waited out the illness and then (always having dad do his work ) she eventually had a short and very natural birth – as she wished where she wished – in hospital – over an hour’s drive away – thankfully in the middle of the night – so no traffic to upset the journey out of this one lucky wee boy!
What dad said . .
Jubilant birth story – Click here