Re: [ozmidwifery] birth and the power of the mind

[Aviva Sheb'a]

Title: Re: [ozmidwifery] birth and the power of the mind

Calf muscles relate to flight/fight response. Hypothetical: Exhaling slowly while doing a lunge (keeping both feet facing the front and bum tucked under to ensure correct stretch) during dilations (I prefer to call them DILATIONS, not contractions), which lengthens the calf muscles may be of benefit???   Aviva ----- Original Message ----- From: rem & melissa bruijn To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, November 21, 2002 12:24 AM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] birth and the power of the mind Fear  must have an impact on labour length.  Because fear produces adrenalin, and adrenalin inhibits the oxytocin, which is the hormone that works to make the uterus contract.  In the Active Birth classes I did in Sydney, we learned that you get a burst of adrenalin at the start of each contraction, and that if the adrenalin is not dealt with then the contraction will be less efficient, as the adrenalin is inhibiting the release of the oxytocin.  The idea is that the adrenalin is there to make us "wake up" and attend to the contraction, but because we usually associate pain with fear we feel the adrenalin as something to "run away" from.   So if the contractions are less efficient, that HAs to affect labour length.