Hello Kristen,
From the literature, uncontrollable urges to push before full dilatation of the woman's cervix and descent of the baby's head are certainly associated with babies who are in a posterior position, that is back of the baby's head, the bone called the occiput, pressing against the woman's sacrum and putting pressure on her bowel 'prematurely'.
That is the accepted, physical version of events. Physical interventions to change the baby's position include, but are not limited to:
*position changes of all kinds mostly during labour surges, *such as leaning forward, *leaning backward, *opening the ischial spines with various strategies such *as assisting with inwards pressure on the alae of the sacrum;
* lifting the trochanters when the woman is squatting (that takes some doing but is a wonderful opener) *lunges with one leg raised on a chair, squatting etc; *the flapping fish (yoga) position which is lying down on the side the baby's back is on, with leg and arm behind, so the person is more on their abdomen - also called the recovery position; lunging as before, but with the woman's body leaning posteriorally into the side the baby is on to reduce space and encourage baby to rotate to the front.
*Another excellent strategy is (the midwife or doctor) using the fingers of one hand in the woman's vagina to construct an artificial pelvic floor to help the baby rotate to the front. This is most useful with a greater degree of dilatation as the person needs to have their hand directly on the baby's head to put the counter pressure on (gently and firmly) for increased flexion and rotation of the baby's head. Of course, the woman needs to be informed and agree and be in a position (birth stool is great for this) to enable the midwife/doctor to do this.
As we know, we are not merely physical, a bit of material, like a brick or plank of timber, we are a breathing, feeling, moving, social entity. We are more, much more than that which can be cut or fashioned into an article of usefulness.
From another point of view, examining our human self, we are an amazing brain and nervous system network, whose function is predominately based on a lifetime collection of learned patterns, concepts and expressions overlaying a genetic intelligence of predetermined processes and capabilites, such as giving birth.
Neuroscience. neuropsychology and endocrinology now tells us that emotions
(chemicals) are what fires the feeling/vibratory/electrical brain/nervous system into action (which affects/is expressed in the muscular etc reactions/behaviour of the whole body) and the conscious (spiritual) self, that bit of us that thinks in the moment and is untouchable and invisible, is the thinking director of the whole brain/body mind and action, This director is located in the prefrontal cortex of the brain.
From my observation and experiences, an uncontrolled urge to push is often associated with thought patterns such as 'wanting it over' and the associated emotional response (through the amygdala) is a release of a chemical flooding, that matchs that pattern of thought. The brain and nervous system gets the chemical and electrical message, for example 'to get it over' and the body starts the pressure before it is really ready to do so.
Doing physical things can help move the woman's focus and attention from what is wrong to what she wants to happen. In this instance, moving from 'wanting it over' to turning the baby or the baby being born. To help the physical actions, (which, because of the neural networks throughout the body, also changes the mind) the woman can be helped to say and focus on what will actually help labour progress appropriately at the right time.
Concerted and repeated efforts are necessary to change the thought patterns and emotional response, especially when we are in challenging situations and labour is one of the most challenging.
If the woman can be helped to change her focus and attention from pain or 'wanting it over' , this change can make big shifts in the electrical and chemical messages in her neurology which then automatically alters how her body responds and acts.
Saying over and over again and getting emotional about aspects such as " I welcome my baby, I'm a strong and powerful woman. I let go, my baby's coming " etc changes the woman's neurology and the emotional code from impatience to one that facilitates birth. Deep relaxation and communication with the baby, talking to the baby, instructing it to turn to the perfect position for birth, to tuck its head up so it can turn perfectly, etc are all helpful thought patterns for progress.
We are amazing beings and if anyone is interested in cellular biology and our fantastic body/mind and how we are one wonderful system of many interconnecting communication processes, I recommend Bruce Lipton (a cellular biologist) and his work. He has a website
www.brucelipton.com
and also Candace Pert's (she is an endocrine scientist)work which is in her book "Molecules of Emotion" - a must read for midwives.
These are excellent scientists and do much to help us with our work.
Trust this helps,
warmly, Carolyn Hastie
