HOW TO DO REBOZO MASSAGE DURING BIRTH

You can do this exercise during childbirth with your partner. Your midwife can instruct you which exercises are relevant to you.

With the rebozo the father/partner plays and important role during the pregnancy and the childbirth.

Most men/partners are willing to learn about their expected roles during childbirth and are eager to support their partners/wives/spouses during this time.

With the rebozo the dads/partner are involved during this period by doing Rebozo massages which means that they are actively helping their wife/spouse/partner to relieve their pain and settle the baby in the right position for the birth.

The Rebozo technique helps to relax mothers as a natural pain relief and give them more comfort, the techniques used during early or active labor help mobilizing the maternal pelvis, collaborating in the good position of the baby for labor.

Back Massage - standing position

What's the Effect:

Relaxes the lower back and pelvic area

When:

During the dilatation stage

During pregnancy

Tips and Considerations about Standing position:

- The pregnant women should stand with her feet slightly apart. To avoid slipping, the removal of socks and shoes is preferable.

- Place the rebozo around the hips, from the waist to the upper part of the thighs, in order to cover the whole pelvic area.

- The rebozo should be centered on the woman’s tailbone, so that there is an equal amount of cloth to hold onto on each side.

- Grasp both ends of the rebozo and ensure a firm grip by wrapping them around the wrists

- Start with a relaxed rhythm, pulling from one side of the cloth to the other. You should be moving in the same way as the pregnant woman, ensuring that she is not taking the lead and moving the rebozo herself.

- It can be short or large movements, depending on the pregnant woman’s preferences.

Waist Massage

- The pregnant woman stands, as described above, or sitting down with the rebozo is folded in half and placed around her waist.

- Check if the woman prefers to place her arms inside the rebozo. Leaving her arms outside will give her more movement in the shoulders.

Dancing Movement

What's the Effect:

- Relaxation of the body and light pressure for round ligament pain
- Emotional support by moving from side to side.

When:

During Birth

During pregnancy

Tips and Considerations:

- The woman is standing up, and you stand behind her.

- Fold the rebozo and place it in the lower part of the abdomen.

- Wrap the rebozo with your hand, and lift it a little bit up to help the woman with the weight of the abdomen, while you do “the dance” movement from one side to the other one.

- This movement is very helpful with the emotional part, it relaxes the woman.

Lying Massage

What's the Effect:

- Relaxation of all the pelvis and back

When:

Postpartum ceremony

During pregnancy

Tips and Considerations:

- The mom lies on her back, it will be nice if she is not direct to the floor as it can be cold. The head can be resting on a pillow.

- The legs can be extended on the floor, she can have a pillow below her knees or she can bend the knees.

- It is important to place your feet as close to the woman as possible, so you can have a better balance and it’s not so hard for you.

- Anbring rebozoen under kvindens balder. Være sikker på at rebozoen dækker hele bækkenområdet fra taljen og til lårene.

- The center of the rebozo is below the tailbone of the woman

- Wrap the rebozo around your wrists, so you can get a good grip.

- The firm grip is needed when you are lifting the woman up a little bit

- Grasp the end of the rebozo, bend your knees a little bit and be sure your back is straight.

- Move the rebozo from one side to the other side

- Always ask the mom how intense she will like the movement, if slow and rolling or short and fast.

Manteada

What's the Effect:

- Relaxation of the lower back, pelvic floor and the buttocks.
- Relieves general back pain.

When:

During the dilatation stage

During pregnancy

During Postpartum

Tips and Considerations:

- Wrap the rebozo around the pregnant woman’s hips of the woman, covering all the buttocks from the waist to the upper legs.

- Move the rebozo in a short back and forth rhythm, or in a fast vibrating motion as the pregnant woman chooses

- You may also move in a figure eight to fully relax the pelvis.

- Strive to be as close to the pregnant woman as possible, kneeling on one or both knees. When you put downwards pressure on the rebozo, you will further involve the lower back in the movement, and pulling the rebozo forward will allow a massaging of the buttocks which has a relaxing effect on the pelvic floor.

- We recommend that if you are using a birthing ball, place a rebozo or a soft towel on the surface, to provide a more comforting smell and contact.

Dancing on the Birthball

What's the Effect:

- Relaxation of the body.

When:

During Birth

During pregnancy

Tips and Considerations:

- The woman sits on the ball, with slightly separate feet. It is recommendable to remove the socks and shoes for preventing to slip on smooth floors.

- Stand up in front of the woman with the feet slightly separated and your knees bend, so you can support your back.

- Fold the rebozo and put it on the back below the arms, be sure it covers from the waist to the upper back below the arms.

- When the woman is not use to sit on the ball, to hold on the rebozo gives her balance, security and support.

- The slow movements from one side to the other side helps the woman to relax and to relief pain in the pelvis and the lower back.

- Another variation is to the movements as an eight circle.

- This movement is very helpful during labor for relaxing the pelvis.

Massage with your partner

What's the Effect:

- Relaxation of the body.
- Support with the rebozo for the pushing phase

When:

During Birth, the pushing stage

Tips and Considerations:

- The woman sits down on the floor on top of a mat or a sheet.

- Fold the rebozo in the middle and place it around the woman’s waist up to the upper back below the arms.

- The doula or midwife hold the rebozo around her wrists, with straight arms

- Pushing efforts are more effective if the mother can hold on to something, by pulling of a rebozo, she feels her sense of power and can focus on the relaxation of the pelvic floor.

- She pushes and release the rebozo in coordination of her contractions.

- The partner can give support by doing a massage in the shoulders. It is up to the woman if she prefers her partner to be supportive during or in between contractions.

- In between contractions the woman can go back to her knees while the partner can press the lower back for relaxing.

- If the woman feels more comfortable, she can go to the squat position while pushing, leaning the arms in her partner’s upper legs, using them as support.

Squat Position

What's the Effect:

- Squatting position helps the pelvic outlet to become wider.

When:

During Birth, the pushing stage

During Pregnancy, it gives relaxation in the pelvic area.

Tips and Considerations:

- Fold the rebozo and place it below the arms and around the back of the woman.

- Make sure that you wrap the rebozo around your hand or wrist for more support.

- The rebozo provides support to the woman while doing the squat position in the pushing phase.