I get it, it is hard to believe that your jaw and your cervix are connected. Almost all the couples on my courses can’t quite believe it either. So I get them to do a little exercise with me, in class. It is fab in helping you understand the link! Do it with me now…
💜 The class exercise 💜
💜 While you are sitting reading this (both male and female clients) squeeze your pelvic floor muscles and hold it there.
💜 Next, while squeezing your pelvic floor suck your thumb. Yes, I do this in class!
Can you feel it? Try again if not. What you should feel is a pulsing down below as you suck. Crazy isn’t it?!
Lets go back to the title of this blog;
My JAW is relaxed and so is my CERVIX.
Now you get the link lets explore why this is important.
Your cervix is a very strong muscle at the bottom of your uterus. Prior to labour your cervix is about one third of the size of your baby’s head and hard, like the consistency of the end of your nose. During labour your cervix needs to soften (to become more like your lips), shorten and dilate to let your baby birth. For these changes to happen your cervix needs to be completely relaxed, being relaxed will allow this muscle to respond perfectly to your tightenings, encouraging all these fundamental changes.
Thinking more specifically about the exercise we just did. Having a tense mouth in labour, includes lip biting and teeth grinding, will in effect tense up down below.
A lot of women believe that they must be quiet in labour, especially if they have attended hypnobirthing classes. Absolutely not the case. Some women need to make noise in labour, allow your body to do what it needs to. Making noise actually releases pressure from down below – perhaps your body knows best! If you hold back, guess what… you are tensing your mouth.
A loud roar and a soft Jaw is far more important.
Partners – There is one way you can instantly help if you see your partner tensing her mouth in labour… A nice big sloppy kiss! We can’t properly kiss with a tense mouth. Not only will this encourage a soft mouth it will also boost the production of all the right hormones supporting labour. TIP – wait for the contraction to end before getting stuck in.
