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Ladies have many choices for coping with pregnancy discomforts and labor ache — there isn’t one proper strategy to have a child. Understanding all of the out there instruments and choices can empower you to make one of the best selections for you and your child. Ache administration choices embrace massages, counter stress, TENS units, epidurals, and respiratory methods. However one of many oldest instruments is gaining consideration — the rebozo.
What Is a Rebozo?
The rebozo is a singular woven fabric like a shawl or wrap. These particular wraps originated in Latin America and have been round for generations. Mexico has a protracted custom of utilizing these stunning items of fabric for being pregnant and day by day life. In Mexico, the rebozo, or Mexican scarf, is used as clothes or to hold infants. Ladies additionally use it to hold heavy masses on their heads.4 Conventional Mexican midwives use the Mexican scarf earlier than, throughout, and after beginning.1
Rebozos are available many stunning colours and supplies. Initially, they had been produced from 100% cotton, however now they’re typically made from different supplies. They begin at about 4 ½ toes lengthy and are available in several sizes. For being pregnant or labor, they need to be lengthy sufficient to wrap round your physique and overlap. The headscarf ought to have texture so it doesn’t slip.4
The rebozo for labor includes a midwife or assist particular person, like a doula, utilizing the headband to softly transfer a ladies’s stomach, hips, or buttocks whereas standing, mendacity down, or on arms and knees. It’s used this fashion earlier than and through labor.1
Rebozos are used throughout being pregnant and labor by lower than 2% of girls planning to have a vaginal beginning.1 It’s one in all many choices in case you plan on medication-free labor. Nevertheless it can be useful when you have medicines and different interventions.7
Advantages of Utilizing a Rebozo
Though there may be restricted analysis on rebozo use throughout being pregnant and labor, many ladies have given constructive suggestions about utilizing it. Midwives additionally declare the advantages for labor. Doable advantages embrace:1,2,3
- Lowered labor ache
- Enhance in contractions
- Shorter labor
- Promotes pure beginning
- Decreases the usage of oxytocin
- Entails your accomplice and promotes teamwork
- Encourages your child to descend in your pelvis
- Encourages your child to get within the right place for beginning
- Will increase psychological assist
- Decreases anxiousness
How To Put on a Rebozo
The way you put on a rebozo depends upon how you intend to make use of it. You’ll be able to fold it lengthwise throughout being pregnant and wrap it snuggly below your pregnant stomach. Some ladies wish to wrap it round their hips as effectively. You then tie the headband collectively on the facet or backside.
The material is normally used as a sling to wrap round your stomach, hips, or buttocks throughout labor. You’ll be able to even put on it to hold your child after they’re born. Some ladies additionally put on wraps round their heads and necks in labor for consolation.
Rebozo for Being pregnant
A rebozo scarf will be worn round or below your stomach and hips throughout being pregnant to supply further assist. The extra assist might help with being pregnant discomforts equivalent to back pain. It might additionally assist with round ligament pain. Your spherical ligaments run up the edges of your stomach and get stretched throughout being pregnant, typically inflicting sharp and painful spasms.4
On the finish of being pregnant, a wrap might assist to get your child into your pelvis if they’re nonetheless floating up excessive. It may be helpful for somebody who has had a number of infants and has weak stomach muscle mass.2
Strategies for Labor
Wrapping a rebozo round a laboring stomach and transferring it in several methods might assist to maneuver a child into the right place and down into the pelvis.5 All the time verify together with your doctor or midwife to make sure that utilizing a scarf on this means is protected on your scenario.
Sifting, or “manteada,” includes a rhythmic jiggling of the pregnant stomach or pelvis with a wrap. Mild sifting with the fabric might calm down tight stomach muscle mass, ligaments, and fascia.5 Fascia is skinny connective tissue that holds your organs and muscle mass in place.6 Sifting may assist your child to rotate into an excellent place for beginning.5
To do rebozo sifting, you get in your arms and knees, and the headband will wrap round your stomach like a sling. Your midwife or assist particular person will maintain the ends of the wrap and jiggle or “sift” it back and forth.5 One particular person can do the sifting, however it’s simpler with two individuals, every taking an finish of the headband.
One other strategy to do sifting is to wrap the headband throughout the hips or buttocks and gently shake it forwards and backwards. This method relaxes your pelvic flooring muscle mass.5 The mom can lie down, lean on a wall, or be on her arms and knees for this sort of sifting.
The wrap can be used for the pushing stage of labor. Maintain onto each ends of the wrap whereas your accomplice or different assist particular person holds it within the center. Then, pull on the fabric when you bear down and push. This method might help you focus your pushing efforts on the precise muscle mass. It’s helpful when you have an epidural and have little sensation to push.8
Rebozo for Postpartum
Excellent news! You may also use your rebozo after your child is born. You’ll be able to put on it round your stomach for assist in an analogous means as you probably did throughout being pregnant. This assist usually feels good as your physique adjusts to giving beginning and returns to pre-pregnancy form.
You may also use a rebozo to put on your child by wrapping it round you and your baby. This takes some apply and ability, so discovering somebody skilled that can assist you or watching movies is useful. For security, your child should be wrapped excessive in your chest so you may simply lean ahead and kiss them.9
A wrap can be useful in case you are uncomfortable breastfeeding in public. You’ll be able to drape it over your child and shoulder to supply privateness. In a pinch, you may even use it as a blanket on your child.
When To Not Use It
There are just a few conditions when utilizing a rebozo for sifting just isn’t really helpful:5
- If it’s painful
- When you’ve got had latest spherical ligament muscle spasms
- With a placental abnormality equivalent to an abruption
- Menace of miscarriage
The rebozo, a conventional woven scarf from Latin America, generally is a invaluable device for being pregnant and labor. Its historic significance demonstrates the flexibility of this historic fabric as each a cultural staple and a midwifery device. Whereas scientific analysis on rebozo methods is considerably restricted, its potential advantages for reducing labor pain, selling contractions, and inspiring natural birth are price exploring. Trendy beginning practices encourage holistic choices. Embracing varied ache administration methods can empower you to make customized selections that assist a constructive childbirth expertise.
