The Double Hip Squeeze
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http://www.amsterdam-mamas.nl/stories/parenting/giving-birth/the-double-hip-squeeze
What is the Double Hip Squeeze?
The double hip squeeze is a form of pressure massage that has many uses during childbirth. It can:
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relieve lower back pain;
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reposition a baby who is posterior;
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reposition a baby who is slow to descend; and/or
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reposition a baby whose head is not in an ideal position.
Why does the hip squeeze work?
A laboring mother’s pelvis is stretched by the pressure of the baby’s head bearing down. The baby can also put uncomfortable pressure on the sacrum. The hip squeeze pushes the pelvis back into a relaxed position, which both relieves the pressure of the stretch and causes the pelvis to flare out slightly, allowing the baby room to move around and down.
How does your labor partner perform the Double Hip Squeeze?
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Have the mother lean forward. She can be standing, kneeling on hands and knees, or supporting herself on something like a couch, bed or birth ball.
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Place your hands along her hips, fingertips on the top of her hipbones. Keeping your hands parallel to the floor and your palms stationary, rotate your hands inward to apply pressure. Using your palms, apply pressure up and in. Your palms should be in the fleshy circle of muscle, not on any bone.
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Experiment to find the places where the pressure feels best. . . . Apply as much pressure as she needs.
