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7/2/2018 0 Comments

CUB support - not just for labour

By Shalini Wiseman, Chartered Physiotherapist in Women’s Health & Continence, Cork University Maternity Hospital in Ireland

As a physiotherapist in women’s health, my introduction to the Comfortable Upright Birth- Support (CUB-Support) was in the labour ward. No, not for myself, but for the purpose of updating the hospital guidelines on the management of pelvic girdle pain in labour.
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This was during my trip to the down under (or labour ward, as the staff call it) with another colleague to review the new beds being used.  This is a bi-annual opportunity for us to examine the beds and evaluate the range of movement required for the labouring hips, especially for antenatal women suffering from debilitating pelvic girdle pain.

In a corner-we spotted a cosy looking blue inflatable seating. The midwives raved about how useful it was during labour,’ working as a gym ball during labour with the comfort of being seated with support and safety’.
As curios physios do, we proceeded to take turns, sitting on it and adopting different positions- gravity-assisted positions for the first phase of labour of course!

It was surprisingly comfortable and felt more secure than a gym ball. CUB-Support provided the safety of being supported while sitting, with the ability to rotate and tilt your pelvis to alleviate  any discomfort at the sacroiliac joints (SIJ). It also allows you to lean forward onto it in kneeling, or in a forward lean with the CUB-Support on a bed (Fig.1). From this position, you can rock back and forth with ease and safety, thereby easing any discomfort in the low back. This secure support is not felt with a gym ball unless a husband kindly obliges by holding it while you do different gravity-assisted dynamisms.

Small rocking movements at the lumbosacral joints have been utilised in many traditions to help ease labour pain, the Mexican Rebozza techniques being one such example. The CUB-Support allows for a bit more: working as a gym ball to alleviate restriction and aids movement at the SIJ and hips while allowing for the Rebozza techniques without the woman being restricted on a seat or her hands and knees. Additionally, the CUB-Support has a distinct sensation of while you rock your pelvis, a combination of mild vibrations, wobble and bounce with a definite sense of being supported and secure while doing so. 

I am really taken by this! I needed to take this out of the down under and move it to the first floor (Physio department). In order to aid women in their second and third trimester in the self-management of pelvic girdle pain with safety, I decided to modify some of their gym ball exercises for use on the CUB-Support. This approach proved very beneficial.

 Forward kneeling, upright positions and rocking have always been advised in the late trimester to allow the descent of the baby into the pelvis. CUB-Support allows 36 weekers to sit upright or adopt a supported kneeling position and leaning forward onto the CUB-Support to rock back and forth with secure support
The majority of the women loved the fact that with the CUB-Support they could experience the same benefits that the gym ball provided in the easing the SIJ discomfort while also experiencing the soothing affects of the wobbling motion that is peculiar to the CUB-Support. And all this with the added assurance of knowing they would not fall off it. The CUB-support is not just useful in labour. I have found it helpful in antenatal classes especially for women with debilitation pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain who need the reassurance of safety while exercising.

The above information is a clinical opinion based on clinical experience. The CUB-Support has only been used with patients under supervision. There is no research supporting my claims, but this has been my anecdotal experience. However, there is the scope for utilising CUB-Support for pelvic girdle exercises in the third trimester by politely borrowing it from the labour ward. 
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    Meet Our Authors

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    Sarah Geo Walton

    Sarah is the owner of Bright Heart Birth Services and co-owner of the family boutique and support center The Nurturing Nest in Reno, Nevada. She is both a Birth and Postpartum Doula (DONA), a Certified GentleBirth Childbirth Educator, a trained Placenta Encapsulation Specialist and a Certified Birth Assistant.
    Sarah grew up in an empowered do-it-yourself environment. Supporting others has always been, and continues to be, a large part of who she is. She shines best in moments of vulnerability and connection and has been known to do knee slides on the dance floor. 

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    Emily Jacobson, Green Bay Doulas Wisconsin

    Raised in Green Bay, Emily has been a labor and postpartum doula since 2011. In 2012, she added placenta encapsulation services to her list of expertise, in 2016 certified Newborn Care Specialist and 2017 Certified childbirth educator.  Emily’s strength lies in supporting families through the childbearing years, in whatever manner they envision it unfolding. Prior to doula work, Emily worked as a nanny, respite provider and ABA behavioral therapist for 8+ years. She has extensive experience with special needs and children with spectrum disorders. 

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    Shalini Wiseman, Chartered Physiotherapist in Women's Health & Continence

    Shalini is the Clinical Lead Physiotherapist at the Cork Womens Clinic and works as a Senior Physiotherapist in Women’s Health and Continence at the Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH).
    ​She has vast experience in treating a broad range of Women’s Health related conditions such as incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic floor dysfunctions, dyspareunia, and ante-natal and post-natal pelvic girdle dysfunction. 

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    Alayna Spratley, Certified Childbirth Educator and Doula

    Alayna is a certified childbirth educator through Lamaze and Birth Boot Camp and is also an Indie Birth community instructor. She helps families, community stakeholders, and professionals engage in meaningful conversations regarding birth equity, healthy and safe birth practices, and the benefits of shared decision-making! Alayna supports using a collaborative grassroots education and action model to ensure all people have a voice in improving birth outcomes for individuals, babies, and families. She steadfastly believes that peace on Earth begins with birth.

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    MeriBeth Glenn, Midwife in Pennsylvania

    MeriBeth is from Pennsylvania. She has been involved in birth for nearly 20 years. Her jouney began as a doula, CBE and breastfeeding peer counselor. For the past 15 years MeriBeth has been a traditional midwife offering out-of-hospital birth. She has also had the honor of being a midwife teacher and mentor to several doulas and aspiring midwives. On a personal level, MeriBeth is a homeschooling mom to many blessings. Her personal birthing experiences gives her an important and valuable insight into birth and helping to support the natural process. It is her desire to see upright labor and birth postures become a normal and highly encouraged option for women in all birthing environments.

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    Sarah Newton, Doula in Virginia

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    Camille Nyman, Doula and Childbirth Educator in Maryland

    Camille is a Certified Doula, Chidbirth Educator and Doula Agency Owner from northern Baltimore County, Maryland. She sits on board of two non-profit organizations working to improve birth. With a holistic perspective and emphasis on natural comfort measures, Camille is a passionate educator. 

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    Gemma Wilson, Lamaze Childbirth Educator

    Gemma is a Lamaze Childbirth Educator and Doula in Australia, owner of Birthability Birth Education. After the birth of her two children she saw and felt how amazing and empowering birth truly was so Gemma became a Doula as she wanted to help women to find their power.  She is very passionate about providing support for women and their partners right at the time it is needed the most.

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    Michelle Hardy, Doula and ICEA Trainer in Wisconsin

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