Lots of midwives and doulas have discovered in the last years how to use the Rebozo for their pregnant and birthing clients. This way of relaxing and moving during Pregnancy and birth comes from traditional midwives from Mexico (like Naoli Vinaver and Angelina Martinez). They have taught this all over the world during Midwifery Today Conferences or workshops organized by midwives and doulas. Thanks to them so many women know now how comfortable a treatment with the Rebozo is and how helpful it can be when there are difficult moments during birth.
Together with Naoli Vinaver, Mirjam de Keijzer and I wrote a handbook in which we explain rebozo techniques in different situations. This book is now also available as an eBook! For those who are interested in the book but don’t know what to expect I will give a preview of two techniques that are described in ‘The Rebozo Technique Unfolded’.
Giving support to the pelvis
A mother expressed her desire to have support of her belly during her birth. Mirjam, her doula, stood behind her and lifted her belly with both her hands. But the mother also wanted some pressure in her lower back. Mirjam explained that she only had two hands and that this request seemed impossible. Then she got the idea to use the Rebozo for this special situation.
She folded the Rebozo twice and covered the lower belly of the mother. She took both sides of the Rebozo at the backside in one hand and pulled firmly. This brought relief of the pain in the front. Mirjam put her other hand on the sacrum and when she pulled the Rebozo she pushed at the same time at the backside of the pelvis. This was a wonderful way to give support at the belly and in the meantime it gave pressure in the back. The mother loved it.
Since then we teach this rebozo technique in our workshops. It can be used during labor: during or in between contractions. It depends on what the woman likes. Some pregnant women who have pelvic problems like it also during Pregnancy. Be careful, don’t pull or push too hard. Adjust your strength to what the woman want.
Coping with contractions using Rebozo techniques
In early labor it is (most of the time) important to keep on moving and standing upright. This helps the baby to bear down in the pelvis. When the mother has the Rebozo wrapped around her pelvis she can lean in it and the partner (or midwife or doula) can take both sides of the Rebozo and wrap them also around his/her waist. He or she holds the ends of the Rebozo tight to the rest of the Rebozo so there is a circle around them.
The women leans with her butt into the Rebozo. She makes a movement like sitting down with slightly bended knees. The partner tries to find a good balance with her. Now the woman starts to move like dancing, swaying her pelvis in the Rebozo and the partner follows.
Together in the circle of the Rebozo they will have a intimate and nice moment to cope with the contractions, to have fun in between contractions and it is the best way to start the birth process!
You can order your copy of the “The Rebozo Technique Unfolded’ here.
Thea van Tuyl
Thea van Tuyl is a childbirth educator for more than 30 years in the Netherlands. As a mother of two daughters she got in touch with pregnancy and birth and she changed her profession: from pharmacist-assistent to childbirth educator.
She joined ENCA (European Network of Childbirth Associations) in 2000 and since then she is secretary of the Dutch ENCA (www.enca.info). This brought her international connections and so she learned about the doula.
Since 2006 she is a trainer of Doula’s and for this training she got interested in rebozomassage. As a yearly visitor of the European Midwifery Today congresses she learned about the rebozo from Naoli Vinaver from Mexico. She started to give workshops about this technique in the Netherlands together with Mirjam de Keijzer. Now she is giving workshops all over Europe.
In 2009 a book about Rebozomassage, with co-writer Mirjam de Keijzer and Naoli Vinaver was published. This book “The Rebozotechnique unfolded.” Is renewed in 2015. Since February 2017 it is also available as eBook. You can order it by www.rebozo.nl
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