I second that motion, Kelly!

Juju Sundin has a t-shirt in her book, "Birth Skills" that says,

"Keep Moving! Keep Moving! Keep Moving!"

I say to my clients, "Be a Moving Target".

Our Doula Programme director told us, "Put your bags on the bed when you enter the room."

One lovely birth centre midwife entered the room and said to me, "I love how you have moved the bed." - I'd moved it because my client wanted her birth mat and ball on the floor near the couch. The midwife was thrilled that the mother was moving the room around to suit herself. (She was a wonderful, empowering midwife!)

One younger mum told me recently, "They wouldn't let me off the bed because of the monitor, so I went to the bathroom and locked the door. They were trying to make me come out, but I stayed in there, stayed upright and had a baby."

Gutsy girl!

I think that continuous monitoring can actually be the 'Kiss of Death' for a normal labour. The studies show that continuous monotoring does NOT improve outcomes for the babies, but by taking away the mother's ability to use gravity, mobility and privacy to help her labour progress, it greatly increases her chance of being cut, without improving safety for the baby.

I know several midwives who, aware of the scientific reviews, absolutely refuse to do continuous monotoring on women except in extenuating circumstances.

The Spinning Babies Website, The Pink Kit and New Active Birth all have great ideas for using your healthy strong muscles during labour to keep your pelvis mobile, supple and open.

A Doula can be a great help in assisting you to sift through the info and practice the techniques - before you go into labour.

Best wishes for an active, assertive birth!