Greater & Inlet Pelvis: Hip Extensions during Labor

Hip extensions can be utilized when the laboring mother is in these OMP Active Birth Positions:

• Standing whilst leaning her upper body forward into an extension. This can be done with the support of a birth rope, a squat bar or against a wall.

• Sitting ‘over’ a gym ball as if she is in a supported arch over her spine, ensuring that the gym ball is large enough to encourage an extension in her femur.

• From an ‘all fours’ position, the mother moves forward into an arch in her spine whilst still being on her hands and knees. This is a common position used in the birthing pool (though she is probably too early to be in the pool at this point, so she can be using it to take the edge off contractions whilst attempting this), and a position where the birthing mother find that it gives her more control over the position.

• Side lying position using a peanut ball or support of stirrups, with the mother’s spine in an arch, and her femur supported by whichever props she uses to achieve an extension in her femur. This is more commonly known as ‘Flying Cowgirl’ when used with a peanut ball. This can also be done asymmetrically in a side-lying position with her lower leg in flexion and her upper leg in extension, hence modifying the opening of all levels of the pelvis.

• Supine on the bed otherwise more popularly known as Walcher’s named after the Obgyn who ‘discovered’ this technique. This is helpful when a mother is confined to the bed.

Hip extensions can be done concurrently with other OMP Pelvic Mobility Protocols such as 2.3 Asymmetry of the femur and/or 2.4 External and Internal Rotation of the femur.

For OMP Active Birth Positions , OMP Pelvic Mobility Protocols and OMP Comfort Measures to be effective, it has to be done during contractions and used for 5-10 consecutive contractions to see if it is effective in enabling labor to progress.