Contractions Don’t JUST Exist for Dilation
As a Central Coast doula, I’ve supported dozens of births — and if there’s one myth I’d love to bust for every pregnant woman and her partner, it’s this: contractions aren’t just about dilation.
We’re often told that contractions are simply intense, painful, and exist to open the cervix. But that’s only part of the story.
The truth is, every contraction has a purpose, and many of those purposes have nothing to do with dilation.
Let me explain…
Babies play an active role in birth — and contractions are one of the ways your body and baby communicate with each other. Some contractions might be gentle and spaced out, simply allowing your body and baby to “check in” with each other (usually in early labour). Others might be long and irregular to support your baby’s positioning. Sometimes they’ll cluster together — not because something is wrong — but because your baby needs to rotate in the pelvis to continue their descent.
Then yes, of course, there are those short (45 sec-1 min), strong, rhythmic contractions that do the classic job of helping your cervix dilate. But when we only focus on dilation, we miss so much of what birth is trying to tell us.
As a doula, watching the patterns of contractions tells me a story. Machines and apps can track the frequency, but they can’t replace human eyes, intuition, and understanding. When I see unusual contraction patterns, I don’t panic — I get curious. Because it’s often a sign that baby and mum could use a little support to make the next move.
That support can come in many forms:
Rebozo work
Spinning Babies-inspired techniques
Optimal Maternal Positioning (OMP) protocols
Simple body positions to help open the pelvis or relieve tension
The best part is these aren’t just doula tricks — they’re techniques anyone can learn. And that includes your birth partner!!! Yes, even the ones who thought their role was just to say “you’re doing amazing” and rub your back. Nope, there’s SO much more they can be doing, but it requires practice and confidence.
That’s exactly why I created the Birth Different Bootcamp — a live, in-person workshop right here on the Central Coast for expectant mums and their birth partners (oh, and doulas welcome too!). It’s where you’ll learn how to read contraction patterns, understand what they mean, and know exactly what to do when labour needs a little support. Because less face it, hospitals don’t LOVE unusual contraction patterns or baby positions, so we need to know how to manage with non-medical interventions when these can often be a normal part of birth.
🚨 Early Bird Tickets On Sale Until June 6 🚨
Want to feel prepared for birth — not panicked? Come join me at Birth Support Bootcamp and walk into your labour with a toolkit, not just a “go with the flow” mindset.
📍 Central Coast NSW
📅 July 19, 2025
🎤 With guest speakers Melanie The Midwife & Danae Birth Doula
🎟️ Grab your early bird ticket now before June 6 →