How A Women’s Health Expert Can Prepare You For Birth

How well prepared do you feel when it comes to giving birth? For many women, the thought of labour can be quite daunting, especially if it’s their first baby. With so many unknowns, it’s completely natural to feel both excited and anxious. At Anatomy Rehab’s Women’s Health Service in Dubai, Marissa Fernandez combines her extensive expertise in women’s pelvic health and prenatal physiotherapy to offer personalised guidance that empowers you—body and mind—as you prepare for childbirth.

Anatomy’s Women’s Health Expert

Marissa is a Women’s Health Specialist with a Master’s degree in Pelvic Health Physiotherapy. She has helped countless expectant mothers build strength, increase confidence, and minimise the risk of perineal trauma. Her compassionate approach focuses not only on the physical mechanics of birth but also on nurturing your mental resilience and self-assurance.

1. Perineal Massage: Reducing the Risk of Tearing

Perineal massage involves gentle, regular stretching of tissues in the weeks leading up to your due date to prevent tearing when giving birth naturally. Marissa will:

• Show you the correct hand positions and pressure techniques.

• Guide you through a step-by-step routine to perform at home.

• Monitor tissue response and adjust your technique accordingly.

Clinical studies demonstrate that women who practise perineal massage from around 34 weeks’ gestation significantly reduce the chance of severe tears during a natural birth. By increasing tissue elasticity and blood flow, you enhance your body’s readiness for the stretching required in labour, translating to less discomfort and a faster postpartum recovery.

2. Pelvic Engagement Techniques: Guiding Baby’s Descent

Efficient use of the pelvis during labour helps the baby rotate and navigate the birth canal more smoothly. Marissa teaches you:

• Pelvic Tilts and Rocking: Simple exercises to mobilise your sacroiliac joints and symphysis pubis, creating more space for the baby’s head.

• Dynamic Positions: Variations such as hands-and-knees or side-lying to encourage optimal foetal positioning.

• Hip-Opening Strategies: Movements like gentle lunges and supported squats to widen your pelvic outlet.

These techniques not only facilitate a more efficient descent of the baby but also reduce labour duration and minimise interventions such as forceps or vacuum extraction.

3. Birth Preparation Classes: Building Confidence and Composure

Marissa’s birth preparation sessions are tailored to your individual needs. In a relaxed, supportive setting, you will:

• Learn the physiology of labour—understanding each stage helps alleviate fear.

• Practice partner-assisted positions so your support person knows exactly how to help.

• Explore relaxation tools such as visualisation and guided meditation, fostering mental calm.

Knowledge is power: by demystifying the birth process, Marissa helps you replace apprehension with a sense of mastery and readiness.

4. Optimal Opening: Knees Together, Legs Open

Positioning matters. In labour, certain postures allow the pelvis to open naturally:

• McRoberts’ Position: Lying on your back with knees drawn towards the chest, which can help resolve shoulder impingement.

• Supported Squat: Holding onto a bar or partner, squatting with feet hip-width apart to encourage lateral pelvic expansion.

• Side-lying Release: Lying on your side with top knee bent and supported by pillows, which can ease back-labour discomfort.

Marissa guides you through each posture, ensuring safe alignment and maximum benefit, so you know exactly which positions to adopt when contractions intensify.

5. Gentle Pushing: Protecting the Pelvic Floor

Pushing instinctively may feel overwhelming. Marissa teaches you to engage your abdominal wall effectively while safeguarding your pelvic floor:

1. Pelvic Floor Pre-Activation: Brief contractions of the pelvic floor muscles before bearing down.

2. Abdominal Bracing: Using the transverse abdominis (your deep “corset” muscle) to direct force, rather than straining the perineum.

3. Coached Bearing Down: Synchronising breath with push—holding the breath just long enough to generate pressure, then releasing gradually to avoid sudden force spikes.

This methodical approach reduces undue strain on connective tissues, lowering the risk of pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence postpartum.

6. Breathwork for Diastasis Recti and Emotional Regulation

Diastasis recti—separation of the abdominal muscles—is common during pregnancy. Marissa’s specialised breathwork helps:

• Diaphragmatic Breathing: Encouraging gentle inward movement of the abdominal wall on the exhale, promoting engagement of the transverse muscles.

• Coordinated Core Activation: Teaching you to draw the belly gently towards the spine on each exhale, supporting both your back and your pelvic floor.

Beyond the physical benefits, mindful breathing calms your nervous system. Practising these techniques during early labour helps you ride the waves of contraction with less fear, maintaining focus and resilience.

The Mental Edge: Empowerment Through Knowledge

Every technique Marissa teaches you comes with an exercise plan and clear expectations of progress. Having a structured routine reduces anxiety and enhances your sense of control. You’ll learn to interpret bodily cues, recognise when to shift positions, and harness coping strategies to manage discomfort, ultimately fostering a positive birth experience.

Book Your Consultation Today

At Anatomy Rehab, we believe every woman deserves evidence-based support from conception to postpartum. With Marissa Fernandez’s expert guidance, you’ll be physically prepared, mentally confident, and ready to embrace the miracle of birth.

Schedule a Women’s Health Consultation with Marissa Fernandez

Prepare with confidence. Breathe deeply. Welcome your baby with strength.