"Love is a burning thing, And it makes a fiery ring, Bound by wild desire, I fell into a ring of fire... "
Don't worry if you find my reference to Johnny Cash's song confusing, it will all make sense once you've read this post. Here, you'll find out what is baby crowning, why it's often referred as the “ring of fire” of the birthing process, and how to prepare for it.
What is Birth Crowning?
Birth crowning is when your baby's head becomes visible in the birth canal. Now, remember this: Crowning is great news, as it means that you're now fully dilated and your baby will likely be born within just a couple of surges!
When Baby is crowning, you will be able to reach down and feel their little head or use a mirror to witness this incredibly powerful part of the birthing process. If you'd rather stay focused on your Hypnobirthing visualisations and breathing that's absolutely fine too - as with all stages, just do what feels right for you.
What to expect when baby is crowning?
Crowning is often referred as the “ring of fire” of the birthing process. This burning (or intense stinging) sensation is caused by the stretching of the skin of the perineum (space between the anus and the vulva).
Note: This will be the only time you'll experience a stretching sensation during birth, as tissues in the vagina slowly unfolds during the dilation stage - you do not stretch from 0 to 10 cm.
As with all aspects and sensations in birth, what one birthing person has felt or experienced can be very different to another; so although it's important to prepare, it's also important to release any expectations - particularly if they are the cause of worries or anxiety. Equally, what you may have experienced with a previous birth might be very different with the next.
How long this burning sensation lasts will vary as well. Some women describe a numb feeling to replace the burning sensation.
If you've chosen to have an epidural, you might still feel a sensation of pressure and mild burning, depending on the amount of analgesia you've received. Remember that being able to feel something can actually really help to stay connected with the process and feel more in control.
How to prepare for birth crowning?
Learn about birth as a physiological process
This is absolutely key if you wish to prepare for an empowering vaginal birth and a positive experience. The unknown is unnerving and the source of anxiety for most of us. By understanding the birthing process as a physiological event, we can surrender to its power, embrace the sensations, find comfort and deep-focus as it unfolds.
Practice relaxation, breathing and visualisations during your pregnancy
Hypnobirthing can make all the difference when it comes to feeling more relaxed and more comfortable throughout labour. Additionally, practicing these tools during pregnancy means that they'll become second nature as you journey through birth. They'll be invaluable when it comes to those powerful moments just before baby is born.
Research your options of comfort measures and pain relief
There is so much more than pharmaceutical pain relief and epidural analgesia. Research all your options; from cold/warm flannels, water and massage, to gas & air, etc. Create a birth plan to share your preferences with your care providers. This can change as labour progresses, but at least your team will be able to adapt the care they are offering based on your specific needs.
Note that opioid-based pain relief such as pethidine is not recommended during the second stage of labour as it can affect baby's breathing.
Practice Perineal Massage from 35 weeks
Existing research on the clinical benefits of Perineal Massage are pretty poor unfortunately. However, some studies suggest that it may help avoiding serious tearing. I personally recommend to give it a go in the last weeks of pregnancy; because beyond the potential benefits of protecting the perineum, it will help familiarising yourself with the stretching sensations. This means that when your baby is crowning, you are less likely to feel overwhelmed by them. You can find a quick tutorial on how to get started with perineal massage here.
Research and discuss your options of support with your midwife during pregnancy.
There are three approaches for you to look into: 'hands on' (midwife is guarding the perineum and flexing the baby's head); the 'hands poised' (with hands off the perineum and baby's head but in readiness), or 'hands-off' (midwife to stand back and allow the mother to be in full control of her birth). This should be something that you discuss with your care provider as it should be an informed choice that you make based on your own preferences. While some of us would welcome this support, some of us would rather have a hands-off birth experience, or would prefer to apply pressure in the area themselves.
Click here for more information about my Complete Hypnobirthing and Antenatal Courses in Bristol and Online.
Photo by Birth Photographer & Holistic Doula Erika Perez