Muscle Memory is a wonderful thing

…. and never ceases to amaze me!

Yesterday 15 recruits joined us for the 1st day of their practical training.  Yes some of them were former Lazy Daisy® mums themselves, and yes we have been working on written assignments and virtually for the past 2 months, but the real amazement to me is that 2pm yesterday when they taught their first practical segment they were mums trying to stumble their way through a movement based routine (sorry girls!).  Yet just 24 hours later, today, they were evolving into real life teachers …… is this because I am an amazing trainer;  whilst I would love of course to say I am, I have to credit the power of muscle memory.

This is the amazing ability the brain has to create inherent pathways for movements or actions repeated over and over, so that they simply happen!  Like riding a bike or driving a car…..

The term muscle memory is in fact interchangeable with the term motor learning (or ‘relatively permanent’ change), which is a form of procedural memory that involves consolidating a specific motor task into memory through repetition. When a movement is repeated over time, a long-term muscle memory is created for that task, eventually allowing it to be performed without conscious effort (remember that – without conscious effort, as this is what is vital for any birthing movement). This process decreases the need for attention and creates maximum efficiency within the motor and memory systems. Examples of muscle memory are found in many everyday activities that become automatic and improve with practice.

“Relatively permanent” aspect is important here, as it implies the capability to respond appropriately is acquired and retained.  Hmmm, can we argue we are acquiring birthing muscle or simply helping the mum to rediscover what is within her already?  To give an example, as mammals we know how to birth – when allowed and uninhibited, we will instinctively use sound (without even thinking about the relationship of sound to the sphincter rule  -the principal that the pelvic floor can only truly relax with an open jaw).  So many mums-to-be I have taught have felt adamant they do not wish to use ‘noisy breath’ in labour and yet look back on their birth remembering “I could hear a noise, almost like a mooing cow and wondered where it was coming from, before I realised it was me”.  Similarly we instinctively try to retreat to our birthing bubble; we instinctively feel the need to rock or move.

As trainee teachers, are my fantastic 15 really tapping into forgotten memories and instinctive movements and breathing, rather than creating new pathways?

Either way, this really is a case of repetition, repetition, repetition ….. Use it or lose it (have we lost it …. How can we find it again?)

And as we endeavour with our unique class sequences (or birth dances) to re-train years of the fight or flight response (psoas shortening, pelvic floor tensing) – years of nipping our knees tight together when we think of childbirth – we really do rely on repetition of positive affirmations alongside lengthening movements, to get mums birth ready!

The ability to teach the movements without thinking is vital for our teachers  - only then can they hope to be able to deliver all the anatomical benefits, and pace the breathing and watch their class and provide a smiling welcome too!  Similarly birth confidence and an instinctive approach to birth movements is what we want for our mums-to-be in labour, so that they can leave the conscious part of the brain and retreat into the birthing brain (or the healing room as Marie Mongan of Hypnobirthing calls it) and give themselves the best chance of avoiding any adrenal response which can slow the uterine contractions.

Today I watched 15 amazing ladies, who yesterday looked terrified at the thought of teaching, both teach and enjoy it!  They already know how the inhale powers the upward move; to deliver the benefit as they exhale; to only echo an affirmation on an out breath; to remember to give a benefit every exhalation; to remind mums with every breath to relax the jaw to release the perineum; to watch their mums to check their movements; to find their internal bra line to work on their posture  ….. And they did it all, almost faultlessly and more (gosh we expect a lot of them don’t we!)

One thing is clear to me however -  to progress at this speed you have to want to deliver this message and to understand the science behind it.  These girls really believe it and feel passionate enough to want to connect with others.  This is what makes our teachers very special in my opinion!

Good luck for the rest of your practical training ladies – great job so far and remember ‘rotate to dilate and peel back that cervix!’