In today’s world of hyper-medicalized prenatal care, we often forget that birth is not just an event—it’s a physiological process deeply embedded in how we live, breathe, and move. Adelaide Meadow, a respected women’s health practitioner and home birth attendant, reminds us that birth doesn't begin at the onset of labor—it begins with how we inhabit our bodies every day.
Drawing from years of experience in biomechanics, midwifery, and somatic movement, Adelaide offers a compelling reframing: the ease of labor is often determined long before contractions begin.
Why the Way We Move Matters
“Maybe it’s not your mother wound. Maybe it’s your restricted posterior pelvic floor.” That viral meme from Adelaide captures a deeper truth: many birth challenges stem not from emotional blocks but from physical restriction—often overlooked in midwifery training and birth prep classes.
Most traditional childbirth education emphasizes breath, mindset, and hormone balance. While important, Adelaide believes that’s only part of the picture. “Birth happens in the body,” she says. “If your soft tissues and bony structures aren’t mobile, your baby’s journey through the pelvis will likely be longer, harder, and more exhausting.”
The Biomechanical Pathways of Birth
Adelaide identifies four critical areas of movement that impact birth:
- Pronation and Supination of the Feet
Mobility in the arches and ankles influences the entire kinetic chain, including how the pelvis receives and adapts to fetal movement. - Internal Rotation of the Ilia and Femurs
Contrary to the belief that squatting is always optimal, Adelaide encourages structured movement that supports internal rotation—a key to widening the mid-pelvis for fetal descent. - Spaciousness in the Posterior Pelvic Floor
Mobility in this region allows for greater sacral movement, creating essential space during pushing. - Thoracic Rotation and Diaphragmatic Function
“If you’re breathing only into your belly, you’re missing the full power of your diaphragm,” she explains. Adequate rib mobility supports better oxygenation, posture, and ultimately, pelvic function.
Redefining “Prodromal Labor” and Stalled Progression
Adelaide challenges conventional ideas about prodromal labor. Rather than labeling these patterns as hormonal misfires or emotional resistance, she asks: What if the uterus is trying to move the baby into better alignment? Without mobility in the parent’s soft tissues, babies often can’t descend evenly or apply consistent pressure to the cervix—key elements for labor progression.
"Your pain may be your baby’s restriction,” she says. “And resolving that discomfort isn’t just about comfort—it’s about helping your baby find their way through the pelvis.”
Beyond Spinning Babies: Structural Preparation Starts Early
Adelaide trained under Spinning Babies founder Gail Tully and uses many of its tools. But she also points out where it falls short, particularly when the body has deeply ingrained movement restrictions. “If the first time you're asking your pelvic floor to yield is in active labor, that's a tall order.”
Instead, she encourages women to begin movement preparation early in pregnancy—or even preconception. This allows for meaningful soft tissue change that benefits both labor and postpartum recovery.
Pelvic Health Isn’t Just About Birth
What makes Adelaide’s approach truly revolutionary is that it doesn’t stop at labor. The same practices that ease fetal descent also:
- Support healing from prolapse or diastasis.
- Reduce common complaints like heartburn, SI joint pain, and pubic symphysis discomfort.
- Improve postpartum bladder and bowel function.
- Help resolve tongue tie-related feeding challenges by improving in-utero positioning.
“This is just good pelvic health,” she says. “Whether you birth or not, optimizing your structure supports everything from orgasm to elimination.”
A Call for Midwifery Education Reform
Perhaps most powerfully, Adelaide calls for a rebirth in midwifery education—one that prioritizes anatomy, bodywork, and true hands-on skill. “Birth doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Babies don’t navigate the pelvis by magic. They are moved—by soft tissue, bones, and breath.”
She’s not alone in this belief. More midwives are recognizing that lengthy or stalled labors may not be psychological, but structural. And that skillful palpation, body balancing, and structural education could change outcomes dramatically.
Empowered Birth Through Embodied Education
To support this mission, Adelaide offers a range of resources:
- Born Through Movement: A self-paced course for birthing families and professionals alike, integrating biomechanics, prenatal yoga, and somatic movement.
- Virtual Prenatal Consults: Tailored sessions to resolve pain, support positioning, and prepare for labor.
- Monthly “Birth & Bodywork” Calls: Co-hosted with Canadian midwife Mandy Verghese, these are deep dives into topics like breech, prodromal labor, and OP babies.
Physiological birth isn’t just about trusting the body—it’s about understanding it.
Adelaide Meadow invites us to see the pregnant body not as a ticking clock, but as a dynamic system of fascia, joints, breath, and soft tissue. When we support that system with precision and care, we empower not only better births—but healthier postpartum recoveries and more resilient mothers.
