THE INCREDIBLE TEAMWORK OF YOUR UTERUS DURING BIRTH

There’s something truly magical about how the body works in labour.

One of the things that never stops amazing me is how the muscles of the uterus come together — like a well-rehearsed team — to help your baby into the world.

The uterus is made up of layers of smooth muscle, and during labour, these muscles start working in perfect harmony. There are two main types of muscle fibres involved: the ones that run up and down (longitudinal fibres) and the ones that go around like rings (circular fibres).

Each has a special role to play — and when they work together, that’s when the magic really happens.

The uterus

The longitudinal fibres, which run from top to bottom, are the ones that do most of the powerful squeezing during contractions. They pull up and over the baby, drawing the cervix up and out of the way, helping it to thin out and open.

At the same time, circular fibres, which sit more around the lower part of the uterus and the cervix, start to soften and stretch. Instead of tightening, they’re designed to let go, creating space and allowing the cervix to dilate.

The top of the uterus (the fundus) becomes thick and strong, helping to push the baby down, while the lower part becomes soft, open, and welcoming. It’s like a dance between strength and softness — power and surrender — happening all at once inside your body.

The more relaxed and calm you are, the more easily these muscles can do their job. That’s one of the reasons hypnobirthing can feel so transformative — it teaches you to work with your body, trusting it, staying soft and relaxed, and letting those incredible muscles move as nature intended.

When the time comes for your baby to be born, the muscles continue their teamwork — the upper part contracts and bears down, while your body often feels an overwhelming, natural urge to push. It’s not about forcing or pushing on command — it’s about listening to your body’s instincts and moving with the rhythm of your surges.

Whether you’re planning a home birth, a birth centre birth, or a hospital birth, understanding how your uterus works can give you so much confidence. Even if you’re having a caesarean birth, your body still goes through these beautiful changes as it prepares to meet your baby — your body knows exactly what to do.

Birth really is teamwork — between your uterus, your baby, and you.

And that’s why in my private hypnobirthing classes, I spend time helping you fall in love with your amazing birthing body - When you trust it, magic happens.

If you’d love to learn more about how to work with your body and feel calm and confident about birth, I’d love to welcome you into a one-to-one hypnobirthing course with me. Snuggled up with a cup of tea, we’ll build your birth toolkit together — with real conversation, simple techniques, and with cosy, gentle support every step of the way.

You’ve got this 💛

Gill 💕