The results emerged from the study TSB theory on obstetric biomechanics and the consequent design of delivery according to TSB method, have led to the development of a specific programme of physical preparation to delivery based on a scientific and sports approach, the training programme called TSB program (at the moment called Mamme in Movimento).
The innovative approach of the training TSB program comes from an idea of pregnancy and delivery as an exceptional and high-level physical performance for the woman’s body. Contrary to what is said in literature, women can be best prepared, and therefore trained to delivery, step-by-step, just like an athlete, according to the principles and the methodology being typical of sports.
In sports disciplines it is essential first of all to define the technical movement and the body part to be trained, in order to design a training programme. Similarly, the lessons train the back and in particular the pelvis, the two body areas being most subject to important changes during pregnancy, and most directly involved in the technical movement of delivery.
In order to provide an effective training, the TSB program always considers the analogies between pregnancy/delivery and sports:
– the pregnancy period corresponds to the training macro-cycle of an athlete; the full TSB program trains future mothers from the 20th to the 37th week of gestation, it is divided by gestational age into three micro-cycles for a total of eighteen lessons, and includes two special lessons and one introductory lesson;
– the moment of delivery corresponds to the actual competition: the preparation of the women includes a progressive adaptation to the competition itself, made of theoretical and practical lessons on different aspects of the technical movement, as well as of some simulations to be performed by the women alone or with their partners;
– the ‘Positions’ of delivery are the technical movement of the competition, the ‘physical component’ of delivery. After the training and the study of all its components, the women are suggested some positions to be used during delivery;
– the future mother is the athlete to be prepared: a better knowledge of her own body and its possibilities of movement as well as an excellent ability to control it make the future mother gain more self-confidence and more empowerment during delivery;
– the ‘Partner’ is the ‘technical component’ of delivery: a specific preparation will be planned for him as well, to be performed by the couple; he will be the new protagonist of the delivery room;
– the place where the delivery takes place is the competition field: the couples must be prepared to perform a biomechanically correct delivery, anywhere, in any situation;
– contractions represent the active phase of the competition: during contractions, the technical movement of the competition will be performed by putting together the different technical components and dosing them in balanced proportions;
– pauses during labour are the time-outs: these, too, will have to be managed in the best way possible and differently during pre-labour and labour.
The organization of the TSB training of the pregnant woman for delivery has been planned according to the scientific principles of sports training, that is:
a) study of the individual status of the pregnant woman on both a general level, which means considering the physical and physiological changes being typical of each phase of pregnancy, and a more specific level, that is by controlling the physical well-being of each single woman at every lesson;
b) setting the goals: both the partial one, that is to say pregnancy, to which also feeling well in this period is important, and includes for example the back pain being typical of gestation, and the general one, the delivery, which is the object of all this presentation;
c) time organization of the training: programme split into three microcycles, according to the gestation age, called Mothers 1, Mothers 2 and Mothers 3;
d) since it is a training, the women are invited to repeat some exercises on their own at home at least once or twice a week;
e) a progressive adaptation to the competition is planned, and includes:
– a preparation period (the 3 microcycles) with different working methods to meet the needs of each cycle, and with growing intensity;
– several ‘mock competitions’ to be organized at the course with the teacher and at home, on one’s own or with the partner;
f) the management of each moment of the competition, in particular in the two initial phases, the warm-up (pre-labour) and the actual competition (labour), with two technically different approaches.
The TSB program is composed of:
1) the course of physical preparation to delivery ‘Mamme in Movimento’:
it is divided into three MM groups according to the gestational age of the woman:
Mothers 1 – from the 20th to the 26th week
Mothers 2 – from the 27th to the 32nd week
Mothers 3 – from the 33rd to the 37th week
Thanks to this distinction, we have managed to combine both the adjustment of the training to the specific moment of the pregnancy and the periodization of the training itself according to the distance from the competition.
2) the technical lesson on pushing:
the optimization of the technical movement of pushing is functional to shortening the time of delivery, and its detailed analysis serves to do it in the best possible way. Therefore, the TSB program includes training with specific exercises for pushing.
Instead of the dysfunctional Kegel exercises – which are only for post-partum – and of generic vocalizations, the women are clearly described and taught how to perceive:
– the direction and body area in which to push;
– the correct position for pushing and the use of muscles;
– the correct use of the breath during the push.
3) the technical lesson on the positions for delivery to be implemented with the Partner:
in order to further optimize and implement the technical movement of delivery, the help of the ‘Partner’ is crucial: it is no longer a matter of mere presence, closeness or generic support, but rather a specific active, coordinated and functional presence.
The TSB program includes a specific training of preparation to delivery, intended for the couple, in which the ‘Partner’ is actively involved and is also provided extremely detailed training on delivery.
TSB theory: the innovative biomechanics of natural delivery
TSB method: the innovative positions for natural delivery
The innovative ‘active’ role of the partners in the TSB method
TSB program: the innovative complete training for the natural delivery