Last year when Camila Alves delivered her first baby, new daddy Matthew McConaughey told OK Magazine that she danced through labor saying,

“Contractions started kicking in, and we found a great rhythm. We had a 14-hour session, her and I did. I sat there with her, right between her legs. We got tribal on it. We danced to it. I was DJing this native Brazilian music.”

Dancing through labor has become increasingly popular as moms try to find natural ways to deal with contractions.

Many of the movements in belly dance are similar to movements and techniques taught in childbirth class. For instance, the belly roll in typical belly dancing is similar to the pattern of breathing progression women are taught to practice during labor: lower abdominal breaths, to more shallow chest breathing, and to the popular panting breath.

The pelvic rock that most childbirth preparation classes teach is to stretch and strengthen the pelvic muscles; allow the baby to attain a better position in the pelvis; and to ease the strain on the laboring mother’s back. These hip and pelvic movements are synonymous with the hip circles, figure eights, and hip lifts of belly dancing.

When I had my son dancing was the last thing on mind. Heck the pain was so intense I couldn’t even speak let alone dance…

How do these women do it?

The woman in the video below is 9cm dilated and dancing like she is at a Caribbean resort…

Matthew caries Levi’s Maxi-Cosi Car seat, with an Aden+Anais White Muslin Swaddling Blanket wrapped around his neck.