The Labour Hopscotch program, is a framework developed by community midwife at the National Maternity Hospital, Sinead Thompson to assist women in labour. It was designed based on the premise that you have to train for the physicality of labour.

The purpose of the framework is to support women on their labour journey. The aim is to help reduce the rate of medical interventions and “to inform and empower women and their birth partners as they progress through the labour process”.
Labour Hopscotch is a visual birthing tool that provides a structured guidance by outlining 20-minute rotating “steps” to perform during labour. These include keeping mobile by walking sideways on a stairs, or sitting on a stool while being massaged
Armed with a “visual depiction” of the steps women can undertake to remain active during labour. The process can start at home, where women start at the bottom of the hopscotch as they are more active and mobile. As labour progresses, they advance towards baby’s footprints, a motivational image used to help women visualise and maintain focus during labour.
The stations in Labour Hopscotch are aimed at Optimal Fetal Positioning (OFP) which is getting your baby into the correct position for the birth. It is important to line your baby’s head up so they can maneuver the birth canal easier and therefore make the birth process more manageable for you.