Ten Top Tips for a Positive Birth Experience
When we embark on our journey into motherhood, we often become consumed by our pregnancy and the planning focus is mostly on what we will need for our new baby, setting up the nursey, etc. Often, we will not prioritise planning our birth, because as we know, birth can be spontaneous and unpredictable. So, in saying all that, let’s talk about 10 top tips to experience a positive birth!!!!!
Tip 1: Educate yourself about birth.
This includes listening to podcasts, reading books, talking to others about their births, and creating a birth plan. When we educate ourselves on birth, our fear will be reduced, and we will feel confident in our knowledge of what lies ahead. It can be helpful to know the different stages of labour so when we encounter each of these stages, a sense of calm will prevail in knowing what will happen. Some podcast and book recommendations are:
- Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage-by Dr Rachel Reed.
https://www.rachelreed.website/rcrp-paperback-links
- Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth- by Ina May Gaskin.
https://amzn.asia/d/0beVTZCi
- Australian Birth Stories-Podcast
https://australianbirthstories.com/podcasts/
- The Midwives Cauldron-Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-midwives-cauldron/id1523178579
Tip 2: Creating your support team
When you think about who you want in your corner for birth, to create a calm, safe space, your support team could include: your partner, a doula, a midwife, a parent or a friend. Only you know who you will want to give you the comfort and confidence for your birth.
Tip 3: Incorporate relaxation and breathing techniques.
Introducing prenatal yoga, meditation and breathing techniques can greatly improve daily living, stress and assist and support you when giving birth. Yoga will improve flexibility and suppleness of muscles and help open the hips- great for labour!!! The meditation and breathing techniques will help with pain management and anxiety whilst in labour. Beathe in the calm, breathe out the fear. You can also consider hypnobirthing and may want to investigate hypnobirthing classes during your pregnancy.
Tip 4: Stay active and mobile during pregnancy
Exercising and moving your body is essential during pregnancy as it will set your body up for a positive labour and give you stamina and strength. Pre-natal yoga and Pilates can help to lubricate and stretch your muscles and increase core strength and stability. Cardio fitness will also be of good support to you as labour can often be long and intense and if you have good stamina, it will help you endure and not fatigue as much.
Tip 5: Create a calm birth environment
To boost oxytocin during labour, it is helpful to create a calm environment. Dim lighting, peaceful music and reducing distractions can all help. Oxytocin will help with contractions and moving labour along, as well as helping with pain management.
Tip 6: Listen to your body and move during labour.
Listen to your body and follow your instincts on when to move, rest or push. It’s always helpful to move during labour, instead of staying in a horizontal position on the bed. Get up and walk or gently bounce and sway on a fit ball. Moving can help your body with allowing baby to get into an optimal position to be birthed.
Tip 7: Prepare your mindset
Build a positive mindset, confidence and help reduce your fear by using positive affirmations and visualisation techniques. By having a strong and positive mind, it will help you to endure through labour, as labour can very often be very fatiguing, it truly is like running a marathon.
Tip 8: Stay hydrated and nourished
It’s helpful to maintain your energy levels in labour by eating light, nutritious snacks or meals and by staying well hydrated. Water is best to drink. Keeping your sugar levels maintained will be of most benefit to you and snacking will provide with much needed fuel to sustain yourself during labour.
Tip 9: Using water therapeutically
Water is wonderful to help with pain management and to relax muscles. Try having a shower or bath to help soften and relax muscles and relieve your pain. It will also facilitate movement, which is very helpful in labour.
Tip 10: Stay open
It’s helpful to approach your birth with a plan in mind or documented down to share with your care team. However, sometimes birth will change course, depending on any problems that may arise, or even if your preferences and wishes change, so remain open and flexible to let your labour unfold. Trust in your capabilities and instincts but be open to making the safest choice for you and your baby.
So, there you have it, 10 top tips for a positive birth experience! I feel that if we can try to implement these things to experience a positive birth, then that’s all we can hope for and all we have control over. What will be will be.
My name is Shelley Duncan, and I am a certified doula who has completed the training at the Doula Training Academy, and I will be servicing the northern suburbs of Brisbane. I will be able to assist you for postpartum support. If you would like more information about my doula services, please contact me:
Phone:
0438 558 439
Email:
[email protected]
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/bloom.birth_Doula/
Website:
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https://doulatrainingacademy.com.au/back-to-basics-birth-doula-training/