Insider Tips: How to Have a Positive Birth Experience
Photo by Christian Bowen
I’ve been a practicing birth doula for the past four years, supporting births of all kinds- mostly in hospital, a few home births, medicated, unmedicated, hypno-births, cesarean, vacuum assisted, some short, some really long. I’ve also gone through the pregnancy and birth experience twice personally- once before and once after training as a doula, once with a doula and once without. Somewhere along the way, a spark was ignited, a deep desire to to spread information far and wide in order to help others have positive birth experiences too. Because YES, a healthy mom and baby are always at the top of the list, AND how a family feels about their experience matters DEEPLY. You do not get a do-over on your baby’s birth story. So here’s my advice on how to prepare for a positive experience:
1) Take the right class
Not only is knowledge power, but preparation often equates to confidence, and calm. Consider the class that you are looking at - is the instructor balanced, knowledgable about all kinds of birth, and will they share all of the evidence based info that will help you feel confident in your birth choices? Before my oldest was born, my husband and I took a hospital based birth class, and while I felt it gave me a basic overview of what to expect… I now know it also left a lot out. The fact of the matter is that hospital classes generally use curriculum that outlines the standard way things are done in the hospital. Unfortunately, routine care practices during pregnancy and birth are not always in line with evidence based care. If you want to be educated on all your options, including things like the potential benefits of intermittent fetal monitoring, spontaneous rupture of membranes (breaking of water) vs. artificial, and self-directed pushing vs. coached, you will want to find a class that explains all of this. Learning about ALL your choices as well as how to have a shared decision making discussion with a health care provider is vital. While there are many providers that routinely practice evidence based and patient centered care, learning what questions to ask can help you not only feel more confident in the choices you make- but can also ensure you and your provider are on the same page.
Photo by Content Pixie
2) Train Your Brain
The brain is a powerful machine, and the mind-body connection is undeniable. I’ve said this before, but I will say it a million more times, because not enough people get that this is such a critical part of preparing for a positive experience! What your mind is doing during labor matters! It is scientific fact that the thoughts we have can and do create physical and chemical changes in our bodies, and in labor, stress and fear can impact the body in incredibly meaningful ways. Reactive thoughts and fear can trigger the stress response, literally changing your physiology- uterine arteries get narrower, and the blood gets shunted to the large muscles, (to get ready to fight or flee). This can result in longer, more painful labors, more necessary interventions, etc. Luckily, there is a lot you can do to train your brain to remain calm. Harnessing the power of the mind can be done through meditation, hypnosis, or even simple breath work. Staying calm and focused can increase the release of oxytocin and endorphins, and discourage the release of stress hormones. Regular practice can make activating your parasympathetic nervous system (the rest and relax response) during times of stress automatic, and it’s never too soon to begin. If you’re looking for resources, please reach out, I’m always happy to share!
Photo by Ben Blennerhassett
3) Line up support
Of course as a birth doula, you might think I’m a little biased here (I am), but also the evidence overwhelmingly agrees. Feeling safe and supported during birth makes a HUGE difference, no matter how you choose to go about it. Also, having the continuous support of a professional who is hired by you, and will be there to provide timely information and suggestions no matter what comes up, is invaluable. Doulas can be an integral part of the team whether you plan to use meds or not, whether you end up with a cesarean or vaginal birth, whether you plan to breast or formula feed. There truly is a doula for everyone, so finding one that is just the right fit for you is important. Style differences include not only differences in personality (huge when you have someone in your space, for a significant period of time, during one of the most important and transformational experiences of your life), but also differences in birth philosophy, and skills- does your doula consider themselves strong in hands on comfort measures, verbal encouragement, knowing how to work well with your team and when to give you space?