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My Experience With Natural Childbirth, Part 2

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There are many different ways to cope with the pain of childbirth. When it comes to a drug free birth, you have your choice of Lamaze, the Bradley Method, acupuncture, hypnosis, yoga, meditation, walking, massage, taking a bath or shower, or distracting yourself. I largely credit my ability to cope with the pain of childbirth to two things: prayer and the Bradley Method. I had taken a childbirth class through the hospital that loosely followed the Lamaze method, focusing on patterned breathing and relaxation. A few weeks before I gave birth to my son, however, we enjoyed dinner and conversation … Continue reading →

How to Mentally Take Control of Your Labor Pain

Have you ever wondered why a person will cringe at the thought of a vaccination, but will gladly let someone put a piercing gun to their lobes for a new pair of earrings? Some people hate going to the dentist, but have no problem putting on a pair of rollers blades and burning down the bike path like they have jets on their skates. Pain is relative, and our experience with pain has more to do with our understanding of it than the physical amount of it. Sometimes all we need to endure pain is a sense of purpose and … Continue reading →

Five Basic Exercises for Successful Labor

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Delivering a baby requires a little flexibility. I’m not talking about compromising your birth plan, either. When you’re trying to squeeze a seven or eight pound baby through a space that is pretty small to begin with, you’re kidding yourself if you think you won’t have to contort into a number of rather awkward positions to make it happen. If you don’t stretch and limber up your muscles beforehand, you can expect quite a bit of extra soreness after you deliver. Who wants extra pain? Getting your body ready for delivery is not difficult, it just takes a little planning … Continue reading →

Building Stamina for Labor

Labor is appropriately named because it is hard work. I’ve heard preparing to bring your baby into the world compared to training for a marathon. This is a good analogy. Reading books or even this blog isn’t enough; you need to train for the big event. As you need to build stamina to run a marathon, you need to do the same prior to labor. The first thing that comes to mind when you think of building stamina is exercise. This is a good thing. Regular exercise is very important for you and your baby. Walking on a treadmill or … Continue reading →

Why I Chose Hypnobirthing

I was led to hypnobirthing, because I was looking for a tool to help me to have a natural childbirth. I had wanted to have a natural childbirth with my first child, but the class my husband and I took only taught us a few breathing techniques. We didn’t practice, and so I became overwhelmed and received an epidural. For the birth of my second child, I decided to take the easy way out and get the epidural before things got rough. But I did not feel good about an epidural for my third child, and so I needed to … Continue reading →

Great Birth Books

Yesterday I wrote a blog about finding great pregnancy books. You will be thinking a lot about and making plans your upcoming birth. The best way to reduce fear of labor is to get educated about labor. Reading is a great way to begin to think about what you want in your labor. There are many books written on this subject. I’m going to share a little about a few that I really like. The Birth Book: Everything You Need to Know to Have a Safe and Satisfying Birth by William Sears, MD and Martha Sears RN Dr. Sears is … Continue reading →

The Benefits of Home Birth

There are benefits to having a baby at home, for many women. The mother benefits during labor and in her ability to bond as a family with her baby and other children. The baby benefits by bonding with mom and may have less risk of infection after birth. If you are considering a home birth, make an appointment with a midwife to determine if you are a good candidate for home birth. As long as you are healthy and your pregnancy is not complicated, you may be able to give birth at home. There is increased bonding time for the … Continue reading →

Why Women Choose Homebirth

Women choose homebirth for a variety of reasons. The reasons are as varied as the women choosing this type of birth. I have always wanted a homebirth. Sadly, with four children, I never got to have a baby in my home. My husband was always afraid of the concept. I gave in and went off to the hospital for each of my four babies. If I could do it over again, I would give it a try at home. My husband’s grandmother made me want to give birth at home. When we were first married she said, “Now I want … Continue reading →