You are pregnant, and are jumping on the natural birthing band wagon. Why wouldn't you? Ideally we don't want a bunch of interventions trying to control what our bodies were naturally meant to do. Give birth.
Childbirth is your own personal Olympics. Physical and mental preparation is necessary!
Here are some tips I share with my pregnant mamas:
Are you supported? Choose a provider who is enthusiastic about your vision of a natural birth! Trust your gut feeling about how genuine your provider is in supporting your decision. Be sure your provider is positive, and resourceful. Do you leave their office feeling confident or bummed out & full of doubt? Hire a Doula! This decreases the chance of using interventions tremendously! Have your partner join you in the birthing education classes! Their support is very important.
Birthing place – Giving birth at home allows you to be most comfortable! I know its the only place I feel comfortable enough to walk around wearing nothing but a face mask and slippers! You have your bed, bathtub, your pet, your garden and other endless resources to nurture you. In the hospital, women usually become tethered to the bed. Either way, what is most important is that you birth where you feel safest. For some women that is at home, and for others it is the hospital. You can absolutely have an amazing birth in the hospital (again, a Doula can help with that!)
Diet and Exercise – Childbirth is an athletic event! You have 9 months to train for the marathon of your life! Feed yourself the healthiest foods possible. Organic foods, bone broths, fruits, and veggies! Be sure you are capable of walking 4 miles, at 40 weeks… or even 41½ weeks! No high impact aerobics, jogging, jumping jacks or skipping rope because those activities will damage your body in pregnancy. Being fit will give you the energy you need to complete the task, with improved recovery time and energy for newborn care.
PreNatal Yoga and Hypnobirthing – Learn how to stop the chatter in your mind, and breath with the surges(contractions) instead of fighting them. I also recommend Bellruth Naperstacks Guided Meditation For Healthy Pregnancy and Childbirth to keep a positive
The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Massage For Pregnancy – Last but not least! Traditional midwife body work is making a comeback, and for a good reason! Women in my practice who receive this traditional prenatal bodywork regularly throughout their pregnancy have the shortest labors I see, including older moms! I also notice they push more effectively. I am beginning to make this a requirement of my doula clients so we don't have to labor for 3 days anymore! This is a simple and wildly effective bodywork traditional to Central America, including what I've learned from traditional midwives and sobadoras. along with being certified by Dr. Rosita Arvigo.
How does it work?
The massage tones the uterine muscles, causing them to coordinate well during labor, and after the birth to prevent hemorrhage. The massage may also increase the number of receptors to accept the powerful contracting hormones delivered from that ancient part of your brain. During the massage, the uterus is aligned within the pelvic bowl, helping the baby pick a good position for the birth, and also virtually eliminates mysterious pains some women experience as their uterus grows. The lower back and pelvic bones are also aligned so that the nervous system can communicate well with the uterus. The massage changes as you advance through the pregnancy, to meet the changing needs of the childbearing woman. It also includes work the fascia (connective tissue) that wraps the sacrum. If fascia of the sacrum has a “wrinkle” or “knots” it can twist the lower uterine segment. The bodywork also releases the psoas, which is often rock hard on pregnant women. As they say “If so psoas is balanced, so goes the birth”. I also include traditional Rebozo techniques, which mamas LOVE.
Bodywork and massage have historically always been apart of pregnancy the birthing process. It’s the missing piece for a pain free pregnancy and efficient birth.
I hope this info helps! Best of luck on your birthing journey!