Labour, delivery made easy

culled from:pulse.ng

Preparing for labour and delivery is a weird topic amongst ladies of marriageable age. Most feel it’s a bridge they would cross when they get there. As has been discovered by some, these things usually come faster than you can imagine.

I believe that labour and birth is something that you can’t quite wrap your mind and body around unless you’ve experienced it yourself. So being as prepared as possible for the sensations that are experienced  in labor and birth is a great idea. And this is possible even if you’ve never given birth!

These are some specific techniques and skills you can practice prior to birth-day, which can help you mimic what your body will do.

Manage Your Emotions

This is one of the most important aspects of labour and birthing. Your mindset and emotional state are so connected to how your body is able to respond to the sensations you’re feeling.

Feeling scared, stressed, or feeling rushed and pressured, could interrupt how your labour progresses. The slightest change in emotion can lead to high blood pressure and can quickly spiral out of control in a matter of seconds.

Breathing the Baby Down

Birthing babies being born on TV or in the movies, you may have seen some interesting breathing techniques being used.

Breathing is integral to birthing. Focusing your breathing can help you:

1. Manage sensations of pain.
2. Bring yourself back into your body and into the moment, which helps labour progress.
3. Will affect how the core and pelvic floor muscles are able to generate strength.

Push When YOU Feel Ready

The doctor tells you when to push – and not to just push, but push hard. There’s a ten second countdown to coach you through it. Please take note that pushing doesn’t mean bearing down on the pelvic floor.

Let the uterus do the work in labour and birth. That’s what it’s meant for. Essentially, the uterus is extremely strong and will be contracting to move the baby down.

Different Positions

We tend to have a picture of labour and birth as happening in a hospital bed, reclined on one’s back, knees up to the ears.

Well, labour and birth often does NOT happen in this manner. In fact, lying on your back can be incredibly uncomfortable and an ineffective birthing position for many women.

Birthing on your back is sometimes described as trying to ‘push your baby up a hill’. The pelvis is in a tucked under position when you are fixed on your back,  the pelvis is unable to shift or move, and the baby is unable to really use the forces of gravity to help themselves move downwards.

Other effective positions you can try are:

1. Side Lying
2. Hands and Knees (you can rock your pelvis back and forth)
3. Squatting
4. Leaning Forward
5. Seated

These positions might work best at different times while you’re labouring and in birth. Try them out and see which feels the most comfortable. Keeps your pelvis moving as it can help the baby move and shift into a better position in your pelvis.