Top tips for birth! Before, during, and after - part 1

There are so many things you can do to ensure you have a positive birth experience. Here are my top tips!

Before:

Prepare

This is soooo so important. Prepare! You wouldn't book a holiday without knowing where your accommodation is - how far away from the beach, airport, city centre, FOOD, it is! You wouldn't go to job interview before doing a bit of research on the company and the job role! So why would you give birth without knowing anything about birth?! You shouldn't. Now, our bodies are designed to birth babies. They can do it without us having to force anything. And you do not need to be an expert! You don't need to have the knowledge and understanding that midwives do! But it is important to know what to expect, your options, how to work with your body, how to reframe your brain! (my course covers all of this, btw). Preparing can look different for everyone. You can read books, listen to podcasts, do an online birth prep course, have a 1:1 course, or book in an hour 1:1 session.

Positive Birth Stories

SURROUND yourself with positive birth stories. I'm sure for most of your life you would have heard traumatic birth stories, seen unrealistic and painful birth experiences on TV. We're repeatedly told how giving birth is the most painful thing in the world. All of this impacts how we think about birth. And when there's so much negativity, that sinks in and can make us have negative views of birth. But birth doesn't have to be that way! Birth can be a really beautiful, positive experience - whatever type of birth you have and however your birth may unfold. So surround yourself with positive birth stories. There's loads of podcasts, blogs, videos on instagram and YouTube. Start rewiring your brain so it views birth as a positive experience.

Birth Plan

"what's the point in making a birth plan if it isn't even going to happen?" I hear you ask. Well, I ask you - what if it DOES happen? What if you do get the birth you're dreaming of? It's possible! And a birth plan doesn't have to be just about one type of birth. You can include what you'd like to happen in case of an induction, caesarean, hospital birth, home birth - you can create as many as you like to cover all possibilities. I would reallllly recommend writing your birth plan with your birth partner. This ensures you're on the same page - they know what you want and will be able to advocate for you. You should also share it with your healthcare providers, and they should read it and implement your wishes. It can be really hard to make decisions about things whilst you're giving birth, like pain relief and interventions, so making a birth plan before ensures your wishes and wants are made clear. Of course it's not set in stone - you can be flexible and things can change! But this is a really important thing to do.

Build Trust in Your Body and Baby

This can be a lot of work. But my god it is so powerful and can be the most influential thing in your birthing experience. Your body is designed to give birth. We have been giving birth for thousands of years - before medicine, midwives, hospitals. You are more than capable of doing this. Your baby knows how and when to be born. Positive birth affirmations can support this. I'd also recommend some spiritual practices. Reach out to the universe, journal, meditate, listen to relaxations. Connect with your body and your baby, and your intuition. For me personally, the trust I had in my body, my baby, and my intuition got me through labour. It does for many others too. And what a beautiful thing to have - build it in pregnancy, and it will last with you!

Create Multiple Playlists

Setting the scene with music is a really important job! Thing is, you don't know what you're going to want to listen to during birth. That's why I'd recommend creating multiple options and playlists. Make one full of relaxing music, another full of all your favourite songs, another of songs you know all the words to that are guaranteed to make you dance and smile. Then when you're in labour you can put on whatever suits! And don't wait until the pushing stage to put it on!!

What do you think? What would you add? Let me know! Top tips for during labour and after will be coming soon!

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