12 Things Every New Mom Should Know About Birth Before Going Into Labor, According To A Doula
Scared of the worst possible scenario? Worrying you won’t be able to handle it? Freaked out from dramatic movie scenes or horror stories from Facebook moms? I’ve compiled the most important tips about vaginal delivery I’ve learned as a birth doula that every new mother should know.
First of all, exhale! It’s okay. Women have been giving birth since the dawn of time, and babies are born all over the world every day! About 385,000 babies every day! And the majority of those births are in the normal range of the childbirth experience. Yes, today, we have more health complications, but we also have improved technology and research to aid us!
However, it’s important to know what is involved before you go into labor and childbirth for the first time. Feeling equipped and in-the-know will help you feel more capable and reduce your stress hormone levels and your pain. No need to add to the labors of the moment with anxiety and fear of the unknown.
Mentality Is Key
Preparing for your birth is crucial to your birth experience, mentally as well as physically. This is going to be very hard, probably one of the most physically painful and draining experiences of your life, if not the most.
Your mentality is key to regulating your hormones. If your stress and cortisol levels increase, your nerves will signal to your muscles to tense up and contract, which will slow or even halt your labor progress. Think of a native woman hundreds of years ago giving birth in the woods or “squatting in a field.” If she saw a tiger or a bear, she would have to run for her life. She can’t be pushing out a baby at this moment, so her body would contract its muscles (a normal stress response) to hold the baby in.
To prevent this stress response during your labor, keep your environment peaceful and quiet, stay off social media and off the phone, and only keep positive and relaxing people around to assist you. If your husband is present, tell him how he can help you. Let him walk with you as a support, hold your hand, help you do labor positions, massage you, hold a fan to your face, and give you affirmation when you need encouragement (make sure you go over all this with him before your labor and then practice). Engaging in relaxing or positively distracting activities will lower cortisol levels and increase oxytocin and dopamine levels.