Secrets For Your Best Birth Experience That You May Never Hear From Your OB

There is SO much information out there about pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum and the newborn stage of life. I bet that in the process of trying to learn and prepare for  it all, you have had a moment of feeling totally overwhelmed. Don’t worry, you aren’t alone!

Often times your appointments with your health care providers are not enough to help you get a full grasp on how to best prepare for your birth during pregnancy and learn what to expect in the labor and birth process. There are also a lot of things they may not suggest to you that may be just what you need! OB/GYNs are trained to monitor the health and well being of you and your baby, but there is an even deeper world to jump in to in order to feel prepared, educated, and ready to take on your role as mom!

SECRET #1–

Get adjusted regularly by a Webster Certified Chiropractor 

If you don’t read any further, please DON’T MISS THIS. In my experience, having adjustments throughout your pregnancy from a trained and reputable webster certified chiropractor can make or break your birth experience. No matter what your birth goals are, seeing a chiropractor makes sure that your spine and pelvis are in alignment to best facilitate your baby’s optimal birth position and easy exit during labor and birth. If there is misalignment in any part of your spine it can make your labor longer, more painful and increase your time pushing your baby out (1).

Take notice of the spine and pelvis in this video – during pregnancy your baby’s optimal position is laying with their back to the left side of your body, and as labor progresses, baby moves down and rotates under your pubic bone (bone on top of the baby’s right ear), and out of your body. When misalignment in your spine or pelvis occurs, the space baby has to move and rotate into is usually smaller, but chiropractic care can help adjust your pelvis to give baby all the space they need!

Find a Webster Certified Chiropractor near you — 

http://icpa4kids.org/Find-a-Chiropractor/

 

SECRET #2–

Take a (thorough) Child Birth Class and Hire a Doula

The time you have for appointments with your health care provider is a great time to ask questions, but often not a long enough time to get thorough answers and teaching. If you have in depth questions and are confused about the birth process, it is best to take a class, and ask questions in that space where there is adequate time to be thoroughly educated! Again, your doctor monitors the health and wellness of you and baby at your appointments, and often appointments alone won’t thoroughly teach you all you need to know to feel prepared. There are many different types of birth classes out there, and I recommend taking either a Comprehensive, Hospital Class or Comfort Measures class through Birth Boot Camp, or another thorough class that is offered in your area!

Imagine taking a test in high school and having the option of having the teacher sit beside you and help you with every question. This is exactly what it is like when you take a child birth class and hire a doula! You have all of the information that you need, and a person to help you remember and apply all you know. Not to mention all of the benefits of having a doula at your birth: Decreases C-Section rates by 28%, Pitocin use by 31%, Dissatisfying birth experiences by 34%, and length of labor by 40 minutes. Such a win!

Find a Birth Boot Camp Instructor near you–   

https://birthbootcamp.com/childbirth-education/instructordirectory/

Find a Doula near you —

 https://doulamatch.net/search

SECRET #3–

Watch Birth Videos

No matter what setting you are having your baby (hospital, birth center or home), and what your birth goals are, it is so good to see the process in real time. With the rise of vlogging and Youtube, there is no shortage of birth vlogs and videos online!

Keep in mind the notes that I have put above the videos. Labor time, as well as pushing time can be different based on where you birth, what baby it is (first, second, third, etc.), and more. Enjoy! —

Epidural Birth Vlogs

-Induction with Epidural

-Epidural birth without Induction 

-Unmedicated Hospital Birth

Cesarean Births-

-Unplanned Cesarean

-Planned Repeat C-Section

Birth Center Births-

-Birth Center Birth with Doula

-First Baby

 

Home Births

-First Baby 

-Third Baby

 

Ashlyn is a Registered Nurse and Birth Doula serving the DFW area of Texas. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Jacob, and her cat, Lucy, when not attending births. Inquire for 2019 due dates! 

 

Resources–

(1)- http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/chiropractic-care-during-pregnancy/