Women who choose a natural birth tend to have easier recoveries and healthier babies. If you are opting for a natural birth, here are some things to think about during pregnancy.
1. Choose a care provider that supports your wishes for a natural birth and believes in your body's ability to birth your baby.
2. Choose a location that supports a normal birth.
3. Unless there is a medical reason for it, choose not to request an induction. Allowing your baby to show signs that he or she is ready to be born will allow your body to labour at it's natural rhythm.
4. Allow yourself to move during labour. Labour tends to progress more efficiently and it allows more space for the baby to move through the birth canal.
5. Consider inviting a doula to attend your birth. They provide continuous emotional and physical support that can really help you and your partner through labour.
6. Stay hydrated during labour and also use the bathroom every hour. Being dehydrated or having a very full bladder can stall labour.
7. Ask to have baby's heartbeat monitored intermittently. This will allow you the greatest ability to move around as you are comfortable.
8. Use comfort measures from your childbirth education class including massage, birth balls, showers, aromatherapy, breathing, and more. Practice these comfort measures at home to see which ones help you relax.
9. Stay upright during the pushing stage. Squatting actually opens the pelvis allowing more room for the baby to be born.
10. Keep your baby with you after the birth. Try skin-to-skin contact which helps regulate a baby's blood surgar levels, body temperature, and breathing rates.
January 07, 2010
January 02, 2010
Powerful Beginnings Newsletter - January 2010
Happy New Year!
Let's begin 2010 on the right foot with some additional information about pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding.
Visit our website: http://www.birthgoddess.ca/ and create a free account. It will give you access instantly to additional information as well as ours newsletter - Powerful Beginnings.
This month, we have a special guest - Dr Fiona McCulloch, a Naturopathic Doctor. She has included a special article on acupuncture during pregnancy. It is a fantastic read, so take a few minutes to read through it.
Wishing you health in 2010!
Let's begin 2010 on the right foot with some additional information about pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding.
Visit our website: http://www.birthgoddess.ca/ and create a free account. It will give you access instantly to additional information as well as ours newsletter - Powerful Beginnings.
This month, we have a special guest - Dr Fiona McCulloch, a Naturopathic Doctor. She has included a special article on acupuncture during pregnancy. It is a fantastic read, so take a few minutes to read through it.
Wishing you health in 2010!
December 31, 2009
Reducing Stress
We all experience stress from time to time in our lives. When stress is prolonged during pregnancy it can increase the risk of pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy) and preterm labour (labour beginning before 37 weeks gestation).
Regardless of what is causing the stress, it is important for women to take steps to reduce the stress in their lives. Here are some ways to try but don't forget to mention this to your health care provider too.
1. Take time to rest - resting during pregnancy allows your body and mind to relax. You don't have to be sleeping to rest but curling up with a good book or watching a movie you enjoy are also good options. Getting enough sleep is also important and more so during pregnancy.
2. Prenatal yoga - yoga helps to bring the body and mind together. Yoga focuses on controlling the breath through the different poses. The poses learned in a yoga class can be practiced at home and they are also useful in preparing the body for birth.
3. Talk about it - regardless of what is causing the stress in your life, find someone you can talk to about it. If there is no one you are comfortable talking to, consider writing it in a journal.
4. Preparing for birth - pregnancy brings many changes and with those can come stress about the unknown. Make time for a good prenatal class and read some books. Inviting a doula to your birth can also help you prepare because you and your partner don't need to remember all the details from prenatal classes and will have focused, individualized, and continuous support.
5. Exercise - yoga isn't the only exercise that helps relieve stress. Walking is a simple, inexpensive exercise that you can do. It is even better if you go with friends!
6. Relationship talk - spend time with your partner. Take the time to have a nice dinner together, talk about your relationship and really enjoy your time together.
7. Music - listen to some music that you enjoy and sing along too. Music has many relaxing effects and with the variety of music players available today, you can listen to it almost anywhere!
8. Professional help - seeking professional help is not a sign of weakness. Professionals can often help you see what is happening from a different perspective. Different professionals have different techniques available including hypnosis, art therapy, aromatherapy and more.
Taking active steps to reduce the stress in your life during pregnancy helps promote good health for you and your growing baby.
Regardless of what is causing the stress, it is important for women to take steps to reduce the stress in their lives. Here are some ways to try but don't forget to mention this to your health care provider too.
1. Take time to rest - resting during pregnancy allows your body and mind to relax. You don't have to be sleeping to rest but curling up with a good book or watching a movie you enjoy are also good options. Getting enough sleep is also important and more so during pregnancy.
2. Prenatal yoga - yoga helps to bring the body and mind together. Yoga focuses on controlling the breath through the different poses. The poses learned in a yoga class can be practiced at home and they are also useful in preparing the body for birth.
3. Talk about it - regardless of what is causing the stress in your life, find someone you can talk to about it. If there is no one you are comfortable talking to, consider writing it in a journal.
4. Preparing for birth - pregnancy brings many changes and with those can come stress about the unknown. Make time for a good prenatal class and read some books. Inviting a doula to your birth can also help you prepare because you and your partner don't need to remember all the details from prenatal classes and will have focused, individualized, and continuous support.
5. Exercise - yoga isn't the only exercise that helps relieve stress. Walking is a simple, inexpensive exercise that you can do. It is even better if you go with friends!
6. Relationship talk - spend time with your partner. Take the time to have a nice dinner together, talk about your relationship and really enjoy your time together.
7. Music - listen to some music that you enjoy and sing along too. Music has many relaxing effects and with the variety of music players available today, you can listen to it almost anywhere!
8. Professional help - seeking professional help is not a sign of weakness. Professionals can often help you see what is happening from a different perspective. Different professionals have different techniques available including hypnosis, art therapy, aromatherapy and more.
Taking active steps to reduce the stress in your life during pregnancy helps promote good health for you and your growing baby.
December 24, 2009
Don't Skip the Party - Holiday Mocktails!
The holiday season is filled with fun and festivities...and in most cases some drinks shared with loved ones. If you are pregnant this holiday season, it is a great time to try out some of the 'mocktail' recipes or start to experiment a little yourself. Many of the traditional cocktails can be made without the alcohol and still taste great.
If you are hosting this holiday season, try making a signature drink one of the mocktails so you aren't the only one not drinking.
These are also wonderful options when there are other children attending that wouldn't be drinking anyways. They get to share in the delights of the season with the adults and it helps them feel included.
Here are some easy mocktail recipes to get you started:
Pomegranate and Cranberry Bellini
Spiced Lemon Apple Cider
Happy Holidays!
If you are hosting this holiday season, try making a signature drink one of the mocktails so you aren't the only one not drinking.
These are also wonderful options when there are other children attending that wouldn't be drinking anyways. They get to share in the delights of the season with the adults and it helps them feel included.
Here are some easy mocktail recipes to get you started:
Pomegranate and Cranberry Bellini
Spiced Lemon Apple Cider
Happy Holidays!
December 19, 2009
WARMTH for Birth
In some research, I came across a page that used the acronym WARMTH to help remember comfort measures for birth. I love the word that was chosen because to me it reflects the true sentiment of birthing.
W - water - it helps to soothe aches and pains, relaxes muscles, and just feels great! Don't forget to drink it too!
A - awareness of breathing - women who are focused on their breath really do see the difference.
R - relaxation - allowing the body and mind to relax and to be open to the experience.
M - movement - don't be afraid to stay out of the bed; walk, slow dance, sway, sit on a birth ball.
T - touch - especially a loving touch!
H - heart - this is so important. Having people who believe in you and don't forget to believe in yourself too!
What better way to summarize some key tools for birthing that can be done in any setting!
Source: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-56456651.html
W - water - it helps to soothe aches and pains, relaxes muscles, and just feels great! Don't forget to drink it too!
A - awareness of breathing - women who are focused on their breath really do see the difference.
R - relaxation - allowing the body and mind to relax and to be open to the experience.
M - movement - don't be afraid to stay out of the bed; walk, slow dance, sway, sit on a birth ball.
T - touch - especially a loving touch!
H - heart - this is so important. Having people who believe in you and don't forget to believe in yourself too!
What better way to summarize some key tools for birthing that can be done in any setting!
Source: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-56456651.html
December 16, 2009
Setting the mood for birth
When comfort measures are discussed in books or classes, sometimes the obvious is overlooked. We talk about birth balls, heat packs, massage, but we don't take it back to the basics.The environment we birth in makes a difference!
Try to make the environment around you comfortable and relaxing. When we birth in comfortable surroundings, labour tends to progress faster because we feel relaxed and open to the experience.
Some ideas to make you feel comfortable:
- bring lots of pillows from home, if birthing in a hospital. Don't forget colourful pillow cases!
- play music that you enjoy - some women like music they can sing along to because it helps them focus on something else.
- have pictures that you enjoy looking at in the room where you are birthing.
- keep the birthing space at a comfortable temperature.
- try candles at home or LED candles at the hospital - the light is soothing and they are great focal points.
- find other ways to make the space speak to you and make it yours!
Add your favourites!
Try to make the environment around you comfortable and relaxing. When we birth in comfortable surroundings, labour tends to progress faster because we feel relaxed and open to the experience.
Some ideas to make you feel comfortable:
- bring lots of pillows from home, if birthing in a hospital. Don't forget colourful pillow cases!
- play music that you enjoy - some women like music they can sing along to because it helps them focus on something else.
- have pictures that you enjoy looking at in the room where you are birthing.
- keep the birthing space at a comfortable temperature.
- try candles at home or LED candles at the hospital - the light is soothing and they are great focal points.
- find other ways to make the space speak to you and make it yours!
Add your favourites!
December 14, 2009
BirthWatch Facebook Application
The BirthWatch application has recently been launched. It provides expectant parents with an update about how their baby is growing along with recommended books or DVDs. Not only does it provide you with lots of information at your fingertips, it also links you to doulas in your area who are available for your particular due date thanks to the wonderful people are DoulaMatch.net
This is a great application that can help parents connect with their children in utero and understand fetal development stages. How wonderful is it that we can share with others the miracle of life as it happens.
This application is also shared with your facebook friends, so if you aren't telling anyone about the pregnancy yet, wait until are ready or use the privacy functions on your facebook page.
This is a great application that can help parents connect with their children in utero and understand fetal development stages. How wonderful is it that we can share with others the miracle of life as it happens.
This application is also shared with your facebook friends, so if you aren't telling anyone about the pregnancy yet, wait until are ready or use the privacy functions on your facebook page.
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