Intro & Yoga Birth Method

MrsL2B

Hi, I'm currently at 35 weeks, a type 2 diabetic, and facing induction in about a month (if the boy doesn't decide to show up early on his own). I just read through the Yoga Birth Method book (Dorothy Guerra), and I have high hopes that it will be helpful to me during childbirth. I'm hoping to avoid having an epidural and pain meds. Having practiced the physical aspect of yoga for a few years (and the mental part on occasion), I think I can handle this. I've not had a lot of positive feedback from my husband or from friends or doctors, who always seem anxious to suggest that I'm just scared of the big needle in my back and then mention other painkiller options, like Demerol. I feel a bit discouraged by these conversations. I've seen yoga mentioned in a few posts here, and I'd love to hear more about the experiences of women who've used yoga to help them through childbirth.

catsinawindow

I did yoga during PG (although not before).  I think it was very helpful during childbirth.  After 2 days of on/off prodromal labor (that was uncomfortable, but not painful) I had a quick, very manageable labor.  I obviously can't be certain that practicing yoga made this happen, but i think it helped.  There's been a study showing that women who practice yoga during PG have, on average, a labor 2 hours shorter than those that don't.  The women in my prenatal yoga class did seem to have short, "easy" labors so take that as you will.

Yoga helped me to stay active, even at the end of PG, and to stay flexible.  I did a lot of walking and changing positions during labor, and that's supposed to help make labor quick and manageable as well.  Finally, during the first stages of labor I found relaxation breathing very helpful and yoga helped me practice relaxing and breathing while experiencing discomfort.  By the time I was in transition, the breathing wasn't helping, but by then I was almost done anyway.

Of course, everyone will experience labor differently, but my labor with DD really wasn't that terrible.  My first cervical check was at 8 cm and I was honestly surprised to find that I was that far.  I thought to myself "if this is transition, I can totally do this!"  Even in transition, when my pain management techniques weren't working anymore, I didn't feel like I needed an epidural.

So anyway, you CAN do it!  Best of luck, and enjoy that yoga practice.  I miss my prenatal yoga now!

MrsL2B

Thanks, @lisagde. I feel like one of the bigger challenges (in addition to the obvious one of pain)  will be tuning out all the hospital distractions. I had a very un-yogic moment this morning when my cat decided to be a cat right as I was just getting into my practice. I'd closed the shutters to keep the sun out of my eyes, which of course meant that he suddenly needed to sit and yowl at them, despite having been contentedly sleeping 20 feet away only moments before. I couldn't block him out, got frustrated with him, and wound up spraying him with a little water to get him to shut up so that I could focus. I guess I either need to focus on my concentration or accept that frustrating interruptions will happen. 

catsinawindow

Haha!  Darn cats.

For me, labor puts me into a kind of tunnel vision where I'm totally focused on getting through the contractions and don't really pay attention to what's going on around me.  This was true for both DS's birth (where I didn't practice yoga) and DD's birth (where I did).  During my labor with DD, DH had to convince me to put on clothes before leaving for the birth center.  I would have been perfectly fine leaving in my state of nearly complete undress.

This was both good and bad, especially for a hospital birth (which I had with DS).  On one hand, I didn't have to worry about tuning things out around me.  On the other hand I became very compliant and agreed to anything anyone suggested to me.  This was a big reason why I chose to be cared for by midwives at a birth center for my next birth.  I wanted someone who I trusted 100% and had the same goals of a med-free birth that I did.

I know out of hospital birth might not be a possibility for you because of your diabetes,but it's something to think about, especially regarding your caregiver and support people.  Can you trust them to have the same priorities as you?  Can you trust your support people to advocate on your behalf?  Also, not all labors are like this, it was just my experience.  Some women are completely able to advocate for themselves while in labor.

MrsL2B

I feel like I can trust my husband and the medical team all as long as I have made all my wishes very clear up front. Part of the Yoga Birth Method that I'm working on is my Intention to refrain from clamming up when I'm in pain and not expressing my needs. I tend to withdraw when things get tough.

The hospital is really my only option since I will need to be on IV insulin and the baby's blood sugar will need to be checked shortly after birth and treated if necessary. I'm fine with all that. Our hospital is not certified as baby-friendly, but they do have a lot of those practices in place, and my OBs have so far patiently listened to and answered a lot of my questions and concerns. While I'm not thrilled about the possibility of getting induced, I'm even less thrilled about any potential diabetes-related complications.

My husband, while not fully understanding my wish to go without painkillers, has been a good advocate in the past during my medical adventures (I also have an occasionally very painful stomach condition). I just have to make sure to go over everything with him first and fully explain my desires and the research I've put into them. He's great as long as he knows that I know what I'm talking about.

BloomingMomma

Yoga sounds great! Have you considered hiring a doula?

MrsL2B

Unfortunately a doula wasn't something I could figure out how to afford. A good one here costs about as much as I've spent at the pharmacy over the course of this pregnancy.

MsMacual

I have not read that book- although it sounds very interesting.

I sat on my exercise ball and went to my 3rd eye frequently during my labor with my first.  I was able to dilate pretty quickly (about 4ish hours) by staying relaxed and letting my body do it's work.  I think there are definite pluses to tapping into yoga techniques especially from the relaxation and meditation aspect.  I have done some prenatal yoga this time around to help my body prepare.  I did not have a doula for my first birth and we are not planning on one this time around either. 

xc1148

I'm planning on incorporating a few yoga methods into labor, and I've been active with prenatal yoga.

I would be more concerned with your husband's lack of support here...especially if you're in a hospital/center where medical staff are not supportive of your choices. You need someone to be an intermediary because ideally you'll be focused on your labor and not asking/answering questions.