What Philosophy of Natural Childbirth Do You Plan to Follow?

duckie23 · August 2014

Every natural birth is different, and I think you probably don't know what will really work for you until you're in the moment, but if you are preparing and educating yourself, what methods are you following (by reading books, taking classes, etc.)?

JCWhitey · August 2014

Hypnobirthing. Although in actual labor I just did anything and everything I felt like to feel good during it. I went in the tub (only felt good for about 10 minutes), sat on the toilet, bounced on the ball, laid backwards on the ball, hummed, swayed, massage.... whatever worked at the time.

conradraging · August 2014

Kind of just winging it and doing what feels right. I have been listening to hypnobabies, but don't really see myself using the tracks in the hospital.

MuchlyGen · August 2014

Other: being genuinely badass.

LOL!

I really didn't use any particular method in prior pregnancies nor do I intend to with this one. It was a lot more about mental state, I think, combined with various things I read about in birth stories, or things that I knew would help me cope with the intensity - position changes, humming techniques, consciously relaxing parts of my body, solitude (I don't like being touched in labor!) and whatever else felt right at the time.

KittyMisha · August 2014

I'm also in the "winging it" camp.

MsMacual · August 2014

We didn't take a class or follow a specific method. I read the Bradley book before DS#1 was born and relied on my yoga training and other relaxation techniques to get me through. I thought that labor was an intuitive process and let my body take the lead. This time around, I'm doing most of the same and also am hoping that we can get the timing right to do a water birth (I got to the hospital too late to fill the tub with my first).

jennypolkadots · August 2014

Other - a little bit of everything. DH is an amazing partner and I always turn to him when I need support. We are working on a list of things that I believe will help me through labor. Some of these include highlighted portions of positive birthing books (Ina May's Guide is my favorite!), funny stories, favorite songs, talking sweetly about our baby (esp. since we are team green), massage techniques, different positions, meditation (DH and I meditate daily so I think this will be great), etc.

We are thankful to be working with a very experienced midwife. She has been delivering for over 30 years and has a very low transfer rate. She has many tricks up her sleeve. I asked her what she thought about all of these classes and other things and she said that tools are great for women who don't have much support, but if you can be in a positive environment with people who love you and that you trust, and just trust in your body and welcome the labor... you will have a good labor. I believe this. Hypnobabies didn't exist a thousand years ago, or in cultures around the world where women do not fear labor or have extremely painful labors. That's not to say it doesn't work for many mothers, just that it's not necessary for a calm birth. Our midwife has a lending library so I will read up and borrow pieces of all of these techniques, but don't plan to use any of them. We are not having a hospital birth because frankly no meditation or breathing techniques will make me forget about the sensors beeping and sterile environment, and I know I will labor better in a home setting without time pressures or strangers coming in and out.

iris427 · August 2014

jennypolkadots said:

Other - a little bit of everything. DH is an amazing partner and I always turn to him when I need support. We are working on a list of things that I believe will help me through labor. Some of these include highlighted portions of positive birthing books (Ina May's Guide is my favorite!), funny stories, favorite songs, talking sweetly about our baby (esp. since we are team green), massage techniques, different positions, meditation (DH and I meditate daily so I think this will be great), etc.

We are thankful to be working with a very experienced midwife. She has been delivering for over 30 years and has a very low transfer rate. She has many tricks up her sleeve. I asked her what she thought about all of these classes and other things and she said that tools are great for women who don't have much support, but if you can be in a positive environment with people who love you and that you trust, and just trust in your body and welcome the labor... you will have a good labor. I believe this. Hypnobabies didn't exist a thousand years ago, or in cultures around the world where women do not fear labor or have extremely painful labors. That's not to say it doesn't work for many mothers, just that it's not necessary for a calm birth. Our midwife has a lending library so I will read up and borrow pieces of all of these techniques, but don't plan to use any of them. We are not having a hospital birth because frankly no meditation or breathing techniques will make me forget about the sensors beeping and sterile environment, and I know I will labor better in a home setting without time pressures or strangers coming in and out.

Which cultures are these?

JCWhitey · August 2014

Strange. I had a ton of support and found my classes to be extremely helpful. I also slept great thanks to the hypnosis courses. Ladies, any of these courses are not just for those who do not have support. In fact many put an emphasis on how important your birth partner is and involves them heavily. DH loved the classes because he got to be involved and he learned a lot.

JennaRaek · August 2014

We "winged" it with DS. Never took a class or anything. I read a lot of birth stories, but ultimately I felt like my body knew what to do. And it did! I was in the tub for about an hour. Other than that I walked around until I got too uncomfortable and then I didn't want to move. It went great and I hope to do the same this time around. If this labor/delivery was less than 16 hours, that'd be great though!

Good luck! Trust your body and what it tells you.

jennypolkadots · August 2014

@iris427 - I am mostly referring to the section in Ina May Gaskins "Guide to Childbirth book" where she talks about many cultures in Africa and Japan where childbirth is regarded as the mothers work and women do not fear it. Pain meds are not an option and birth is not regarded as extremely painful. This is a big contrast between in the US where we see birth dramatized in media and most women believe they can't do it without getting the epi asap. Fear causes pain.

I've never been afraid of birth but I am thankful that no one in my family has ever had a traumatic birth. My mom, for example, had 4 hours of labor with my older sister and 45 minutes with me. I realize I may not have the same experience, but I believe in my body and am not afraid of the experience.

Anyways... the comment from my midwife about support. We had a long discussion so I was paraphrasing. Basically she was saying that in hospitals you need more tools to handle the pain and fear because you are not in an naturally relaxing environment. You have to tune out the beeping monitors, the nurses, the lights, the unfamiliar surroundings for your body to relax. It is just different than what we are planning and she doesn't recommend any specific classes because your body knows what to do, and that is very different for every woman. I will add that my husband and I meditate daily anyways and it definitely helps with relaxation and sleep. I will probably intuitively use that during labor, as I have in the past with other experiences and it can help a lot. Hypnobabies/hypnobirthing seems to be geared more towards women who just started meditation in the later stages of pregnancy rather than those of us who do 30 minutes a day daily for years beforehand. I also do yoga and passive muscle relaxation regularly. So we all need different tools especially if you have not learned how to get to a calm state of mind before pregnancy. Use whatever you think will work for you and make you feel the most excited for your birth! I was just sharing our plans.

runawaylaurel · August 2014

My midwifery practice requires a birth class of some sort for homebirths. I didn't ask why, but I'm all for more information in my life so we're doing Bradley Method.

catsinawindow · August 2014

The only official "course" I took was Lamaze. It was a four hour refresher course and I while it gave me and DH some good ideas, I don't really consider my "birth philosophy" to be Lamaze. I think prenatal yoga actually influenced my birth a lot more. I had the opportunity to practice the deep yoga breathing, practice lots of positions that are good for laboring/birth, kegels and squats, etc. I ended up having a short, not very painful labor and while I attribute a lot of that to luck, I also think that my yoga practice played a big role in my calm mental state and physical conditioning that allowed my body to progress that quickly.

KrisM86 · August 2014

I really didn't use any one method. I read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, and focused on deep breathing, positions that felt right, and got in the shower and tub.

shellybean3788 · August 2014

Bradley Method.

12 weeks, a workbook, meetings... Seems like a boot camp for preggies, and I like that. Makes me feel prepared.

Not that you can ever be 100% prepared.

Barefoot84 · August 2014

I've read a couple of books (Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, and Natural Birth in a Hospital) and I'm hoping my research, my prenatal yoga and my willpower will be enough. H is also on board, and promised to do his best to help me get the natural birth I want. Crossing my fingers that everything goes well.

leela02 · September 2014

I plan to wing it with the help of a doula and DH. My MIL thinks DH will get too emotional and useless so I hope the doula is great. :-j

I took the hospital childbirth class. The various massage techniques and positions were useful. It also showed a video of a couple going through the entire unmedicated birth process. So at least I have a visual idea of what I can do at home and at the hospital.

LilTiger15 · September 2014

Hypnobabies--completely different from the Hypnobirthing technique.

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