These are just a few of some commonly asked questions about childbirth I’ve encountered. I hope these help you as you plan for your birth. Contact me today for your FREE doula consultation, and we can work together to prepare for your amazing birth!
What is a doula?
Doula is a Greek word meaning “woman servant.” In modern times it’s come to refer to a woman who helps another woman navigate her way through pregnancy, labor, childbirth, and postpartum. Here is a Birth Boot Camp article on the subject – Why Hire a Doula?
What kind of birth class should I choose?
I would choose whichever option educated me the most on the actual process of birth and things I might experience and encounter at my chosen birth place. Knowing what I need to know allows me to trust the process and relax, which puts me in the best position to achieve my birth goals. Birth Boot Camp classes are just the ticket for an amazing pregnancy and birth experience!
What are some things that helped you achieve a natural birth?
- A supportive birth team. A doctor or midwife who listens is a must. A doula is worth it for you and your partner!
- Take a childbirth class with your partner, if possible. Believe in your ability to birth! I recommend Birth Boot Camp – online and convenient!
How can I prepare my partner who has a weak stomach for the birth?
Take a birth class so that your partner knows what to expect at your birth. It’s amazing what knowledge will do! Also, I’ve had partners use music as a distraction during labor (as in earbuds). This was agreed upon ahead of time by both parties.
How do I handle labor?
Focus on the prize. Relax your muscles. Allow your whole body to relax through contractions. The more you cooperate with the process, the better. Many have gone before you. You are able!
Help! I’m scared of the pain of labor.
This is pain with a purpose. Relaxing as much as possible through the waves will help your body progress along at a steady rate. It’s the same through the most intense part. Add in vocalizing or some other comfort measures that you choose and you’ll have a great arsenal at your disposal. A doula is never a bad idea either!
Am I a good candidate for VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean)?
First, it’s not unlike anything else in life. You HAVE to believe you can do it in order to accomplish it. You can do this! Next, you need a good doula. Prioritize it! A doula can help guide you through choices you’ll have to make along the way, starting with the right provider and hospitals that are VBAC friendly in your area. And then you have extra support for your birth. It’s what doulas do.
I’m having contractions! When should I go to the hospital or birth center?
Since everyone’s labor experience and descriptions of sensations can vary, what you want to look for is a regular pattern that increases in frequency and intensity over time. For some it happens quickly, for others it takes longer. Longer and stronger generally means you’re progressing.
Why do I want to birth this way and others don’t understand my choice?
I spent seven long years waiting to conceive and then another year and a half after a loss for my redemptive birth experience. I wanted to feel everything…just in case it never happened for me again! It was important to me for healing, I guess. I didn’t want to hear what others experienced and settle for less than what was due me. Lots of people didn’t understand, but that didn’t matter. Their birth hopes weren’t like mine. That’s normal! I didn’t push my experience on them and didn’t allow theirs to influence my choices. We’re all on a journey.
Is hospital birth more difficult than home or birth center birth?
It’s the interventions that you’re likely to encounter at the hospital that make birthing there more difficult. So, in order to answer your question, you’d need to research birth outcomes for interventions like continuous fetal monitoring, epidural and pitocin use, artificial rupture of membranes, etc.
What if my baby is breech?
Lauren McClain at Better Birth attempts to demystify breech birth and helps us recognize it as a variation of normal.