Articles
How to Prepare for a Natural Birth
The information below is especially important for first time moms and women planning a VBAC. I ask that all of my first time/VBAC clients follow these guidelines as closely as possible to give themselves the best shot at a healthy vaginal delivery.
Preparation for labor begins at home with you. There is a great deal you can do on a daily basis to prepare your body and mind for labor & birth. Below are the methods and daily habits I have found most supportive for setting you up for successful, natural birth.
My recipe for the healthiest birth possible:
Optimal nutrition: Eating a diet high in protein (100-120g protein per day throughout pregnancy) and a variety of vegetables and fruits gives your body the nutrients needed to sustain a healthy pregnancy. Reducing or avoiding refined sugars, refined carbohydrates and processed foods and helps to avoid complications such as pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes that can complicate labor and birth. A good diet will also give you and your baby the necessary sustenance needed to tolerate labor well and have an easier recovery postpartum. Please read or listen to this wonderful book.
Stay well hydrated. The uterus and body cannot function well in a dehydrated state. We need at least half our body weight in oz of water each day, so a 150 pound woman would need 75oz of water per day. Electrolytes are a major plus in pregnancy. You wouldn't run a marathon dehydrated and expect to win the race, right?
Physical activity is also important. It doesn't need to be crazy, you don't have to lift weights or work out hard every day, but it is important to walk/move for 20-30 minutes continuously most days. This conditions your body to tolerate the intensity of labor with much less stress, helps prevent blood pressure and blood sugar problems and helps your baby move down into the pelvis in an optimal position.
Getting regular Chiropractic Care by 30 weeks of pregnancy from a prenatal specialist (Webster Certified Chiropractor) is one of the best ways to set yourself up for a successful natural birth. Chiropractic care aligns and balances the mothers' spine and pelvis to make it easier for the baby to move down during labor AND it improves nerve and muscle function of the pelvis/uterus, literally unblocking and optimizing the power supply for contractions.
https://www.kaleidoscopechiropractic.com/
Educate yourself with books, podcasts, and childbirth education classes. Empower yourself with knowledge to replace fear of the unknown. Understand the phases and stages of labor so you know what is normal, and learn comfort measures/ techniques to use during labor.
Favorite book on Natural/Home Birth:
Favorite podcast:
https://www.myhappyhomebirth.com/podcast-2/
Favorite Childbirth Education:
Virtual/online: https://www.naturalchildbirth101.com/
In person: https://www.sozenbirth.com/
Take care of your emotional health. If you have emotional challenges that you feel could affect your pregnancy, labor, birth or postpartum period please try to resolve them or get support to help you cope. This includes any negative past pregnancy/birth experiences or specific fears regarding your birth/baby etc. Do any work that you feel is needed to release the story of your previous birth experience and begin to visualize how you want this birth to go instead! Focus on what you do want, not on what you don’t want! Below is the most incredible resource for professional therapy that specializes in pregnancy, birth and postpartum support.
Move It, Move It! How Movement Impacts Labor and Childbirth
How movement can reduce labor pain and make your labor shorter.