I threw out the question, “What’s one thing you wished you knew about labour/birth that nobody told you before going into it?” and these were some of the juicy replies I got from my Instagram fam - aren't they great?!
“Educate yourself! Don’t go into this blind!”
Become a student of birth. Take a thorough prenatal course that explores birth from a physiological perspective. Inform yourself about what different options you have e.g. place of birth, healthcare provider, birth team, pain management, and the associated risks and benefits, etc.
Oh, and unlearning a lot of the fear-based knowledge that isn’t necessarily true that society tells us about birth is JUST as important as learning new things, too.
It’s easy to fear what we don’t know - there can be a lot of fear around even just the thought of birth, especially for first-time parents, because it’s completely new territory! But I think a lot of that can be significantly lessened once you actually dive in and start discovering what you could expect.
“Intervention often leads to needing more intervention”
Ohhh yes - one thing often leads to another - what we call “the cascade of interventions” in the birth world.
For example,
You’re tired of being pregnant and so ready to meet baby →
Get multiple stretch and sweeps done, with no "progress" being made →
Agree to get admitted and start the induction process →
They try a gel, then a foley, then start you on pitocin, but your cervix is just not ready yet → Pitocin intensifies contractions and you tough it out until you can’t anymore →
You get an epidural to help cope and give you some rest →
Baby’s heart rate decelerates/shows some strange patterns and they suggest emergency surgery →
Breastfeeding and bonding is harder than you thought →
You spiral into postpartum depression/anxiety, etc...and so it goes
Does it happen every time? No. Can you have one intervention without it leading to another? Sure, but it's hard.
Listen, I’m not against any and every medical intervention; I believe there is a time and place for them, buuuut I am FOR knowing the risks and benefits to each and every intervention you consent to……and the impact each intervention can have on physiological birth.
“What early labour is like exactly. And that I should sleep as much as I can during it.”
For many, especially if this is your first baby, labour is a marathon.
That's why sleeping and resting in the early stages is so wise! You need to conserve your energy because it could be a long haul. Baby could come in a few hours, or it could be a few days yet.
Try and do daytime things in the day and nighttime things in the night aka just try and go about your normal business - ignore it until you can’t ignore it anymore!
“You don’t just have to push on your back!”
Truth is, there are SO many different positions that are going to work with your body SO much better than being on your back.
Being on your back compresses your sacrum and actually causes your body to work against gravity, which can make it a lot harder. Some of my favourite (and most effective) pushing positions are hands and knees, squatting, or side-lying.
“I wish I knew that a doctor shouldn’t be able to threaten me into things like an epidural”
Your care provider (e.g. doctor or midwife) works for YOU; not the other way around!
If your care provider ever threatens, belittles, makes you feel like you don’t have options, etc. or does things without your consent, RUN.
Your care provider NEEDS to be someone in your corner who is going to support your wishes, present your options and provide the evidence in an unbiased way, and make you feel encouraged and supported. Know that it’s totally okay to ask for another doctor, nurse or midwife, or go elsewhere if you don’t feel completely supported.
But also we talk about advocating for ourselves and our choices - in the heat of the moment, when you’re in labour land, exhausted, not thinking straight, etc. it can be so hard to stand up for yourself (that’s why having someone else there who knows you and your wishes - aka me, your doula! - can be so beneficial!)
You deserve to be able to make your own informed decisions when it comes to your birth and your baby.
“That it is truly amazing! Have coping skills. It’s a beautiful and incredible experience!”
YES!!! More of this, please!
In case no one’s told you - birth is incredible and and can be the most empowering, beautiful experience you’ll ever have or be able to witness!
It is SO important to have some coping skills in your back pocket going into labour. Don’t know where to start? Check out my free pdf on my top 5 NATURAL pain relievers in labour here!
Photo by John & Samantha Butler Photography
Which of these resonates most with you? Let me know in the comments!
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