Birth in Bloom

Positioning your baby - Pregnancy & Birth

"Let's change positions"...it's what I hear myself telling moms over and over again throughout labor.

I came across this fantastic article (with photos!) by New Moon Birth, giving some examples of the wonderful positioning that helps not only encourage baby into a good position for birth, but also to keep the flow of energy moving through your labor. Check it our here: Miles Circuit-Positioning Baby

The use of a birth ball during labor is more commonly practiced now, with some hospitals even providing them when you arrive in Labor & Delivery. But did you know how useful that same ball can be prenatally?

In the last 6 weeks of pregnancy, when you are encouraging the baby into the best position for birth, sitting on the ball or kneeling on the floor leaning your upper chest over the ball, will encourage the weight of the baby's spine to lie in the curve of your belly muscles.

When in this position, the baby's head is easily 'flexed' (chin tucked onto the chest), so that the smallest part of baby's head will be applied to the cervix first.

Choosing a ball

The labeling on the ball can be confusing. For instance I am 5' 3" and the recommended ball for me was a 55cm.  But for this use, I need a fully inflated 65cm ball to have proper positioning. Based on that I make the following recommendation to moms:

If you are 5' 7" or shorter, a 65cm ball is a good size for you When you sit on the ball you want your knees to be at a 90 degree angle. You can inflate or deflate the ball to help achieve this.

If you are 5' 8" or taller, a 75cm ball will be best for you. Same instructions as above.

"Take your ball to work day"

Why not make yourself more comfortable and supported by taking a ball to work? The average cost is around $15 and your back will thank you.

Other uses could be while siting at the table, watching TV, while rocking your older child to sleep. Really, anytime you would normally be sitting down, I say opt for the ball.

You can also use it for pelvic rocks or tilts, another great way to help baby into a good position for birth. While kneeling on the floor, rest your upper body on the ball and rock your pelvis up and down.

The ball isn't the only way to help encourage a good position for baby. Here are some other suggestions for encouraging optimal fetal positioning:

• Use yoga positions while resting, reading or watching TV - such as tailor pose (sitting with your back upright and soles of the feet together, knees out to the sides)
  
  
• Sit on a wedge cushion in the car, so that your pelvis is tilted forwards. Keep the seat back upright.
  
  
• Don't cross your legs. This reduces the space at the front of the pelvis, and opens it up at the back. For good positioning, the baby needs to have lots of space at the front.
  
  
• Don't put your feet up. Lying back with your feet up encourages posterior presentation.

• Sleep on your side, not on your back.
  
  
• Avoid deep squatting, which opens up the pelvis and encourages the baby to move down, until you know baby is facing the right way.
  
  
• Go for a swim! Swimming with your belly downwards - such as breaststroke or front crawl.

Need more ideas? Check out these other great positioning resources:

Malpositioning - Spinning Babies

Optimal Fetal Positioning - Natural Birth In Kitsap (great photos & explanations)

Posture in Pregnancy- Spinning Babies

Rebozo Repositioning

 

HypnoBirthing, birthing in an atmosphere of calm

When you choose to learn HypnoBirthing you are truly giving yourself the tools and techniques you need not only to empower your birth experience, but also skills you can use to relax later when Breastfeeding and even parenting!

 

"When you change the way you view birth, the way you birth will change." -Marie Mongan 

 

 

My first experience with HypnoBirthing was when I came across the book HypnoBirthing: The Mongan Method in the Birth section of Barnes & Noble. I flipped through the pages and decided it looked like a great approach that was in line with my desire for a natural birth experience. At the time, I had no idea how often I would use the techniques I learned. After reading the book, practicing the affirmations, and loading the included CD onto my iPod, I knew I was setting myself up for success! 

I first noticed myself using the tools when I was driving to my 37 week OB appointment. My little one had been presenting breech and I was spending every other day driving to either the acupuncturist, the massage therapist, or the chiropractor, in an effort to flip that little girl around and every week I would drive to the office worrying, except this week. This week I was calm, I was breathing slowly and rhythmically, I was resting the tip of my tongue on the top of my mouth and thinking about my peace sanctuary (one of the relaxation exercises) and I felt peaceful. I wasn't even in labor yet and HypnoBirthing had already affected my life in an extremely powerful way.

 

 Hypno-What? 

HypnoBirthing allows you to experience birthing in an atmosphere of calm relaxation, free of the fear that prevents the muscles of the body from functioning as nature intended them to. In this calm state, your body's natural relaxant, endorphins, replaces the stress hormones that constrict and cause pain. 

This philosophy and method supports you fully by helping you tune into your natural birthing instincts to experience a calm, serene and comfortable birth.

  

The proof is in the pudding

Just like any other method, the only way to know a techniques true potential there is always the question “how many of your HypnoBirthing families actually end up with an unmedicated birth”. My answer is “All of them.” Every family that I have worked with who took the HypnoBirthing series of classes has delivered vaginally without pain medication. That’s about as successful as it gets and that’s why I’m writing this post.

 

 

To learn more about how HypnoBirthing can enhance not only your birth experience but your life, please contact one of these local HypnoBirthing educators that I work with:

Sharon Stevenson

Offering Group Classes in Classes in Alexandria, VA

Yoga, Birth & Beyond
703.971.7305

Stephanie Kraft

Offering Private and Group classes in Burke, VA

Healing and Hypnotherapy
202.250.1051

 

The magical gift of Relaxation

I know you've heard this before "just relax". In pregnancy, labor and even life with baby, that isn't going to get you very far. What you need to know is how to relax and the sooner you learn how, the better.

The first step towards relaxation is to create an environment that supports and nurtures you. Be it dimming the lights, using fluffy pillows for even wearing comfy and cozy clothing, creating an atmosphere of calm will set the tone for relaxation.  This is especially important in labor, it is up to you and your Doula if you have one, to help set up an atmosphere of comfort.  Creating a warm and fuzzy space allows mom (and dad) the sense of confidence they need to keep a good flow in labor. 

Getting to know yourself

This is a wonderful time to get to know your body and learn how to relax during your pregnancy. There are many stressful moments during pregnancy and when those situations arise stop, take a deep breath in and as you breathe out, let the muscles relax so that they feel loose, open and soft. Afterward take a moment to think about which parts of your body became tense and needed releasing. We all hold tension differently and stress builds up in your body, learning where you hold your stress and tension now will help you understand where and how to relax when things become more demanding. You could also do a body scan, imagining each part by itself, filling with a warm radiant light and relaxing as it does. Some call this a roving body check and it is a wonderful beginning on becoming aware of how it feels to enter a relaxed state.

Not purely a solo act

Once baby arrives you will have endless opportunities to practice relaxation, complete with distractions. Between nursing, diapering, bathing, and squeezing in sleep when possible, there will be many times that a good, nice, deep breath that starts at the tip of your head and ends leaving your toes, will be just what you need to pick up and do whatever is next on your list. Gather the tools you need for parenting now by becoming more in tune with your body and your breathing by learning how to truly relax yourself.

For more information or to learn how to help yourself breathe better and relax more efficiently you can Register for our winter session of Breathing & Relaxation for Birth today, private and group classes are available!

Learning to trust

The more women I meet, the more I begin to realize that what we choose to believe about our abilities influences us more than what we actually know about our abilities!  Why do we let the world tell us that we can't give birth without interventions when we know that our bodies were made to give birth?

Once a Doula, always a Doula

As much as I try, I have to admit I'm always in Doula mode...when shopping at the grocery store or having a get together with friends, I am always listening to what women are saying about themselves and my ears especially perk up when the subject turns to childbirth. It never ceases to amaze me when what I end up hearing is primarily negative. I grew up believing I could be anything I wanted to, from being a singer to teaching children, I knew that if I just went for it I would surely be able to do it. But the same concept isn't taught when it comes to childbirth. On television birth is portrayed at scary and the women are always screaming and looking frightened - I think about my daughter watching this same thing it's so obvious - what else could she possibly believe other than that birth is something to fear and that women can't handle birth, which is the opposite of what I believe. I've never witnessed a live birth where a woman was screaming in that way...that's not to say that she was smiling and singing but given a strong support team, good solid coping techniques and most importantly a belief that she can give birth, a woman can and will create a birth that she will look back on and feel good about.

Believe in yourself

An artist friend of mine makes some really beautiful jewelry with words. I asked her to make this necklace so that I could share my message with everyone I come into contact with and it turned out perfectly. I reads simply Trust Birth, something that I hope we as women can teach ourselves, and our daugthers (and whomever else we can) to do.  If I could I would give everyone I know a necklace like this, it's a powerful message and one that we have to really remind ourselves and remind others to do. If you would like a necklace like this, or with any other words, here's a link to Cameron's shop www.createbeautydaily.etsy.com

Give yourself the gift of a truly remarkable birth experience by building a strong support team including a Doula and surround your space with affirmations reminding you that you are strong and you can trust your body and trust birth.  One of my very favorite quotes from Virginia diOrio says it so poetically ”Just as a woman’s heart knows how and when to pump, her lungs to inhale, and her hand to pull back from fire, so she knows when and how to give birth.”

Lamaze Weekend

Doing what I love

A few weeks ago I spend three days in Camp Hill, PA with a wonderful group of women, all with the same desire to make a difference in the lives of women and their families through empowering and improving their childbirth experience.  We learned a lot but we also laughed together and even cried together, watching videos of powerful amazing births.

Putting it all together

One of the best parts of the weekend was the peer training day.  It was actually the day I dreaded most, but as with most things I spend time dreading, it ended up being just what I needed! I taught a session on Baby-wearing, some of the other topics presented were Rebozo (It was so interesting I am dedicating an entire post to the subject), Prenatal Yoga, Massage, and Using a Birth Ball. I felt so lucky to have taken part in such a powerful and helpful workshop and I can't wait to share the knowledge and confidence I learned with my own Lamaze students!

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a dynamic Lamaze instructor I HIGHLY recommend contacting Teri Shilling at Passion for Birth. Her workshop was fabulous! I also think it's worth noting that the workbook I received as a workshop participant is too cool.  All the sections are color coded including coordinating paper, I'll have to take a photo and post it later. Just getting the initial package in the mail gave me goose bumps but then after the seminar we got a beautiful little bag with yummy oils, the best chapstick I've ever owned and some other assorted goodies! Love love loved it! Can't say enough good things about this workshop and the people involved. Thank you to all the women who made it so memorable!