Wikis related to birth-preparation

  How about some African dance to get in the spirit of the last trimester and to prepare for labor? African dance is particularly grounding during pregnancy-it allows you to be present in the moment and to forget about everything else. You learn to focus your thoughts, a technique that has been proven to be helpful in labor and in dealing with pain. You also learn to follow the rhythms of the drum as you dance improvisationally - in much the same way, you will follow the rhythm of the contractions during labor. African dance instructors encourage the class to relax and learn to “hear...

  The first book I ever read about pregnancy, birth, and babies was Ina May Gaskin's Spiritual Midwifery.  I wasn't interested in becoming a midwife, and this was several years before I even thought of becoming a mother, but it looked interesting so I picked it up.  It rocked my world.  I had never thought of birth in such earthy terms; I had never considered mother-directed birth, and I definitely hadn't thought that birth could be pleasant or even pain-free!  I feel so fortunate to have discovered this book, discovered this whole world of thinking differently about birth before I...

Optimizing comfort during labor and birth can be achieved in many different ways: Environment: -- dim lights -- peaceful surroundings -- privacy -- music -- familiar objects Physical: -- walking -- pelvic rocking -- positioning pillows for comfort -- slow dancing with partner -- sitting on birth ball and swaying -- lifting up the abdomen -- "rebozo" sifting -- support from birth partner(s) Touch: -- massage -- stroking -- cuddling -- counterpressure against lower back -- acupressure Heat: -- deep tub bath -- shower -- heated rice sock on groin or back Cold: -- ice packs on lower...

Waiting for Baby: Discovering Harmony in the Days Before Labor by Kathryn Mello May 26, 2011 Pregnancy is a phenomenal experience in and of itself, but the magic of giving birth is even more mystical. The last days leading up to labor are often anxiously awaited and endured with many uncomfortable conditions—such as extreme fatigue, sciatic, hip and back pain, diarrhea, and insomnia to name a few. Yet, no matter how restless or eager you may be during your last days with baby in utero, it’s nearly impossible not to feel excitement for the new life you’re about to grace into the...

Birth Altar set up on hospital metal tray with a sheet & a scarf Hi Friends, I had homebirths with my first two children and then, unexpectedly, found myself in need of a hospital for the birth of my third child. (Cholestasis of Pregnancy, a failure of the liver to remove toxins which can cause the placenta to collapse, especially at the end of pregnancy, thereby necessitating an induction of labor.) I entered the hospital having had two prior unmedicated five-hour homebirths, one of which was unassisted until the last two hours. I knew from experience what would make my birth go...

BOLD 2011 Muskoka, Canada   “The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.” -       Anna Quindlen   I’m a perfectionist, or so I’ve been told. Recently as a mom being perfect has been a tough calling. This summer I’ve felt like the captain of team Loser Mom. The kids are dressed – probably because they are ten and twelve now and dress themselves – but the rest of my household is an utter mess. Perfect started slipping in June.   Now, late August, when I look at my countertop I see urgent...

I am a breastfeeding, co-sleeping, babywearing, cloth diapering, organic-food-only-serving, lactivist, intactivist, attachment parenting, natural-living mother & I didn’t give birth at home, with a midwife, at a free-standing birthing center, or even without the use of medication. I am very grateful for my birth experience & challenged by it as well.  My son was born healthy, vaginally.  I have dear friends who had traumatic birth experiences & I’ve read about birth rape, but I still stall over my memories of my birth experience.  Of course I have never wanted to make the wrong choice...

For some women getting pregnant is the struggle, for others it’s the pregnancy itself that causes difficulties; for me the only hard part was waiting for him to be born.  I don’t mean the labor, I’ll get to that later, but the actual anticipation of when IT would commence.  I think if I had known how much harder it gets once the baby is born I could have been a little more patient. The arrival of your first-born is cause for some major excitement.  In truth, I was looking for some excitement after 9 months of a rather uneventful pregnancy. In fact, when I came home from the first visit...

Subscribe here to have Mothering’s newest audio content delivered to you as it is published. Please enjoy this teleseminar on childbirth by BOLD founder Karen Brody. And don’t miss Karen’s Mothering Community birth course for a unique chance to discover support and information on your birth journey. Karen Brody is a mother of two boys, born in 1999 and 2001. In 2005 she wrote a documentary-style play called Birth, offering a portrait of how low-risk mothers are giving birth in America. As a consequence of Birth Brody founded BOLD, a global movement inspiring communities to use...

If you’ve ever heard of Lamaze, chances are you’ve also heard that they are the “breathing” childbirth education group (hee-hee, hoo-hoo). Over the years, however, Lamaze has evolved into a comprehensive approach to childbirth, part of which includes comfort measures for labor; breathing is just one of the suggested comfort measures. So what does it mean to “breathe” during labor? Here’s a little on what you should know (excerpted from The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth with Confidence by Judith A. Lothian and Charlotte DeVries): Breathing in Pregnancy:  A Daily Check-in Finding...

By Paulina G. Perez, RN, BSN, CD, LCCE, FACCE Movement and positioning in labor work magic. Movement enhances comfort by stimulating the receptors in the brain that decrease pain perception. The result is that you are able to tolerate increasingly strong contractions. When contractions become very strong, endorphins are released and pain perception decreases even more. Ultimately, your movement in response to your contractions decreases pain and facilitates labor – a win-win. Movement also helps the baby move through the pelvis, and some positions enlarge pelvic diameters. The...

After the first trimester, many women feel a renewed sense of energy — morning sickness is over (or at least maybe less severe) and exhaustion is replaced with feeling only slightly tired. But somewhere around the 15th week of pregnancy, when it’s no longer comfortable to sleep on your stomach or back, nighttime sleep can become a problem. As your pregnant body grows, you’ll be spending most night sleeping on your side. Extended side sleeping can cause back, shoulder, hip and even ear cartilage pain, all of which causes disruptive sleep and a rough start to your day. There are things...

Join me for a Mindful Motherhood retreat in O’Keefe Country – the high desert of Northern New Mexico! Mindful Motherhood: Practical Tools for Staying Sane During Pregnancy and Your Child’s First Year June 20-26, 2011 Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, New Mexico Based on research on the benefits of mindfulness training for pregnant women and new moms this retreat is for pregnant women, moms of all ages, and professionals who want to incorporate mindfulness into their work with mothers. Bring your kids! Fabulous children’s program, and afternoons free for hiking, swimming, horseback riding,...

For newly arrived refugee women, giving birth in a new country can be terrifying. The IRC’s pregnancy support program helps make the experience easier – and joyful. Baltimore, MD – After surviving a treacherous journey out of Myanmar to Malaysia, Hlawn Kim and her husband, Van Run Sang, were thrilled to arrive in the United States as part of the International Rescue Committee’s resettlement program. But just as they were getting used to their new life in Baltimore, Kim became pregnant with their first child. For newly arrived refugee women, the prospect of having a baby in an...

She’s curled up on the couch, waiting, a ball of baby and emotions. A scrambled pile of books on pregnancy, labor, baby names, breastfeeding…not one more word can be absorbed. The birth supplies are loaded in a laundry basket, ready for action. The freezer is filled with meals, the car seat installed, the camera charged. It’s time to hurry up and wait. Not a comfortable place to be, but wholly necessary. The last days of pregnancy— sometimes stretching to agonizing weeks—are a distinct place, time, event, stage. It is a time of in between. Neither here nor there. Your old self and your...

By Jessica Williams, www.LoveParentingLA.com Hi Friends, I have contributed articles and never-before-released audio recordings for a revolutionary home study course for pre-conception, pregnancy & the first year of motherhood presented by my dear friend and colleague. Her wisdom is offered in accessible lessons. She has video and audio interviews with truly gifted birth workers and psychologists, sharing insights, perspective and tools to make your transition into parenthood amazing. This course is being released on September 21. In the meantime, she is offering a free video...

I’d like to introduce this blog by sharing with you a personal story, of how my son came into the world. Pregnancy and birth is where the amazing, life-changing journey of parenthood began for me. It also sowed the seeds of my writing. It is Ewan who continually reminds me to follow my instincts, who helps me to parent more naturally. My pregnancy and early labour were natural and gentle, with few medical interventions. Sadly, Ewan was eventually delivered by emergency caesarean section. As traumatic as this was, we were also relieved he was born a healthy little boy and that I was...

Lisa Barrett and Gloria Lemay I’m excited looking forward to Sarah Buckley’s keynote talk this morning here in Nashville, about oxytocin, or as she calls it, “Liquid Love.” It’s been fun getting here a little early (arrived Tuesday evening to teach my all-day pre-conference workshop yesterday based on my book Parenting for Peace)… and meeting lots of new and fabulous folks from the worldwide field of midwifery. Have already heard a few chilling tales worthy of Orwell of the harassment that can be visited upon birth attendants who actually trust birth, over dinner in the restaurant...

Thank you to Cynthia Overgard for sharing this blog post with us. It was originally published on Cynthia’s blog, HypnoBirthing of Connecticut.  No doubt about it: Deep breathing, visualization and relaxation tools are powerful when it comes to having a positive birth. HypnoBirthing not only helped me, but hundreds of my couples to have comfortable, natural births. But the tools alone aren’t enough, and they won’t serve anyone who walks into the hands of an obstetrician with a sky-high cesarean rate. Embracing Change To me, changing practitioners is an indication that the birthing...

This is a sponsored guest post from For Multiples Maternity. Check out their new line of maternity wear for moms carrying multiples! Grab a coupon at the end of this post. Twins are double the fun, but preparing for their arrival can be double the hassle. Now, For Multiples Maternity provides the style, stretch, and size that moms need during a multiples’ pregnancy. In the United States, approximately 69,000 sets of twins are born each year, which equals an average of 189 sets delivered each day! But, surprisingly, as the needs for twins and multiples-specific maternity items...