So the birth plan thread had me thinking about what else I've gathered over the years through MDC, doula clients, reading, etc, and I went through my folders on the computer and found some awesome stuff I had forgotten about.
Since I'm sure I'm not the only one who spends entirely too much time searching squishy yummy baby things on the internet, I figured we could start a thread sharing-- then when you're bored-- come and browse through links and stories! Win win !
I talk about "doing life." It's something the trainer taught us at our doula training. Basically, if they can do life in between contractions, they probably aren't in active labor. EVEN IF it takes some amount of concentration DURING a contraction, if they aren't fully focused, relaxing, and waiting, thinking ONLY about getting through the next contraction that is coming up? They should be doing life. Whatever they planned to do that day or that night--go to a movie, do the laundry, wash the floor, see your family, go to the grocery store. Labor goes a LOT more quickly when you aren't focusing on contractions from the very VERY first one. When they cannot DO life anymore, because they are focusing only on the labor, then they should probalby be in or near active labor. I do a lot of work with partners, as well, to help them support the woman during early labor...encouraging them to sleep when it is night, or go about their daily life if it is daytime, keeping them nourished and hydrated, making sure they pee, but keeping them on task for what they would otherwise be doing, until they can no longer DO that. When I started having this conversation seriously with my clients because I had had just one too many mothers end up in exhaustion because they didn't sleep when they should have at least been pretending to sleep, the number of hours I started to spend at labors went down.
My body knows just what to do. My baby grows just as it should be.
Penny Simkin
The whole point of woman-centered birth is the knowledge that a woman is the birth power source. She may need, and deserve, help, but in essence, she always had, currently has, and will have the power.
- Heather McCue
The way I teach women to breathe in awareness and slowly is: breathe in through your nose and out through your toes.
- Unknown
If I don't know my options, I don't have any.
- Diana Korte
We must give women the opportunity to challenge their fears, work with them, and birth through them. Not only will this change each woman, it will change the political and medical climate in which they make these choices.
- Connee L. Pike-Urlacher MS
Anytime anyone has anything done to them by a physician, there is risk. Even a blood draw.
- Dr. Tim Johnson, U of Michigan
The parallels between making love and giving birth are clear, not only in terms of passion and love, but also because we need essentially the same conditions for both experiences: privacy and safety. Women's bodies have their own wisdom, and a system of birth refined over 100,000 generations is not so easily overpowered.
- Sarah Buckley
Peace... it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.
- Unknown
Attending births is like growing roses. You have to marvel at the ones that just open up and bloom at the first kiss of the sun but you wouldn't dream of pulling open the petals of the tightly closed buds and forcing them to blossom to your time line.
- Gloria Lemay
Pregnancy is 40 weeks at term - Your baby will NEVER be easier to take care of than it is right there inside of you. Don't rush it!
- Unknown
Use your brain during labor!
B enefits
R isks
A lternatives
I ntuition
N othing (what will happen if we do nothing for a while)
I believe birth is not an illness or a condition, but an amazing, wonderful, exciting event that is normal, natural and healthy.
I believe pregnancy, labour and birth have a profound effect on women and their families. It is an experience that is never forgotten.
I believe women intuitively and instinctively know how to give birth. Those caring and supporting them need to trust and respect that inner wisdom.
I believe women's confidence and ability to birth is either enhanced or diminished by those who care for her and where she births.
I believe women have a right to give birth free from routine medical interventions. If interventions become necessary, all information needed to support and understand the intervention, should be provided.
I believe education empowers women to make informed choices in health care, to assume responsibility for their health and to trust their intuition, instinct and inner wisdom.
Since I'm sure I'm not the only one who spends entirely too much time searching squishy yummy baby things on the internet, I figured we could start a thread sharing-- then when you're bored-- come and browse through links and stories! Win win !
I talk about "doing life." It's something the trainer taught us at our doula training. Basically, if they can do life in between contractions, they probably aren't in active labor. EVEN IF it takes some amount of concentration DURING a contraction, if they aren't fully focused, relaxing, and waiting, thinking ONLY about getting through the next contraction that is coming up? They should be doing life. Whatever they planned to do that day or that night--go to a movie, do the laundry, wash the floor, see your family, go to the grocery store. Labor goes a LOT more quickly when you aren't focusing on contractions from the very VERY first one. When they cannot DO life anymore, because they are focusing only on the labor, then they should probalby be in or near active labor. I do a lot of work with partners, as well, to help them support the woman during early labor...encouraging them to sleep when it is night, or go about their daily life if it is daytime, keeping them nourished and hydrated, making sure they pee, but keeping them on task for what they would otherwise be doing, until they can no longer DO that. When I started having this conversation seriously with my clients because I had had just one too many mothers end up in exhaustion because they didn't sleep when they should have at least been pretending to sleep, the number of hours I started to spend at labors went down.
My body knows just what to do. My baby grows just as it should be.
Penny Simkin
The whole point of woman-centered birth is the knowledge that a woman is the birth power source. She may need, and deserve, help, but in essence, she always had, currently has, and will have the power.
- Heather McCue
The way I teach women to breathe in awareness and slowly is: breathe in through your nose and out through your toes.
- Unknown
If I don't know my options, I don't have any.
- Diana Korte
We must give women the opportunity to challenge their fears, work with them, and birth through them. Not only will this change each woman, it will change the political and medical climate in which they make these choices.
- Connee L. Pike-Urlacher MS
Anytime anyone has anything done to them by a physician, there is risk. Even a blood draw.
- Dr. Tim Johnson, U of Michigan
The parallels between making love and giving birth are clear, not only in terms of passion and love, but also because we need essentially the same conditions for both experiences: privacy and safety. Women's bodies have their own wisdom, and a system of birth refined over 100,000 generations is not so easily overpowered.
- Sarah Buckley
Peace... it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.
- Unknown
Attending births is like growing roses. You have to marvel at the ones that just open up and bloom at the first kiss of the sun but you wouldn't dream of pulling open the petals of the tightly closed buds and forcing them to blossom to your time line.
- Gloria Lemay
Pregnancy is 40 weeks at term - Your baby will NEVER be easier to take care of than it is right there inside of you. Don't rush it!
- Unknown
Use your brain during labor!
B enefits
R isks
A lternatives
I ntuition
N othing (what will happen if we do nothing for a while)
I believe birth is not an illness or a condition, but an amazing, wonderful, exciting event that is normal, natural and healthy.
I believe pregnancy, labour and birth have a profound effect on women and their families. It is an experience that is never forgotten.
I believe women intuitively and instinctively know how to give birth. Those caring and supporting them need to trust and respect that inner wisdom.
I believe women's confidence and ability to birth is either enhanced or diminished by those who care for her and where she births.
I believe women have a right to give birth free from routine medical interventions. If interventions become necessary, all information needed to support and understand the intervention, should be provided.
I believe education empowers women to make informed choices in health care, to assume responsibility for their health and to trust their intuition, instinct and inner wisdom.