The Fear-Tension-Pain cycle can have a dramatic impact on how we experience the sensations of labor, and thus on our ability to work with those sensations. Simply put, when we are afraid, our bodies tense, and when we are holding excessive tension in muscles, we feel more discomfort, and an understandable emotional response to feeling increased discomfort and pain would be greater fear, and thus we create a downward spiral.
Read moreStop scaring pregnant people!
I open my inbox, and see the words I hate to see from a student. “I just heard the worst birth story from my friend…” My heart sinks. She goes on to describe how a friend at a backyard barbeque had recounted the story of his wife’s “brutal” labor – this was the word he apparently used- and that this story had been further reinforced by another friend who worked as a midwife.
Read moreLoose mouth, loose bottom
If you want the cervix to open, you need to open your throat. Yes you read that correctly, your vocal cords and cervix have a connection. Cervix literally means neck, and this isn’t a coincidence. These areas of the body almost mirror one another anatomically, and the tissues have even been shown to respond in the same way when stimulated! Certified midwives will often note that making open throated sounds during labor can help that labor progress, and even help in pain management.
Read moreThe only thing we have to fear is...
What if I told you your mental state could have an impact on what you feel during labor? For some this conjures up images of the new agey idea of mind over matter, or the magical thinking concept that if you only focus on good thoughts you will inspire your body to birth without any pain.
Read moreThe problem with squatting...
The benefits of squatting come from a combination of the mobility built into the pelvic structure, and the specific alignment used when performing the position. Done properly, the squat can help to tone the musculature of the pelvic floor, align the birth path through the pelvis better with gravity if done in an upright position, and create more space between the pelvic bones.
Read moreThe Four Cornerstones to working with your labor
As a doula I’ve seen a lot of births. Over 300 in fact. Seems everyone comes into the labor process hoping for a positive experience, and dreading a negative one. Looking at the stories in this culture and it’s easy to see where these fears comes from. The birth world is littered with stories of traumatic births or births where things didn’t go the way Mom was hoping. But there is a difference between having things go differently, and having that difference be a negative experience.
Read more