So, What Exactly Do I DO In Labor?
It seems like a silly question to ask what you should actually plan on doing during your labor. Do I sit down? Lay down? Walk the halls? Sit on the birth ball? Dance?
With the readiness of social media we all have access to laboring moms dancing during labor. In a world where most people have Netflix, we have all at least HEARD of The Business of Being Born and their stance on lying on your back in an evil hospital bed.
It can seem daunting to try and imagine what you will actually DO during labor. And that's where my five week HypnoBirthing series shines.
Positions can be very helpful. Knowing which ones can add some relief during different periods of labor can make all the difference in helping you feel comfortable and able to relax during labor. But knowing which ones can sometimes overwhelm new parents. But there's a secret most don't know until after the third class;
You don't have to do ANY of them!
Yup, you can lie back in the hospital bed all you want and relax.
Relax. This is the key.
HypnoBirthing is a belief that your body is capable of doing this awesome work with or without your participation. You don't ever see other mammals in the zoo grabbing the knees and pulling their chin to their chest and holding their breath? Nope. They lie down. Maybe stand up and sway back and forth. But that's the most participation they have in their birth.
But the other secret is that whatever feels good for your body during labor is a pretty good indication that it's what your body and baby need at that time. Maybe it's standing and moving your hips in circles while you slow dance with your partner. Maybe you need to squat in the tub. Or maybe you just want to walk the halls for a bit. Whatever feels good is the path you need to take for your birth. And that's what is so freaking cool about HypnoBirthing®, it's YOUR birth. You make it your own by following your own body and baby's desire to have you move in whatever way feels best in the moment. And it's an amazing thing to witness a woman following that intuition.
But because I know sometimes our minds don't always think clearest in these emotional moments of labor we do learn about different positions for your partner or doula to suggest if you are having more intense sensations in your lower back, hips, thighs, ect. I'm not gonna leave ya hanging, lady!
If you'd like to learn what these positions are and how your partner and doula can help you utilize them during labor, feel free to contact me for class information and how to register. I host classes monthly in Ferndale and Downtown Rochester.