Unmedicated Birth: How To Prepare If This Is Your Goal
Show Notes:
[1:11] Our reviewer of the week, awisemomof5, said: “This Podcast is AWESOME!!! I have six boys, two adopted and four biological. I have listened to this podcast throughout my last two pregnancies. I wish I found it sooner!!!!!!! I have had four very different births. One I didn’t prepare for, one I did, and then the last two I started preparing the moment I found out I was pregnant. I listened to this podcast almost daily and even re-listened to episodes in order to soak up all of the knowledge possible. I did the exercises and ate a very careful diet. However, probably the most important takeaway from this podcast was that even though I prepared, things may not go the way I planned. Boy, with my last two, they sure did not go the way I was planning and preparing. Having educated myself and knowing the options when things got crazy made a huge difference. I’m so thankful that God allowed me to discover this podcast as it was invaluable, and so thankful for God’s hand of protection on me and my babies! God Bless!
Thank you for this review! It brings me so much joy on rough days when I read reviews like this! 💜
[2:48] Today, we’re going to talk about unmedicated birth! There is no one right way to give birth as there are times when medication, epidurals, and interventions are necessary. There is no judgment here whether you choose to go unmedicated or not! 🥰
[3:38] From a personal standpoint, I had one unmedicated birth and two medicated births. All three of them, I was trying to go unmedicated, but I know where I went wrong and have great tools to get you where you need to go. From a professional standpoint as a doula and childbirth educator, there are tools that you can implement that will make a huge difference! 🙌🏼
[4:24] Let’s start with pregnancy! As a first time mom, your mind is a sponge! You’re soaking all the information up, but with your subsequent pregnancies, your experiences (good or bad) will affect your mindset. You may think “I’ve got this,” and you don’t put in the time and attention that you need! ⏰
[6:23] #1: the goal is to stay healthy and low risk because you get more options about what you get to do with your body. Early on, you need to start eating a high protein (80g+ a day), well-balanced diet. 🥗
[7:54] Be active with your physical exercise and active with your preparation. Do your 3-exercises to strengthen and lengthen your body and focus on the positive things that you are planning for your birth! Incorporate them into your daily routines and create a habit! 🧘🏻♀️
[9:20] Be active in your birth preparation: listen to podcasts, take the birth course, and listen to positive birth stories. You have time but put in the work! 🎧
[10:51] Watch your posture! If you’re sitting all day, your pelvis is putting a lot of pressure on the baby. Get a yoga ball and keep your core engaged. 🩻
[11:55] Mindset is huge for newbies, but it may be even bigger for moms who have given birth before. Taking any negative thoughts and turning them into positives is crucial! Listen to positive birth stories! 🔋
[14:24] Do labor practice! They are worth your time. I liked to lay in bed, breathe deep, and imagine a contraction coming and how I would react to it. Focus on your breathing. 😮💨
[15:35] Involving your birth partner will be huge! If you go into your birth space and are unprepared and have not communicated what your birth desires are, birth will be more difficult. Get a doula if you don’t feel like you’re going to get the support you need. Communicate with your partner and have them watch the birth course with you! 💬
[17:32] Know how birth works. Understanding what is happening physiologically will make a big difference! Visualizing it as you go through the process puts your mind at ease! 🤰🏼
[19:53] Know your options. Just because you’re coming up to your due date does not automatically mean you HAVE to schedule an induction. Trust your provider and have those conversations with them. Talk to your provider about what’s important to you! Pick a supportive provider from the beginning. Take the birth course early, get educated, figure out what your desired birth looks like, and find a provider who will support your plan. 👩🏻⚕️
[22:21] Surround yourself with supportive people. If the people around you are not supportive of your unmedicated birth, find others to support you. You don’t want to start second guessing yourself. 💕
[23:17] Know what you need! What kind of support would you need? How do you normally deal with pain? Verbal encouragement, physical touch, hands on support, etc. will help you figure out what you need for support. 💭
[25:09] Let’s move on to birth!
[25:56] Have your birth plan ready to go! Know exactly what’s on there and why! 📝
[26:30] Take a hospital tour so you can familiarize yourself with the space. Maybe bring a pillow, blanket, whatever will make you feel more comfortable and space. It will give you peace of mind. 🏥
[27:58] It’s important to know your options. What happens if my water breaks and I am having contractions? When do I go to the hospital? Is this prodromal labor? What if I’m past my due date? It’s important to prepare ahead of time so you’re not panicking when things are happening to you. 🗓️
[30:29] If you are going unmedicated, it’s highly recommended to stay at home longer. When you’re in your comfortable, safe space at home, your body will react to that. Moving to the hospital can slow labor down. We always say if the goal is to go as long as possible without medication, go with 3-1-1. Contractions are three minutes apart, 1 minute long, lasting for 1 hour. This is good information but can be different for every mama. 😣
[32:13] Know and utilize the tools they have at your birth place and bring the ones that they don’t. 🏡
- Birth ball
- Washcloths
- Pillows
- Blankets
- Earplugs
- Wireless monitors
- Make it feel like home
[35:50] Make sure your birth partner or doula knows how to support you with touch. Let them know how you want to be touched. Knowing how to massage you, practicing hip squeezes, etc. These need to be practiced prior! 💆🏻♀️
[37:28] Are you someone who needs verbal encouragement? You don’t know what you’re going to need in the moment. 😘
[38:41] Water is Mother Nature’s epidural! If you’re able to sit in the tub or stand in the shower, it can make such an incredible difference. Find out ahead of time what is available at your hospital or birth center. 💦
[40:04] Use your freedom of movement! Be sure to change positions every 30 minutes. Try walking and swaying your hips. 🚶🏻♀️
[40:50] Empty your bladder every 30-40 minutes if possible. It can make your contractions more painful and prevent your cervix from dilating. Have your birth partner keep track! 🚽
[41:25] The physical exertion you go through when you are in labor is like running a marathon. Eat and drink to keep your body hydrated and your energy up. 💧
[42:51] Be educated so you can make good decisions about things like fetal monitoring and late decels, breaking your waters, no change in dilation, etc. 🤓
[43:36] Be Adaptable! I don’t mean that you throw the birth plan out the window. What I mean is:
- You should not be suffering just to be unmedicated.
- Have good support that you can listen to for suggestions.
- If baby is having trouble or you are having trouble, know the back-up options. (The more you know, the. Less you have to worry about.)
There are several ways to get to the end destination of having baby in your arms. That’s why it’s called a birth map! 🗺️
[46:18] In the birth course, we have a Birth Card Game. Each card has what you would consider your ideal birth with “unmedicated” on one side and “medicated” on the other. Or “IV” and “no IV” on another card. All the different decisions that can happen during birth. If something happens to where you had to flip a few of the cards, what would you do if that happened? What decisions would be made? It helps you be educated on what would happen if things don’t go according to plan. 📚
[48:19] Here are my takeaways from this episode:
- If this is your goal to give birth unmedicated, it’s 100% achievable!
- Your body is made for this.
- You are strong and capable.
- Women from the beginning of time have done this and so can you.
- Join me in the birth course and let me walk you through this process step by step.
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