What If Your Loved Ones Don’t Support Your Plans for Your Birth Experience?
Show Notes:
[0:21] Our Reviewer of the Week, kpalsson, says, "I found this podcast about a week ago and have not stopped binging episodes. I really love the positive birth stories! It seems most of my friends have traumatizing birth experiences, normally ending in an emergency C-section. Since before getting pregnant, my husband and I have discussed working towards an unmedicated hospital birth. I’m now 23 weeks pregnant and feeling more confident than ever that we can do this! Thanks for giving an amazing resource of knowledge and positivity!"
I think it's really important that you have positive places, spaces, and people around you as you prepare for your birth so that you can be excited, confident, and ready for this experience, rather than fearing it or being really concerned about what is to come. 💜
[4:31] This week's topic is about what it looks like if you don't have the best support. Which can range from people who are close to you that don't agree with the way that you are preparing for birth to sharing their personal experiences which may not be extremely positive. Whether or not you feel like you have support, there are really positive things that can happen right now for you to feel at peace at home in your body and in this space of waiting to meet your baby.
[6:28] What is the #1 reason why you may feel as though you don't have support? You are challenging the status quo.
[9:38] If you don't have support, what should you do? If your birth partner is feeling uneasy about some of your decision-making during pregnancy, that's normal! Dads just want to make sure mom and baby are taken care of. It's normal for them to have questions.
[11:28] Fill your mind with as many positive, educated things that you can. Learn everything that you can about pregnancy and birth: the process, the mindset, the ins and outs, how you're going to work with a birth partner, how you're going to work with your body, what is going to happen during that process, what's normal, and what's not. All of that stuff is going to be really useful for you to know, but it's also good to communicate to other people in your life that may not be supported.
[12:35] Taking a really thorough birth course is going to be your best bet. You'll learn how to keep yourself low risk by eating a high-protein diet, exercising regularly, eliminating unhealthy foods, etc. You'll also learn about the process of birth: what you can expect from your body, the physical sensations, the emotions, what your body is doing, etc. You'll also learn relaxation techniques and Dad can benefit from the knowledge as well.
[15:34] Listen to as many positive birth stories as you can! What we listen to, what we watch, who we interact with, all of that has a bearing on how we feel on a day to day basis.
[17:12] Find a supportive provider and interview at least three! Make sure that you're still in charge of your birth, your body, your space, by utilizing that provider in a way that serves you.
[18:51] Get a doula! Doulas are there to support moms however they choose to give birth, whatever way they want to give birth. They are there for educational purposes, and they provide emotional and physical support.
[23:25] Should I include my family in my birth space? If you have a mom or a sister or somebody that is planning to be in the birth space and they're not supportive, should you have them in your birth space anyways? I am going to say probably not. It is the most vulnerable space, I think, that you can ever be: the birth space.
[26:33] What are some other ways that you can prepare? Choose some birth affirmations and read books!
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