At your first visit, we’ll start to discuss your birth preferences, optimal fetal positioning and more. Below are links to both help you prepare for our visit and links to practice the exercises we’ll go over together.
GETTING STARTED
Stages of Birth - always remember, these time frames are averages and we have seen thing go faster (and longer) in the past! This is what most care providers are expecting of your labor. However it is extremely important to understand how flawed this science is.
This ‘curve’, or partogram, is based on a 1950’s study by a Dr. Friedman, which was taken out of context of his poor science study, and applied across the board to all women. In the study, with women ranging from 13 to 42 years of age, with an average age of 20 there were…
54% - forceps
13.8% - induced with synthetic oxytocin
1.8% - caesarean (9 women)
2.8%- breech (14 women)
0.9% - twins (4 women)
0.8% - neonatal deaths (4 babies)
They were also given a cocktail of medications that included morphine (for pain) and scopolamine (an amnesiac). This was coined ‘Twilight Sleep’ as women had no memory of their births. Most were also restrained in their beds as these medications caused them to thrash around. 96% of women in his study were sedated (23% - lightly sedated, 42% - moderately sedated, 31% - deeply sedated).
You are not a machine. You are a human being. You are pregnant. You will go into labor. The physiological labor (meaning spontaneous and not induced or augmented in any way) can have a very wide range of normal. Understanding that there are some labors that go fast, some that go slower and yet most that are somewhere in between is so important. Some labors might also have ‘plateaus’. Read a bit more about that here on Dr Sarah Wickham’s website. You might also want to pick up her book In Your Own Time: How western medicine controls the start of labour and why this needs to stop
Dr. Rachel Reed of Midwife Thinking also addresses the ‘curve’ or partogram here in this blog post called The Assessment of Progress.
Since use of the partogram became widespred, researchers have found that Friedman’s graph does not represent normal labour progress. In contrast, research has found that cervical dilation patterns vary widely between individual women, and the average length of labour is much longer than in Friedman’s findings [5,6,7,8,9]. A recent Cochrane review into partogram use in labour concluded that: ‘On the basis of the findings of this review, we cannot recommend routine use of the partogram as part of standard labour management and care’ [10]. This evidence- based recommendation is yet to be reflected in maternity care. Instead, women have their labours managed in order to follow a partogram with limits and boundaries. Fewer than 50% of women having their first baby will manage to meet the narrow criteria of ‘normal progress’ and avoid augmentation of their labour.
The 3 R’s - Relaxation, Rhythm and Ritual. We can plan your relaxation methods, however your rhythms and rituals will naturally develop. It’s the job of your partner and doula to ensure that they are not disrupted, as disruption interferes with the labor process.
The Three Rs of Labor video - by Penny Simkin. Here you can rent this amazing video for $4.95. Seeing and hearing these aspects of labor is a great prep for your birth, as well as great prep for your partner.
KNOWING YOUR OPTIONS AND CHOOSING THE RIGHT CARE
6 Tips for a Healthy Birth Outcome
Writing Your Birth Preferences - This document will be great to read when preparing for our first visit or before creating your personalized list of birth preferences
ICON RESOURCES
Using graphic icons are not only fun, but express your wishes to your care providers and nurses in a quick and easy visual way.
Birth Preference Icons by Slidewithme
More Birth Preference Icons by OlayR - just a few but in addition to the above
Mama Natural Birth Preferences - and by the way, nurses do care. If yours doesn’t, we’ll get you another nurse!
Positive Birth Movement icons - over 100 icons to download and choose from!
EXERCISES FOR OPTIMAL FETAL POSITIONING
We’ll go over these at your visit, but here are videos to practice with. These are called the Three Sisters and are from Spinning Babies.
Rebozo Sifting - To purchase your own rebozo, please try and buy from a Mexican artisan as these are from their culture.
Here are a few, along with some history!
Side Lying Release - remember to do this on both sides. Your partner also doesn’t really need to manipulate your moving leg. Just bring it forward and drop it down on your own.
Forward Leaning Inversion - For this one, after you raise back up, remember to kneel for 30 seconds before sitting back onto your heels. Should you feel light-headed or if this is problematic for you in any way, check with your care provider before doing the exercise again.
The Daily Essentials - “Gail Tully, midwife, and Sarah Longacre, international prenatal yoga instructor and birth doula, offer a unique instructional video for comfort in pregnancy now, and in your upcoming birth. These daily activities begin balancing your pregnant body to make space for baby’s best birth position.” - $16.99
KNOWING YOUR RIGHTS
The rights of birthing people are extremely important. It’s also important to understand consent, your right to decline anything presented to you, and ways to say no. Please review these documents put together by Birth Monopoly.
The Empowered Consumer - Communication in the Hospital
The Empowered Consumer - Understanding Hospital Policy
Professional Guidelines and Informed Consent
DOCUMENTS FOR DADS AND PARTNERS - helpful information to make their experience the best it can be. But don’t worry…we are there for them too!
Dos and Don’ts of the Birth Partner