Peaceful Childbirth Tips -- Part Deux!!

Part 2: Feel the Rhythm, Feel the Rhyme!!

Childbirth practices around the world all seem to carry 3 similar traits. Some cultures lean on one of the three R's more strongly than others but in truth, they all work wonderfully when done in sync with each other.

Below are some tips that I have come to find as the most helpful. They all encompass the 3 R's in one way or another:

We began with RELAXATION (click to read the first blog post).

​Get ready to "feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme!!"

RHYTHM

1.) Music -- I am a strong believer in the power of music. Music does what words alone cannot do. It speaks to the heart. Find songs that incite joy, peace, harmony, love, and freedom for you. Make a playlist that speaks to you alone. If there is a special song that instill emotions that make you cry, this is especially helpful in those trying times of labor. When you feel like you just can't go on, request that song to push you through to your next labor surge. Crying is SOOOOO good for labor. It helps let go of whatever we are holding onto and it will help baby inside know that it is safe to come out. My song was "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten. I had my baby within the hour of that song being played!


2.) Vocalize -- Ina May Gaskin says "The same energy that gets the baby in gets the baby out." In labor, we want to control the situation. But it's just not possible to control our bodies. The only way to cope is to let it out - vocalize and express what is going on inside. LOW and DEEP sounds encourage baby to descend. Normally, when we experience pain, we make high pitched noises. "Yipe! Ouch! S***!" This increases pain. In turn, singing is found be helpful for some women. Let it all out with ooo's, ahh's, moo's and horse lip sounds. Whatever else comes out WILL get baby moving. From a physiological standpoint, all OPEN orifices of the body make contractions more effective.


3.) Feel the Rhythm -- Creating movement in our bodies during labor is the single most effective way of hastening the birth of a baby. The most common problems with laboring women is that they don't move enough!! The more of a rhythm you create, the easier it is to focus on the hard work you are doing than the intensity you are feeling! So before baby arrives, get a birth/yoga ball and roll on it or lean against it on the floor, slow dance with your partner, walk, squat, lunge, do hip rolls, sway, and cat/cow that baby out. You'll be glad you did! I'm sure music can assist in feeling the groove as well...

Stay tuned for Part 3 very soon where we find out what the last R is!! Are you rrrrrrrrrready???