The labour was very different to what I expected as I ended up labouring to 9cm alone but I focused all my energy on my breathing which got me through. It was a very silent and focused labour and my breathe was everything. I took each contraction one at a time. Looking back I am extremely proud of myself. Even though I required assistance at the end, due to having a bigger baby, I wouldn’t change the birth. It was a moment Jake and I will forever cherish.
Birthing your baby is a life altering moment. You have had around nine months to prepare for this day. Planning YOUR birth space really is like planning your wedding venue. How will you make it CALM, SAFE and PRIVATE? What will your birth space look like? Where are you planning to birth your baby? Will it be at home with a private midwife, supported by your partner? Do you want your inner circle of close, supportive family and friends along side you and your partner? Are you wanting a water birth or to use water immersion in labour? Do you plan to birth in a birth centre with a midwife you have come to know and trust? Maybe you are planning to birth at a private hospital with your obstetrician present? Or maybe you’re going mainstream at your local public hospital and may or may not know the midwife who will be supporting you through your birth? You could be thinking welcoming your new little one via a planned caesarean. As you can see, there are many options on birth space and care provider.
Once you have thought about where your birth space may be, you can then start to think about and create how that space may look and feel. It’s a good idea to discuss with your partner and care provider what things you may like in this space so they can help facilitate these for you, to help create a CALM, SAFE, PRIVATE space for you to birth your baby. Here are some ideas for you to create a birth space that will help promote your birth hormones and “labour land”.
My name is Mel and I am a mother of two grown boys, or should I say men, and know the excitement, intensity and exhilaration birth presents. I have been working as a Registered Midwife for more than 5 years, and currently work for Queensland Health at the local Toowoomba Hospital and I’m passionate about creating a positive birth culture. It is a privilege and honour to witness the strength and determination of women, supported by their loved ones, as they birth their baby, and welcome them into the world.Becoming a Calmbirth® Educator has given me the ability to help you replace fear with confidence and anxiety with knowledge. I love empowering women and couples to achieve what they never thought possible. I am excited to provide you with a holistic and thorough childbirth education that encompasses your birthing needs on an emotional and physical level. I look forward to empowering you on your journey to parenthood.