Your Positive Birth

When it comes to birthing your baby there are 5 essential things you can do to make your birth a positive experience..Here are my top five: your mindset matters, knowledge is power, practice makes permanent, setting up your birth space/environment and knowing your birth rights and choices. 

Mindset matters

Your thoughts have a physical effect on your body. When a mother feels stressed or frightened, hormones are released, which can interrupt the birth process. In contrast, feelings of confidence and calm promote the flow of oxytocin (the hormone of love), enabling the muscles to work in harmony and support the birth process.

Knowledge is power

Forget ignorance is bliss; the path to confidence lies in understanding. Invest the time to attend a quality antenatal course to learn about the birth process and strategies to work with your body. Practical skills like relaxation, breathing, visualisation, acupressure, and massage are powerful skills regardless how your birth unfolds.

Practice makes permanent

It’s not enough to learn it once, for the brain to permanently change repetition is the key. Develop your understanding then revisit it daily. Nurture your wellbeing everyday through relaxation, breath work and visualisation. These skills will be powerful resources during your birth. Your baby will also benefit physically and emotionally from this practice.

Consider your environment

Think of your baby’s birth as one of the most intimate moments of your life. That may sound strange, but the hormones released during birth are the same as those present during lovemaking. Turn lights down low, limit conversation and ensure that the people you have chosen to support you understand what you need from them to have your best birth.

Know your rights

This may be the first time you have birthed a baby but don’t let that stop you from taking an active role in all decisions. Ask questions, explore options, seek second opinions and above all listen to that inner voice if you feel something just doesn’t feel right. The birth of a baby is an event that remains in a mother’s mind forever. This moment is yours, own it!