Birth Plan and Preparation

Hey all! Today I thought I would share with you a few of the methods we're using / planning to use for our impending birth. There are infinite options in this day and age to assist in having a natural healthy birth- it's almost impossible to try them all. But I used a few of these last time to prep for labour & I'm also trying out a few new ones for this birth, so I thought I would let you all know which ones seemed to work for me- and hopefully some of you pregnant mamas can have some insight into what you might like to try too!

Evening primrose oil capsules;

These little gems contain an excellent source of prostaglandins- which help to ripen your cervix for dilation. Apparently it just softens everything up in there for a smoother delivery. And I am certainly all for a smoother delivery! I used these last time, starting from 34 weeks orally twice a day & then at 36 weeks internally before bed. Internally isn't all that pleasant, and its quite messy by the morning too (a pad is definitely a necessity). However, I never tore last time and I have no idea if this had anything to do with it or not but on the off chance this was why then I am all for doing it again!

Red raspberry leaf tea;

Drinking red raspberry leaf tea during pregnancy is said to help strengthen and tone the uterine and pelvic floor muscles in preparation for the birth, and it also doubles as an aid to up your milk supply post-birth. There's actually been some studies done recently that show that women who drink red raspberry leaf tea regularly in their last few weeks of pregnancy have less chance of birth intervention & a significantly reduced second stage (pushing stage). Once again, I really couldn't tell you if this was the reason I had such a short pushing phase last time or a ridiculously overflowing milk supply- it could all be a coincidence- but both of those stats rung true to me so I'm gulping this stuff down morning, noon & night!

Exercise;

It doesn't take a genius to realise that keeping fit during pregnancy is vital for not only a healthy body, but for a healthy mind aswel. I like to think of labour as a marathon. You train mentally & physically to run the full distance, but if you're lucky you'll only end up having to do a half marathon- and if you're reeeeeeally lucky it'll just be a fun run! Well, I'm not sure about the fun part but a quick 5km sprint nonetheless. 

So I'm training for a marathon but hoping for a 10km jog... Dreams are free eh? (And this metaphor wasn't stolen off the Internet by the way, maybe I should copywrite it?)

Rescue remedy;

I've never actually tried rescue remedy before but I've heard & read some really good reviews on using it in labour. Rescue remedy is a combo of natural flower essences preserved in a grape alcohol solution and is said to calm you down in stressful situations. 

My mum suggested I use it for my first labour but I completely forgot to get some, so this time I've got a little bottle to test out when shit starts to get hectic around here. I'll let you know if it works, or if it is simply like throwing a wet wipe on a bushfire.

Acupressure;

Another newbie for us is acupressure. These 'points' when activated in labour are said to distract you from focusing on the pain of the contractions. 

There's a wide range of different points, but I'll probably just try out a couple of easy ones. The one pictured above seems straight forward, and also pinching the skin between your thumb and forefinger is another popular point. Last time in labour I totally succumbed to the pain of each contraction, focusing on them with my entire being & willing them to end. So I think a distraction is a great idea! I guess it's kind of like when a toddler falls over and hurts themself, if you hand them a toy (lollipop) before they start crying they tend to forget they're hurt? 

Positive affirmations;

How amazing is this picture? I love it!

I do recall Oli telling me how great I was doing last time, but this time I want melodramatic, overly-cheesy lines galore. I'm thinking along the lines of "goddess" "superwoman" "powerful" etc etc... I want my horn to be tooted throughout the entire process thank you! 

That's about all I'm relying on to get me through the big day! Throw in a bit of music and dim lighting for ambience, and we should have ourselves one hell of a birth party. I'm pretty bloody excited now, I might also pick up an instant cake mixture & candles for Oli to whip up a bday cake upon his arrival, everybody wants cake after a marathon right? 

Today marks 37 Weeks and we are meeting the midwife & picking up the pool in a couple of hours. Hopefully we can do a test run this weekend and Oli can master getting it sorted in record time, I'll be there- stopwatch on hand. No pressure. 

Hope you're all having a wonderful week,

Thought of the day "come out come out wherever you are!"

Gemma