So I spent a lot of time figuring out how I was going to have a natural birth. Not because a natural birth was my deepest heart's desire, but becuase I didn't want to get gutted like a fish again with a repeat Cesarean.
Yes, avoiding going under the knife for major abdominal surgery (again) was a powerful incentive to figure out what it was going to take for me (someone who was not necessarily on friendly terms with pain) to do this birth naturally.
And I totally did it. And, even though I wasn't expecting this, it turns out it was an amazing spiritual, physical and emotional experience. And it made me think about being a woman, and what all these lady parts are made to do in a whole new way. (And they are freaking amazing, I must say.)
I learned a whole lot of stuff. And then I wrote all that stuff down. And now you can read it, if you'd like.
A lot of folks have told me that this info has been helpful to them. Hopefully it will be to you too. A quick overview of what's in the free, downloadable PDF: Getting Ready For Giving Birth: One Mom's Guide to Preparing Your Mind for Birth (and why that's way more important than you thought).
Introduction: The Importance of Mental Preparation
- I didn’t get this either until about halfway through my second pregnancy. My first child had been delivered by C-section, which was was, to put it mildly, not cool. I was prepared to do everything within my power to avoid a second Cesarean.
Part 1: Things To Consider As You Mentally Prepare For Giving Birth
-Triathalon IS TO running, swimming and biking AS Having a baby IS TO pregnancy, pre-labor, active labor/birth.
- Active labor versus whatever other kinds of labor there are.
- Americans are weird about childbirth.
- The mind-body connection: Holy crap, it is so real.
Part 2: Some Ways You Might Consider Helping Yourself to Stay Relaxed and Open Throughout Labor and Delivery
- Figuring out what would make me feel safe and secure.
- Expanding my ideas about intimacy.
- Driving out fear: reading positive birth stories, considering this might be fun, talking to people who accomplished natural births.
- Coping with pain: practicing, making a list of coping techniques, reading Ina May Gaskin, hiring a doula.
- Developing my own little sayings. Okay, fine, just call them mantras.
Part 3: So Did Any Of This Actually Work??? (Sneak peek answer: yeah, it totally did.)
- Most of your work is staying cool, and letting that impossible, miraculous, crazy thing called birth happen.
- Surprises and notes from my experience during the actual birth.
Part 4: Bottom Line
- Even women who are exquisitely well-prepared can have really tough births. And ultimately, the way a baby comes into the world is out of everyone’s control.
- But by doing your mental preparation homework (it’s never too soon or too late to start); working through your fears and anxiety; and building a pain-coping plan that works for you, I think you’ll have a satisfying birth experience no matter what happens on your birth day.
Part 5: Resources I Have Loved
- Books movies, etc. that were instrumental for me in building a better birth experience.
Be in touch if you have any questions, comments or insights about this thing. I hope this info helps makes a difference for you or someone you love! Click the link above or go here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/72737922 to pick up a copy for yourself. From that link, you can download the PDF file, share it to facebook, Tweet about it, etc. etc. ad nauseum. : )
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