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| My First Pregnancy |
It’s been a long while since those thoughts first entered my ,mind, and since then, I have had 4 babies naturally. One was without any preparation, and it was my least favorite birth experience. It was painful, and toward the end I wished for medications so badly, but baby was nearly out by then. Although I have always been grateful that I did it naturally, it was definitely not the type of natural birth I would wish for again. My other births, the ones I’ve been more prepared for, have been even more beautiful, comfortable, safe, relaxing, and spiritually uplifting experiences. Through these experiences, I've accumulated worthwhile and gratifying rituals, which I will continue using from now on for each.
Midwives
At my first prenatal visit with my Obstetrician Gynecologist, I was scared of what pregnancy and birth would entail, and my doctor was more than willing to take responsibility for the whole thing. He was comfortable letting me think about birth options, but made it clear that he was ultimately the decision-maker for my pregnancy and birth. At first I felt safe in his confidence as a physician, but then it bothered me that he would be in control over my birth. He addressed me as if I had a long-term sickness, and he would deliver me. Deep down inside, I didn't think of pregnancy like that at all, but a natural phase of life and a time of incredible growth. I also knew that I, as the mother of my child, was entitled to make the decisions I felt right about. After all, I loved my unborn baby more than he could ever imagine. That was my first and last visit with a doctor for prenatal care. I discovered that if I wanted a natural birth, midwives are more supportive.
My first visit with a midwife was opposite from the doctor in terms of “who is in charge” during childbirth. At first I felt that they were giving me too much freedom to make decisions when I didn’t know what my options were. I wasn't sure what was expected of me, I wondered if I could have pain medications if I needed it at the last minute, I had no idea what was to expect during childbirth, and my view of what natural childbirth then was so distorted compared to what I know now. The midwives addressed my concerns, answered my questions, and encouraged me to visualize and create my ideal birth in whatever I wanted and felt was right. They also pointed me in the right directions to educate myself further. The best thing I could’ve done was listen to my midwife, and I took a class to help me prepare for handling birth naturally. As someone interested in Psychology, I looked into hypnobirthing.
Hypnobirthing
Hypnobirthing is using hypnosis to somewhat control the pain and process of childbirth, and is one step further than Lamaze or Bradley’s Method. I knew it was possible for someone to drown out pain, because I've seen videos where people can walk on hot coals without obvious agony, but I wondered if it would work for me. My husband and I ultimately decided that even if the hypnosis didn't work, all the information given in the class concerning preparation for natural childbirth would be well worth the cost of the class. Looking back, that was the best $200 I've ever spent on education.
The first day of the Hypnobabies class, both my husband and I were skeptical but eager to learn. By the end of the class though, we’d both experienced deep relaxation and hypnosis, and we became believers. Through the Hypnobabies class, the instructions, practice, and preparation, my husband became an incredible birthing coach, knowing exactly what I wanted and needed. He could follow my cues, pull me out of hypnosis, or send me further into hypnosis as I needed it. We became a great team, and that experience has strengthened our trust and relationship in each other. As helpful as hypnosis was during childbirth, I have used it even more often in pre-labor contractions (before its “bad enough” to be admitted at the hospital), for postpartum pain, and lactation pain. To this day, I still use it when I’m in pain, pregnancy-related or not. It’s become a very useful tool.
Aromatherapy
Soon after my second child was born, I was introduced to aromatherapy in the form of essential oils. Essential oils are aromatic compounds that come from plants for smell, flavor, and/or therapeutic healing. Since I’d already made the decision to not use any medications while pregnant or during labor to keep my babies safe, I was intrigued by natural remedies. I immediately discovered that Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils are completely safe to use on myself, pregnant or not, my babies, and family members, without the risk of side effects. Not only that, but essential oils can be used to alleviate pain, cramping, hemorrhaging, migraines, depression, and also assist in peaceful sleep, hormonal balance, energy, focus, “pregnancy brain”, and lactation. When I discovered this, I thought “where have you been all my life?!” I’d found a new best friend in God’s wonderful creations. Plants aren't just for decoration, but for health—what a profound idea!
I've found such relief and joy in using essential oils during pregnancy. For example, when I've experienced symptoms of pre-term labor, I rubbed a couple drops of Lavender oil on my abdomen, and the symptoms subsided for a few hours or longer after each application. When I craved unhealthy foods, I used a metabolic blend containing Cinnamon, Ginger, Lemon, Grapefruit, and Peppermint oils on my tongue or with water, which “turned off” the unhealthy craving, giving me time to think of healthy foods that my body needed. That same metabolic blend kept me from gaining excessive weight like in my past pregnancies, and it also helped give me energy and focus, and also diminished bloating and digestive cramps. I used many more oils during pregnancy, pre-labor, labor, during childbirth, postpartum for mommy and baby (and daddy!), and every other stage of motherhood.
Birth Center
It wasn't until I was pregnant with my 4th child that I considered giving birth at a birth center; previously I thought my only safe option was the hospital. In my mind, the term “birth center” referred to a small clinic where women deliver their babies without medical back up. Needless to say, I know better now. When I researched locations where midwives were practicing, I found a birth center facility located a half hour away from my home, which looked like a luxurious 5-star hotel room. Upon visiting, a hospital seemed like a cheap motel. They have all the medical equipment needed,and in case of emergency, a hospital was literally right across the street.
In order to birth in a birthing center, a reservation is often required, to keep numbers limited so births don’t overlap. My prenatal visits there were family events, and we all got the royal treatment every time. Since there were usually only one or two other prenatal appointments going on simultaneously, there was very little waiting time. In addition to that, the midwives there truly loved their work and were enjoyable. They adored my children, made genuine and positive conversation, and allowed my children to help measure my belly and hear the heartbeat. For exams, I got to wear a white fluffy bathrobe instead of a cold, thin, makeshift “gown”. Guess what else is a huge bonus of birthing centers? Fewer protocols, which translates to “Eating, drinking, and moving around to your heart’s content (in your luxurious room), follow your birth plan how you want it, special privileges, and be discharged as soon as you want!”
Water Birth
The primary reason for choosing to deliver at the birth center was for a water birthing experience. Is it too much to want to “have it all”? I am an avid fan of birth being as comfortable, enjoyable, and easy as possible, with the recovery likewise. The reason that natural births in a tub sounds so appealing is because water is soothing, comfortable, and water takes the pressure of gravity off the body. This makes finding a comfortable position a breeze, and also seems to reduce the raw pain of pushing the baby out.
With my fourth delivery, my baby was in the posterior position, meaning her spine was rubbing against mine during the labor and delivery. I am undoubtedly grateful I was in the water, because the only position that I was comfortable with pushing baby out was sitting up, with my hands pushing me upward away from the tub floor. That position wouldn't have been possible for me if I was “on land”. I also used essential oils in the bath water for the relaxation of my mind and muscles, to relieve the pressure of labor, and prevent tearing. Since the delivery, I've continued to use essential oils to restore my back and alleviate the discomforts I've had, along with some chiropractic support.
Placenta Encapsulation
This might be the weirdest tip yet, but hear me out. As part of my postpartum plan, I chose to encapsulate the placenta, the organ that fed my baby from my body to hers. I hired someone to basically dehydrate it, grind it to powder, and put it into little gel capsules. I was encouraged to take placenta pills every day and whenever I was experiencing postpartum hormonal, mental, and physical stress. If that sounds nasty, consider this: You've developed a baby inside of you from the nutrients taken from your own body, and the placenta is also made up of those nutrients. Those same nutrients that the placenta stole from your body are the nutrients that your body is heavily lacking by the time baby is born. When your body lacks the nutrients it needs, it heals slower, you get sick more often, energy goes down, and your hormones take longer to stabilize, which increases your risk of depression too.
By taking back all those nutrients that your body has already embraced once for you and baby, chances are high that your body will know how to put them to work and get you back to normal. Although it doesn't sound delicious, most mammals do eat the placenta of their offspring for those same health-promoting reasons. Hiring someone else to encapsulate your placenta for you eliminates (most of) the gross factor. Some benefits I've heard (and experienced) include: hormonal stability, fewer baby blues, absence of postpartum depression, fewer weepy moments, increased energy, ease in adjusting to the new life changes, having a more positive outlook, and enriched milk supplies for babies.
If you've read this to the end, congratulations! Maybe these suggestions will help you or perhaps someone you know. I think I've finally refined what I would consider “the ideal birthing plan”. For more information on hypnobirthing classes in your area, visit www.hypnobabies.com, and for more information on essential oils or creating a birth plan, email me at nikki@empoweredbynature.info.
The author, Nikki Cottam is a full-time mother and holistic health coach who resides in Omaha, NE.
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