Birth Matters Virginia ran a contest, women and their families had to send in videos about birth and birthing matters.  It was judged by Dr Sarah Buckley who is internationally acclaimed author of Gentle Birth Choices and Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein from The Business of Being Born.

First prize was won by Ragan Cohen of California with her very topical video on Preventing Cesarean Section.  Have a read of the comments below:

• “Such great myth-busting and important information for all women, I loved your use of natural scenes. I’d love to see this video getting lots of airplay in the public arena.” –Dr. Sarah Buckley, MD
• “The directness and statistics worked well together…” –Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
• “Very well done.”  “One of my favorites. Talk about evidenced-based care; this really motivates someone to take action.” “This really puts it out there. Cesareans aren’t pretty.” “This was so emotional for me. The film does an excellent job questioning the idea that c-sections are easy, normal, and no big deal.” –from the BMV Judging Panel.

The competition was set up t  educate women about their choices and options during the childbearing years, Birth Matters Virginia solicited short videos about evidence-based maternity and delivery care. Their nation ranked 41st in maternal mortality and their cesarean rate surpassing 30%, it is more important than ever for women to be educated about their options.

Nearly 40 informative and thoughtful videos on topics ranging from personal birth journeys, the role a doula plays, midwifery care, cesarean sections, birthing in the Amish culture, birth in Ireland, and more. Each video carried a message of the understanding that change needs to occur in our culture related to pregnancy and birth for the well-being of both mothers and babies.

Take a look at the wonderful video, Prevent Cesarean Surgery, and let me know what you think.  I thought it was real, moving and had great insights from women who have had bot a cesarean section and a vaginal birth.  It is confronting and displays what really happens during a cesarean section and the risks that we don’t really talk about.

Enjoy.

Prevent Cesarean Surgery Video

How to stop the pain and worry of childbirth and totally enjoy your pregnancy!  Wow, can this really happen is what you are asking yourself!  Yes you can do this and it is easier than you think.  What if I said you just had to listen to some fantastic people talk about birth!  Well this is all you need to do.  Just by listening to 7 of the worlds leading experts on birth will change your thinking and allow you to prepare for the birth that you want. 

So how do you get access to this fantastic resource?  Well, it is as simple as clicking on my book: “7 Secrets to Natural Birth” and your in.  You can immediately download all the amazing insights that you can listen to on your ipod or in your car as you take the kids to school.  This amazing expert advice is yours to listen to everyday of your pregnancy and will allow your mind and body to become one.

Becoming clear and positive in your mind will guarantee your success.  Have you heard of the saying: “What you focus on expands”, this is a saying that I live by everyday.  I focus on the positive aspects of every situation and this always gives me positives back.  So why can’t this principle be used during your pregnancy?

I know that a lot of women look at their growing bellies and think how is this baby going to fit out!  Am I right?  Focusing on this each day will instill fear and worry into your minds this will then become an imprint and whenever you think of your body or your baby you will bring this fear into your conscious thought.

So how do you stop this general worry that sits at the pit of your stomach.  All it takes is some gentle re-programming of your thoughts.  How would you like to feel uplifted and happy about your growing baby and actually look forward to your birth?  Well you can by listening to positive, amazing insights into your body, your baby and your birth. 

I have chatted to 7 experts all from different aspects of natural birth.  They share their wealth of knowledge and give the true insights into how you can look forward to your birth.  I used this information when I had my second child and do you know that when I felt my first contraction at 3am on the morning of my son’s birth I actually smiled.  I was so in touch with my body and so positive that I could birth without fear and worry.  I had an amazing short birth and felt so empowered by the whole experience that I just had to let the women of the world know that it can be done and it is easy!!

So get yourself geared up for some fantastic information that will transform the way you think about birth.  You will smile all day and start to really plan for your birth without fear or worry…….just imagine that!  Go over and have a look at my natural birthing resource…..it is yours to use how you like, just enjoy the transformation.

Well ladies, I have written many articles on pregnancy, natural birth, natural induction and breastfeeding.  So I thought I would write a fun article with a few old wives tales! 

Firstly, the biggest question I get asked is how to tell what sex my baby is!!  There is really no sure way to determine your baby’s sex unless you have an ultrasound.  Although, even now ultrasonographers have to say that  it is not 100% accurate.  Some women have been told they are having a girl and out pops a boy!!  You can imagine their surprise when they realise that they have to put this beautiful boy into pink jumpsuits!

I have been looking after birthing women for a decade and I always try and guess the sex of the baby and do you know what, I am usually right.  What I base my decision on is the baby’s heart rate.  A higher heart rate, above 140bpm, can indicate a girl and below 140bpm a boy.  Now, if you are listening to your baby’s heart rate before 20 weeks then it will most likely be high anyway, so this is not accurate.  Also if you hear your baby’s heart rate for a short time, say a minute, it is not long enough to get a base line.  If you are in labour and your baby’s heart rate is listened to for over a minute you can get a base line, it is this baseline that I base my decision on.  I know this sounds silly, however, I am right about 80% of the time!

Another old wives tale is to do with heart burn.  A lot of women suffer heart burn during pregnancy, this is caused by a few factors.  Your hormone relaxin relaxes your muscles this includes the muscle around your stomach that prevents food from coming back up once swallowed.  When this relaxes you may find that some stomach acids come back up and cause a burning sensation.  Now enough of that boring stuff……what I wanted to say was that old wives believe that the more heart burn you have the more hair your child will have.  I hear this every day and do you know what……it is almost always WRONG!  And I am a testament to that, I had terrible heart burn with both my babies and they were bald until they were 18 months old.  Let me know if you can dispute this!!

Does drinking castor oil induce labour?  This has been around for a while and women do partake in this horrible exercise.  The fact is that it does work, for some women!  When giving advice on natural induction methods it is all on the basis that it may work.  It is hard to measure as labour could have started anyway if you exhaust all your other options.  Castor oil works by causing your bowel to become stimulated, this in turn can stimulate your uterus and contractions may start.  Personally I would not try it, however, I have not been over 2 weeks over due and really adamant on not having a medical induction.  It is amazing what women would try……..women and mothers are the strongest people on this earth and if drinking castor oil will get them the birth they want then bottoms up!!

If you have any questions or want to tell me about your old wives tale from your own experience or your great, great grandmothers then drop me a line through my blog.  If you want to learn some great factual ways that you can have a fantastic empowering birth then take a look at my book on how to have a natural birth without fear, pain or worry.  Take care and enjoy your pregnancy.

Through teaching antenatal classes I find that there is so much information to take in that it is hard to really take away a guide that will work for you.

Having a plan or a guide for when you begin labour will give you confidence in your self and your body. 

Through attending and managing over a hundred births, teaching many, many couples and my own personal experience I find that there are 3 key points that empower you to have an amazing natural birth.

1. Write a goal and read it every day
2. Do 15mins of stretching or yoga or just relax with calming music each day
3. Practice deep breathing for relaxation

1.  Write a Goal

This is the first step you need to take.  Many women have a plan, however, they have not actually thought about exactly how their outcome will look.  The key word here is outcome, you can decide how you want your birth to end.  I know you are saying that it ends with a baby, but will you be relaxed, without stitches, and excited.  When writing a goal you must commit it to paper, this makes it real in your subconscious mind.  It is best to write the goal as if it has already happened, for example:

“It is now (insert your due date) and I am so happy and grateful that my birth was easy and short or (insert your descriptive desires).  I am amazed at my beautiful, soft baby lying on my chest looking up at me.  My baby feels warm under my arms.  I look into my partners eyes and see the tears of joy as he looks at our beautiful baby”

You can put what you want in your goal, all you need to do is put lots of positive emotions and use all your senses.  The more life like you make your goal the more you can see the picture in your mind.  Your body and mind will then go after this picture and your goal will become a reality.

You need to now put your goal around your house so you read it every day. Smile when you read it and enjoy the feelings it will bring.  Think of your goal when you hear stories that don’t reflect your positive attitude and this will help you to stay positive and stay on your path to your birth, your goal and your amazing experience.

2.  Stretching, Yoga and Relaxation

Spend 15mins everyday stretching, practicing yoga or just relaxing listening to calming music.  This will allow your mind to become still for a short time everyday.  It will give you more energy and time to reflect on your goal.

Stretching and yoga are great ways to keep your body supple during pregnancy and prepare yourself for your birth.  You only need to do this for a short time, just incorporate it into your daily routine.  As a bonus with my Natural Birthing book a Personal Trainer has described specific stretches and exercises that can be safely practiced during pregnancy.  They are fantastic as the book is easy to read with pictures for you to follow.  You can find out more about this bonus here.

It is important to take this time for yourself each day to prepare your mind and body for your birth.  Envision your goal during this relaxed time and reflect on positive aspects of your body, your baby and your birth.

3.  Deep Breathing

During periods of pain in your life, our first instinct is to tense up.  For example when you stub your toe you immediately tense up and hold your foot.  This is instinct, therefore when contractions start, your first instinct will be to tense up and become stressed with pain. 

For your natural pain relieving hormones, endorphins, to work you need to be relaxed and calm.  If you practice deep breathing and remaining calm with any form of pain during your pregnancy this will give you practice.  For example, Braxton hicks contractions, back pain, or unrelated pain.  Concentrate on breathing deeply in and as you breathe out concentrate on relaxing your entire body, just go limp.

Doing this during contractions will allow your body to relieve the pain by accessing your body’s own natural pain relieving hormone, endorphin.  Endorphins are so much more stronger than any opiate given to you, so why not enhance this during your birth!!

Natural Induction is a word that is typed into Google many, many times a day.  Women are keen to have their baby on or before their due date and are trying to avoid a medical induction.  Women know that medical induction leads to a cascade of intervention and possibly culminating in a cesarean section.

So, as a midwife of 10 years, I thought I would discuss a few sure fire points that are gentle but very effective in getting labour started.  But you must wonder why we actually go over our due date and what actually starts labour.  What we do know is that it is probably a combination of mother and baby that starts labour, so having both in top condition is imperative. I have a few theories on why women go over due and they are listed below.  I have narrowed it down to 3 points, these are: 

1. Posterior positioned baby – this is where you baby’s back is in line with your back and is not fitting well into the pelvis.  This creates uneven pressure on the cervix and can delay labour or start and stop labour over several days.
2. Stress – women can become stressed as their due date comes and goes, this stress can pass over to the baby and delay birth.
3. Wrong dates – some women are not sure when their last period was and had to rely on ultrasound for a due date.  Ultrasound is pretty accurate in giving a due date, however, only if the scan is done early. 

Now we know a few reasons why labour may not start, we can look into ways that will naturally start labour.  I have narrowed down to three important techniques that I have seen work for women over and over again.  Before you delve into the world of Natural Induction it is important to discuss this with your health care professional all your options and make sure you and your baby are both doing well.

1. Getting your heart rate up
2. Intercourse
3. Helping baby into the correct position 

First up, getting your heart rate up.  The easiest way to do this is go for a walk, take your partner with you for support and you can chat about your birth while exercising.  Most women will find that a good brisk walk will increase the heart rate, no need to exert yourself. 

While you are out walking a great way to help your baby into a nice tucked in position, which will in turn fit easily into your pelvis, is to walk with one foot up on the gutter and the other on the road.  Then turn around to the other side of the road and walk with the other foot on the gutter.  Doing this will change the dimensions in your pelvis and allow your baby to negotiate the birth canal with ease. 

Secondly, having sex can firstly relax you and give your body time to forget about labour, which may in turn put you into labour.  Also semen carries prostaglandin which can soften and ripen the cervix ready for labour.  Now, this may sound ridiculous but it can work.  After sex lie with your legs up the wall, this will allow the semen to sit on your cervix and soften it, ready for labour.  This may not work, but it can’t hurt!!  Have fun with it, have a laugh, this may also relax you and put you into labour! 

Another great part of sex is when a woman experiences orgasm, she produces oxytocin – the labour hormone. So while having intercourse seems to not be of much help, it can still play a role in the bigger scheme of things!  To enhance sex and natural induction you can try nipple stimulation.  Nipple stimulation will release oxytocin in your blood and hopefully induce labour.  You can use your hand and fingers to do this or get your partner to have a go, I am sure this will be an added bonus for them!!

Position, position, position, isn’t this what they say in real estate?  This is so true of pregnant women as well.  Now I don’t want to compare women to real estate, however it may make you remember this point.  As I mentioned above when your baby is in the posterior position (spine to spine) then it is more likely that you will go over due or your labour may stop and start.  To help your baby into the right position it is important to adopt positions where your belly is hanging forwards, this will encourage your baby’s spine to swing forwards and rest in a great position, with your baby’s chin tucked in.  Below is a list of positions that you can practice each day.

• Sitting forward on a chair with your legs apart and your belly hanging between your legs
• Sit on a chair the wrong way, turn a dining chair around and straddle it, resting your arms on the back of the chair
• Crawl around on your hands and knees.  Play with your other children or maybe spot mop the floor!  You don’t need to do this for very long
• Sit on your knees and place a bean bag in front of you, lean over the bean bag and your tummy will hang forward cushioned by the beans

To recap, Natural Induction can be a rocky road, however, through my experience as midwife and a mother of an over due baby, I have narrowed down the list of possible ways to naturally induce labour.  These are; getting your heart rate through walking or even sex!  Which leads me to my next point, sex; this can relax you, release oxytocin through orgasm and nipple stimulation and soften your cervix.  My final point is position, start crawling around on your hands and knees and keep your belly hanging!

I hope this helps, I know it is much better than castor oil and a lot more fun.  Give them all a go and see where they take you.  If you love the idea of natural induction and also natural childbirth, then jump over to my website, Child Birth Options, and see some more great ways to naturally induce your labour and help you achieve an amazing natural birth. 

Your pelvis holds your uterus in place with long stretchy tendons it also supports this uterus and your baby.  Your pelvic floor muscles are attached to it and it loosens with pregnancy to allow your baby to pass through.  What an amazing part of your anatomy!

So why am I discussing this?  Well if you understand your pelvis you can enhance its abilities during labour and achieve a wonderful Natural Birth. 

A hormone called relaxin is released during pregnancy, this affects your joints, blood vessels, pelvis and many others systems.  In regards to your pelvis, it loosens allowing your uterus and your baby to fit comfortably and make a wide enough path for your birth.

So what can you do to create an easier birth for yourself and your baby?  It is all about positioning your body to create more room.  If you look at the diagram below you will see that it has a circular opening.  All women have a different shaped pelvic opening; however, all women can increase the size of this opening to allow their baby to smoothly fit through.  See the diagram below.

Your sacrum is really the key, this is the end of your spine, see diagram above.  It curves under and is able to move and create a larger opening for your baby.  The best position to maximise the diameter of the pelvic outlet is leaning over.  For example if you are standing you could lean over and rest your head on your arms over a bed, bench or chair.  It just has to be an object that is higher than your pelvis.  This will allow your sacrum to flare out and widen your pelvic outlet.

You can use this position while you are in labour and move your hips around in a circular motion to relieve discomfort.  Also, your lower back can be massaged easily to help you relax. 

If you can increase the size of your pelvic outlet by leaning over and allowing your sacrum to flare out then conversely, if you lay on your back you will stop this from happening.  In fact, you will reduce your pelvic outlet by 28%!  As well as this, if you lie on your back, you will not have the use of gravity to help with the downward motion of birth.  By standing or kneeling while leaning over you will allow gravity to help guide your baby out.

Lets face it….any way we can work with our bodies to have a fast, amazing birth is something that is worth practicing and using during your birth.  So, to recap, the best position to labour and birth in is: 

• Upright position – to use gravity to help you
• Leaning over allowing your sacrum to flare out
• Kneeling whilst leaning over, keeping your upper body above your pelvis 

Using positions, gravity and your body during pregnancy and birth will greatly enhance your birthing experience and empower you to birth with confidence.  To learn more on positions for birth have a read of my other articles on my blog and create a birthing journey that will transform your life.

More and more women are entering into their birth journey with a posterior positioned baby. Now you may be asking what this is.  When you go to your health professional to have a check up towards the end of your pregnancy, you are measured, your baby’s heart rate is recorded and the position of your baby will be determined.  A position known as posterior is sometimes found.

The most common position is for your baby to be head down and slightly turned on its side so you can feel the smoothness of the back on the right of left side and curled up arms and legs on the opposite side.  With a posterior position your baby’s back is in line with your back and the arms and legs are moving freely across your tummy.

So why do posterior baby’s pose problems?  Your baby’s head will enter the pelvis with a deflexed head, or slightly tilting back, this will cause the widest part of your baby’s head to negotiate the birth canal.  With a head that is nicely tucked in, with chin to chest, this will create a smaller diameter and an easier birth. 

Generally, posterior babies will cause backache during your pregnancy and severe back pain during labour.  So how do you prevent a posterior baby?  Your baby will rotate into the posterior position if you are constantly lying on your back or reclining for long periods of time every day.  Your baby’s back is heavy and the spine will fall towards your spine if you are reclining or lying down for too long.

There are simple things you can do to remedy this.  Try to adopt positions where your belly is hanging forwards, this will encourage your baby’s spine to swing forwards and rest in a great position, with your baby’s chin tucked in.  Below is a list of positions that you can practice each day.

• Sitting forward on a chair with your legs apart and your belly hanging between your legs
• Sit on a chair the wrong way, turn a dining chair around and straddle it, resting your arms on the back of the chair
• Crawl around on your hands and knees.  Play with your other children or maybe spot mop the floor!  You don’t need to do this for very long
• Sit on your knees and place a bean bag in front of you, lean over the bean bag and your tummy will hang forward cushioned by the beans

All these positions can be incorporated into your daily life.  Just being aware of this will help your baby get into the best possible position for your birth.  If you do any of these positions and it is uncomfortable or painful, please stop and seek advice from your health care professional.

You may still have a baby that is posterior despite your efforts; this is normal and is because this is the way your baby is most comfortable lying.  You can still birth your baby and 8 out of 10 times your baby will turn during labour, or you may birth your baby in this position, it is not a condition that will cause too many problems.  The main concerns are increased back ache in labour and maybe an extended first stage of labour.  If you find that you are in labour with your baby in the posterior position you can help your baby to turn by doing big marching steps.  Bring your knees up high and march on the spot, this will change the dimensions of your pelvis and give your baby more room to rotate.  You can also walk up and down stairs to do the same thing.  Another way is to put one foot on a stool and one on the floor and this will also change the dimensions of your pelvis and allow your baby to negotiate the birth canal with ease.

I hope this has helped all of the wonderful pregnant women out there, just remember to keep crawling on your knees and visualise your baby entering the world in the easy anterior position.  Good luck and happy birthing.

There must be so many pregnant women out there, as my blog is running hot and my inbox is clogged with questions!  So, I thought I would compile a list of the 3 most asked questions about pregnancy and birth from my blog and the women I teach.  Firstly, my background, I am mother to two beautiful boys 7yrs and 21months (still breastfeeding!), a Midwife of 9 years and a Lactation Consultant.  I work in a birthing unit, teach antenatal classes and run a lactation clinic at a pharmacy.

Question 1

How much pain will I be in during labour?

This is such a common question and most women will often ask their friends for the answer.  My standard reply to this question is how about learning some methods to cope with the pain, so whatever your labour feels like you are able to deal with it.  This takes the focus off the pain, which is something you cannot know, to something you can do.  You take the control back. 

It is very difficult to describe what type of pain you will feel, hence, the answer above.  Some people suggest putting a peg on your ear lobe and leave it there for a minute or pinch your ear lobe and gradually get firmer and firmer for a minute.  But really it is a question that has a different answer for everyone.  So learning more about relaxation and coping strategies is the key.  Strategies such as hypnobirthing, yoga and Lamaze will help you turn the pain into a positive.  Just really commit to learning and practicing the technique that suits you and allow it to become instinctual, this is how you will successfully cope with the pain of contractions.  To learn more about the many different relaxation techniques click here. 

Question 2

Is sex safe during pregnancy?

I have so many women ask this question and the answer is yes.  Sex is a great way to relax and bond with your partner; you may even feel really great about your growing body and want to have sex all the time!  If you have a low lying placenta (where you placenta grows close to or over the opening of your womb, cervix) then sex may be contraindicated as bleeding may occur.  Please check with your health care professional.   

Bleeding can occur following intercourse, usually during the later stages of pregnancy, most times there is nothing wrong, however, do check with your doctor or midwife.  If you are overdue sex can send you into labour, this is because semen contains prostaglandins which will soften your cervix and may trigger labour. 

Question 3

Do I need to prepare my breasts for breastfeeding?

This is a common question and the answer has changed over the years.  Women used to be told to toughen up their nipples with towels and other abrasive products.  This is not advised anymore, no preparation is needed, your breasts were made for breastfeeding and changes are taking place throughout your whole pregnancy. 

You may experience leaking of yellowish, thick fluid; this is normal and can happen quite early in the pregnancy.  Leaking or not leaking is not an indication of your ability to produce breast milk.

Women have different shapes and sizes of breasts, small or large breasts are both capable of producing enough milk for your baby.  Your nipples can be any shape and may even look pulled in - this is nothing to worry about now as your baby will pull them out whilst sucking.  True inverted nipples can be managed with some help from a lactation consultant when your baby is born.   

One thing you can do before your birth is to look at your breasts, feel them and get to know them.  Breasts are amazing and will give your baby protection, satisfaction and the best start in life.  If you want to learn more about breastfeeding a fantastic book has been written called “5 Seriously Simple Strategies to Survive Your First Week of Parenting and Beyond” written by Jenny Jones.  Jenny is a registered nurse of 40 years, a certified midwife of 36 years, a Lactation Consultant and an Early Childhood Nurse of 12 years.  Jenny has witnessed first hand the anxiety parents feel in the first week of birth…and gently guides you with her compassionate and nurturing advice.  This book will give you the confidence and arm you with the best questions to ask when learning how to breastfeed.  It is a free book when you download my natural childbirth education package, click here to find out how you can transform your birth and breastfeeding experience to one of joy and confidence.

If you have a particular question that you would like answered, please contact me through my blog and I will be more than happy to answer any type of question you have.  Enjoy your birth preparation and make relaxation part of your routine.

Hello to all the wonderful pregnant women who are nearly at their due date or over!  I know how you feel, I went 6 days over with my first child and it felt like 6 years!  I am wondering why we are constantly told a due date, I mean really, only 1% of babies come on their due date.  Babies are mature enough to be born from 37weeks and can go safely to 42weeks.  This is a gap of 5 weeks and we focus on ONE due date……insane!

Now for those of you who are over 41weeks and are facing medical induction head on, then I thought I would write to you about Natural Induction.  There are many methods that have been used over the years, none have been guaranteed to work 100%, it is just your own preference.  Before you start any Natural Induction method, please seek advice from your medical carer especially if you have any form of pre-existing medical condition. 

There are great ways you can try at home and then there are those methods that practitioners can help you with.  I will list the latter first, however, it is very important to ensure that the person treating you is qualified, and is knowledgable in pregnancy and birth. If they do not have appropriate training or knowledge of pregnancy and birth, this may be unsafe as extra care must be taken when pregnant and in labour.  Please find a practitioner that you feel comfortable with.

• Accupressure – Use of pressure points to stimulate labour.  Debra Betts has put together a fantastic document on acupressure for pregnancy, labour and post birth. 
• Accupuncture
• Homeopathy
• Sweeping of Membranes – strip and stretch, separates membranes from cervix
• Massage – Bowen Therapy
  

There are some fun ways you can try and Naturally Induce labour, the first one is sex.  Sex can firstly relax you and give your body time to forget about labour, which may in turn put you into labour.  Also semen carries prostaglandin which can soften and ripen the cervix ready for labour.  Recently a study has found that intercourse made little difference to inducing labour and no cervical changes were evident. This may have been the case in the study, but who can be relaxed when part of a study and be examined after sex!

However, sex can be a great way to relax, and contrary to the study, many mothers have found that they have gone into labour after having sex, especially during early labour. Even Ina May Gaskin, a long time natural and homebirthing advocate doesn’t think too much of this study as she has seen otherwise.

Another great part of sex is when a woman experiences orgasm, she produces oxytocin – the labour hormone. So while having intercourse seems to not be of much help, it can still play a role in the bigger scheme of things!

Another Natural Induction method is nipple stimulation.  Nipple stimulation will release oxytocin in your blood and hopefully induce labour.  You can use your hand and fingers to do this or a breast pump.  Do this for about 20mins, have a rest and repeat if you are up to it!

Raspberry leaf is another natural induction method that acts as a uterine tonic and can stimulate labour.  It also has an added benefit after birth for breastmilk production.  It’s generally recommended anytime after 12 weeks in a healthy pregnancy – make sure you check with your medical carer and a naturopath for doses and to see if it’s appropriate for you.

Now that you are armed with all these natural induction methods you may want to know what to do if you are in early labour to keep things moving.  Below is a list for you to follow if you are in early labour.

• Rest at night if your contractions will allow
• Walk around to stimulate your contractions
• Climb stairs – this will help your body work with gravity and get your baby into a great position
• Have a shower to ease the pain, try to avoid swimming and baths as it will counteract gravity
• Keep upright – work with gravity, lean into contractions as your uterus leans forwards during contractions, bend your knees and bend to about 45 degrees
• Keep busy to take your mind off labour
• Keep well hydrated, your body is working as hard as if it were running a marathon.
• Relax

I hope these natural induction suggestions help you on your journey towards birth.  Remember to relax and have faith in your body and your baby.  Enjoy the lead up to your birth and your birth journey.

I have written many posts on natural birth planning as I believe it is the key to a successful birth experience. Having your mind and body on the same positive page will give you an amazing birth experience. Today, however, I wanted to talk about breastfeeding, I want you to try and think beyond the birth for a short time and take in some great breastfeeding hints and tips.

The women I teach have many questions on birth, but when it comes to breastfeeding they are really not as interested, this is just because the birth is first and foremost in their minds. I can totally understand, it is hard to get past the birth, it is all consuming.

To help you have an amazing first breastfeeding experience I have put a list together for you to educate yourself about what physically happens to your body and your baby’s during the first hour after birth. I concentrate on the first hour because it is the most significant feed of them all. See below to find out why.

• Your baby’s whole body will change from receiving oxygen from the umbilical cord to using their lungs to breathe air
• Birth your placenta – usually15-30mins and can be up to an hour
• Oxytocin levels at their highest to encourages milk let-down
• Strongest suck in baby at this time so the first feed will imprint on your baby’s brain and will have subsequent successful breastfeeds

Knowing what physically happens in the first hour after birth will help you really plan and prepare yourself for this event. It is an amazing time that you can look forward to, not worry about. Just remember not to worry about feeling awkward when you first feed, you are not an expert at this stage and you are bound to feel a little uncomfortable.

If you are birthing your baby in the hospital, birthing center or at home there are some simple, yet powerful ways to maximise yours and you baby’s experience. I have compiled a list of things to educate you on the workings of your baby and what you can do to encourage your baby’s natural instincts. This will in turn give your baby the right environment to feed successfully.

1. Initiate skin-to-skin contact
2. Early feeding cues – eg fist to mouth, tongue protruding in and out, massaging your breasts with their tiny, beautiful hands and turning and mouthing towards your breast and nipple area. Recognise these early feeding cues as your baby will feed better at this stage. Crying is a late feeding cue and will create a more stressful environment when feeding
3. Try and keep handling of your baby to a minimum until the first feed is completed (partners allowed)
4. Leave weighing and measuring until after your baby’s first feed
5. Turn your baby towards you so their chest is facing yours gently guide your baby towards your breast by placing your hand between the shoulder blades allowing the head to tilt back so the chin comes in first to the breast

To really get the most out of skin-to-skin contact it would be beneficial to talk to your birth attendant and plan for this. You can take off your clothes when birth is imminent and ask your birth attendant to either place your baby gently on your chest or you or your partner could actually help with the birthing process and be the first to touch your baby and bring him/her to your chest in your own arms. This is an amazing feeling, you may not want this but then again it might give you something to think about!

If you are planning for a cesarean section then ski- to-skin contact can also be achieved. You can talk to your obstetrician and midwife about skin-to-skin contact and its importance. If this is something you really want then you must be persistent with your wishes and remind all staff during your cesarean section. Although there may be circumstances in which it is impossible for this to happen, most times babies arrive into the world with a big cry, and this beautiful noise will mean that your baby is breathing and ready to be placed on to the warmth and security of your chest.

I just wanted to talk briefly about your baby’s feeding habits in the first few days before your milk comes in. It is common for mothers to wonder if they have enough milk for their baby as they tend to cry often for a feed in the first few days. To give you a reason behind this will make it easier to manage. Newborns have a stomach the size of a marble in the first day, it then grows to the size of a larger marble and then to the size of a golf ball on the third day. If you think about this for a moment it does not take much to fill a baby’s stomach and even less time for them to empty it, therefore they are ready for another feed in only a few short hours, ranging from 1-3 hours. Knowing this fact will give you the insight to follow your baby’s cues and allow him/her to feed often. It is not spoiling if you give in to your baby’s needs, in fact, having their needs met will actually create a happier contented child.

I have one last point before your get back on to your Natural Birth Planning, I know, I am almost finished! If your baby seems to be feeding constantly for over an hour and not settling at all then you need to ask for help. It usually means your baby is attaching to the nipple and not to the breast surrounding the nipple. This will leave you with sore, painful nipples and an unsettled baby it also could delay your milk coming in. Positioning and attachment are crucial at this time and having help at each feed will create a wonderful, successful breastfeeding relationship. Below is a diagram of great attachment, have a look at it and then put it to the back of your brain so you can draw on it when the birth is over.

Now, I know you want to get back to Natural Birth Planning. If you would like some fantastic up to date information on natural birthing then take a look at my book “7 secrets to Natural Childbirth”. You will find wonderful information that will change the way you look at birth. If you are having a cesarean section you can find some great ways to relax and really turn your birth into the experience you want.

One more tip about breastfeeding just before your go…..I know I am pushing it!! I advise you to look at your breasts, feel them and get to know them. Marvel in the fantastic job that they will do – give your beautiful baby the gift of breast milk. It will line your baby’s stomach with the strongest defence system that can never be replicated by something man-made. This wonderful gift of human breast milk will keep your baby healthy for the rest of their life.