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The Home Birth of Alice Grace

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 16:01:12 GMT

My Home Birth Story

In the days leading up to Alice's birth, Braxton Hicks were coming on pretty much non-stop. It didn’t matter what I was doing, my stomach would tighten every 10 minutes throughout the day. With what I had decided was a lack of signs, I was getting frustrated and ready for her to be here. After having had 4 babies before her, you'd think I'd be able to stay patient, but my emotions were through the roof! At my 40 week appointment, my midwife assured me that often with subsequent babies there are no “signs” until labor begins.

This wasn’t my pattern, but it’s exactly what happened!

On May 29th, the night before labor began, I decided I needed my affirmation cards strung up as the backdrop to the water birth I was (not so patiently) waiting for. That day, I had also decided that I wanted my mom there for my birth, and had a talk with my baby that if that was going to happen, she had to come tomorrow since my mom would be leaving on the 31st.

The next day morning, I woke up around 2 am with easy but noticeable contractions that made it difficult to sleep. These lasted around 2 hours before fizzling out so I assumed it was prodromal labor and went back to sleep.

When I woke up for the day around 6/6:30, I showered and went to go get my youngest son Wylder to bring him downstairs for breakfast. Jack ran into his room and told me that Alice was coming today. I said really bud you think so? He was pretty certain!

Once downstairs, I got the boys a bowl of cereal. I had one contraction and felt like I needed to get the big kids with all of the noisy play out of the house. So we sent the big 3 to nana’s around 8:30 AM and I told my husband Josh I needed extra support today. Still not being 100% sure today was the day, I knew I needed to be less stimulated by the noise, regardless.

From there, contractions began to come more frequently. They weren’t last a long time and felt like period cramps - uncomfortable but manageable. I thought this is interesting - am I getting to experience an early labor? With things going so fast with my third and fourth (they were born in under 2 hours from the first contraction), I didn’t think my body was capable of a slower build up anymore! After Josh put Wylder down for his morning nap, I texted my doula and our birth team to update them on what I was feeling.

Around 9:40 I noticed that being upright was bringing contractions on a bit more. Alice was still high up in my pelvis so to help with positioning I decided to do the miles circuit. After that, my doula suggested I continue to stay upright and listen/dance to music. I turned on one of my playlists and did my hair thinking, okay I’m definitely having a baby today!

After that, Wylder woke up and had some lunch and I decided it was time for him to join his brothers at Nana’s house. Josh brought him over and I knew once he was there I could let the waves wash over me. I started clearing out quite a bit and things started to shift once again around 12 PM when I finally lost my mucus plug (a sign I had been waiting for that never came until I was in labor!). When my doula called me to check in, I told her now was probably the time to notify our birth photographer and head over. I wasn’t quite ready for the midwife team yet, but sent a quick text to her to keep her in the loop.

Once my doula got here, we wrapped my belly in a ring sling for some extra support and went on a walk. That definitely encouraged contractions and we only made it about halfway around the block before I needed to stop and sway through them. After that, we headed back inside, finished blowing up the birth pool, and I went upstairs to use the bathroom. The stairs brought on more intensity and I decided now would be a good time to call my midwife. I’m not sure who did call her (probably my doula!), but I was relieved when both her and the secondary midwife walked in the door around 2/2:30. At that point we decided to call my mom over as well - Josh called her and she was so excited she hung up before he could say goodbye!

In the meantime, it looked like it was getting ready to storm and we turned on my birth playlist. One of the songs I had on there was the opening song to The Notebook, which inspired us to put it on in the background on mute. With candles going, a cozy movie on, and moody light streaming through the windows, the scene was set.

At last, my mom walked through the door and my whole team was there! I think that’s when it really hit me - I’m having a daytime baby!

Soon enough, the tub was getting filled and although my contractions never felt like they had a pattern, I knew I wanted the relief from the tension building in my back that the water would bring.

Knowing that walking around and climbing stairs helped bring on more intensity, Josh went with me to walk up to the bathroom before getting in the tub. At this point she was still high up in my pelvis but I figured with the movement of my hips +gravity that should help! It was not fun. ��

After that I walked back down, stopped for another contraction, and got into the tub. The water felt SO good. I think this was about 3/3:30ish? But I was entering labor land and completely unaware of the time at this point.

The contractions started to intensify to the point where I needed to moan through them, and I kept reminding myself to lean into the intensity. Some of them were coupling but then I would get a nice break. My arms and legs started getting tingly, I got nauseous, and I was pretty sure I was entering transition (or getting close to it).

I felt inside and was pretty discouraged I didn’t feel her head anywhere - I then felt my belly for her head which was STILL above my pelvis. At this point I started to get frustrated. Why was she still so high?! Someone suggested doing a modified Welchers in the tub to bring her down, so I gave it two contractions while feeling like a mermaid. Fun but it also sucked. ��

After that, the tub was starting to cool a little bit so I got out while the midwives reheated it to head to the bathroom. I sat on the toilet backwards and almost immediately my water broke! Best place for it too, because it was like a giant balloon popping. Someone said watch out for a head and I said I will absolutely not be birthing this baby on the toilet.

I got off and started to head back to the tub but had to stop for another contraction. While on hands and knees leaning over my birth ball, more water started coming. How was there this much fluid!? It was so wild. Hip squeezes really, really helped at this point and I was happy for the relief of them before getting back in the tub.

Once I was back in the tub, that’s when I started feeling pushy. But her head was still no where near where I could feel it. I stretched back a lot and started moving my legs back and forth which brought on stronger contractions and I kept telling her to move down- finally I felt her shift. It was like her whole body just dropped and it was a really weird feeling! I got really hot at this point and a cool wash cloth on my head was perfect. My mom took over that part and her touch was exactly what I needed. �� I’m not sure how long it was, but my contractions gave me a much needed break at that point while I took the time to cool down.

After that, I could finally feel more pressure, especially in my butt. I think I said “it really does feel like I need to poop” (doula-ing myself here) so I knew that was a good sign! I started leaning into the intensity of the pushy feeling, determined to get her the heck out. I started talking to her a lot at this point, telling her she was wise and knew exactly what to do. Finally her head was crowning and the ring of fire was REAL. I felt all of her hair and told my midwife I think she needed to catch her when she came out, even though it was my plan to do it. Her head was coming and coming and coming, and I remember thinking holy shit this is taking ages. I had to keep pausing to let my body stretch, and I moved around a lot at this stage, helping change the shape of my pelvis to get her out.

Finally, her head was out. I shifted again, felt her move, and then came her shoulders. Knowing my previous wishes, my midwife instead guided me with her words to reach down and pull my baby out of the water, so I did. (I could go on and on about why this is amazing and how important it is to have autonomy and a truly supportive birth team, but I digress.) On May 30, 2025 at 4:53 PM, Alice Grace was here! We did it. ��

Very shortly after Alice was born (maybe 5-10 minutes?) I felt another contraction and my placenta detach. It was placed in a bowl and continued to pulse while attached to Alice. Both her and my placenta were huge! Her cord had to have pulsed for a solid 10 minutes (at least) and I remember thinking, this would never be “allowed” in the hospital (or it would be something I had to advocate for!)- how cool is this experience? During this time, her vitals were checked and she sounded great! I rubbed her back quite a bit to get her to cry and clear out her lungs some more, but she was pretty calm and happy to rest on me.

Finally, the cord stopped pulsing, Josh cut it and I got out of the tub with the help of my team to settle in on the couch for the evening. I was sore but otherwise feeling really good! Josh held Alice as I was examined - no tears!! My doula thought this may be in part due to all her vernix and my patience in letting my body stretch.

Josh then went to go get Wylder from Nana’s because it was nearing his bedtime. He has since become obsessed with Alice, asking to hold her whenever he can! Their first meeting was less eventful - I think he was so tired after skipping his afternoon nap that he couldn’t be bothered about the new baby.

We then ordered food (I requested chipotle which is the same meal I had my first full night with Wylder!) and while we waited on door dash, my midwife team did Ali’s newborn exam, taking her measurements and testing her reflexes. My guess for her weight was 11 lbs 3 oz and at 10 lbs 7 oz, I wasn’t too far off!

Each of my babies have gotten bigger and bigger - you’ll hear me say “what is with these babies!” in my birth video after finding out she was nearly an entire pound bigger than her biggest older brother!

Once newborn exams were done, my dad came over to meet her for the first time, and my mother-in-law (nana) brought the big 3 back over. The boys were all SO excited to meet her and give her gentle pats.

Shortly after, they went back for a sleepover at nana’s, our team and my parents left, and Josh and I curled up on the couch with our new baby girl. It was truly the perfect birth experience; the perfect closing to this chapter of our lives.

Looking back at it all, this journey I’ve been on the past 8 years with so much life and so much loss, I believe with all of my heart that God’s timing was perfect.

Birth announcement video by Jacinta Lagos:

The Benefits of Breathwork During Pregnancy & Labor

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 20:05:25 GMT

When you’re in labor, one of the biggest tools you have at your disposal is your breath.

From working through contractions to pushing out your baby, your breath will help keep you calm and centered. It serves as a guide for directing your power and it helps you move into a relaxed “rest and digest” state if plans change or when sensations intensify.

What I’m saying is, learning to breathe with intention throughout pregnancy will change your labor experience. Seriously!

Why Breathwork Matters

Breathwork is all about your nervous system. Slowing down your body, turning your mental focus inward, and rhythmically breathing in through your nose and out through your nose or mouth stimulates the vagus nerve, activating the parasympathetic nervous system.

This system, which is the opposite of your sympathetic fight or flight (stressed) system, literally changes your physiology for the better.

Moving into a calm state through breathing:

Slows down and regulates your heart rate
Lowers your blood pressure
Improves digestion
Increases oxygen levels to your brain and your baby

What Does This Have to do with Pregnancy + Labor?

Think of the last time something stressed you out - what changes did you notice in your body? Maybe you became shaky, you started breathing faster, and your heart rate increased. This is your sympathetic nervous system at work.

Now think of the ways this could affect you during a prenatal appointment or while in labor. An elevated blood pressure reading due to stress can at best concern your provider, and at worst lead to unnecessary interventions that can derail your birth plan.

During a time that is supposed to be one of the most magical and transformative experiences of your life, you can see how this would be problematic!

The key is to trick your nervous system into a calm state through your breath, helping you to potentially avoid the cascade of interventions - or remain calm if necessary interventions arise.

How to Start Your Practice

Throughout pregnancy, you can begin incorporating breathwork to activate your parasympathetic nervous system in small, consistent ways. Start with just five minutes a day—maybe first thing in the morning, right after lunch during a midday break, or while you're lying in bed at night. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s practice.

Here are a few simple ways to begin:

Box Breathing: Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat.
Extended Exhale: Inhale for 4, exhale for 6 or 8.
Awareness Breaths: Close your eyes, place one hand on your belly and one on your heart, and just notice your breath without changing it.

Over time, these practices can become second nature—your body will remember them when it matters most: during labor, during transition, and during those first moments holding your baby.

Breathwork is Your Birthright

Your breath is always with you. It doesn’t require a birth plan, a discussion with your provider, or a perfect environment. Whether your birth is fast or slow, spontaneous or scheduled, home or hospital—your breath belongs to you.

It is your anchor.
Your rhythm.
Your calm in the chaos.

Ready to Breathe With Me?

If you're curious to dive deeper, I’ve created a movement and breathwork resource called Breathe into Birth .

Designed specifically for pregnancy and birth, it includes movement sequences, breathing techniques (and when to use them), guided meditations, and more that you can start using today to feel more grounded and confident in your body throughout pregnancy and labor.

Because you deserve to feel powerful and present in your birth!

Find both digital and spiral bound copies in my Etsy shop or contact me directly at morgan@milliebirthandwellness.com to learn more.

How I’m Preparing for My First Home Birth

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:11:37 GMT

Planning a home birth?

Me too! After three hospital births with obstetricians and one birth center birth with midwives, I am having my final baby at home!

While the mental and physical preparation for birth looks very similar to my prior unmedicated births, planning for a home birth feels a little bit more intentional and hands-on.

This time, I’m focusing on building a strong home birth team, preparing my husband for his support role, and creating a birth space that feels comforting, functional, and ready for the incredible journey ahead.

Building My Home Birth Team

In a typical hospital setting, you choose your OB or midwife practice, rotate through a series of providers during your prenatal period, and birth your baby with whichever staff is on-call.

Choosing a home birth gives you more control over your immediate support team.

I chose the same midwife collective I knew from my previous birth center birth, my incredible doula who has been with me for the birth of my last two sons, and a birth photographer to document the moment we meet our daughter for the first time.

I interviewed each of these people prior to choosing my support team to ensure we were all aligned in our approach to birth, shared similar values, and felt comfortable working together in a home birth setting. It was important to me that everyone on my team respected my birth preferences, communicated well, and brought a calm, supportive presence to the experience.

When I go into labor, my midwife and an on-call member of the collective will attend, along with our doula and birth photographer. I also have backup care established at a local hospital if needed for transfer.

Preparing My Husband for His Support Role

We’ve come a long way from “grabbing a leg” (Epidural, anyone? IYKYK).

While my husband has been a rockstar support person in my unmedicated births with the guidance of our doula, prepping him for a home birth looks a little different.

This time around, I’ll rely on him to call my midwife and support team (my labors are incredibly fast!), set up and fill the birth pool, and ensure that my birth space is ready to go with dim lighting and my labor playlist. I’ll also print out a short checklist to make his role as easy as possible when labor starts.

Prepping My Birth Space

I have been envisioning what my birth space would look like since before I found out I was pregnant. Evidence says labor progresses best in a calm environment with dim (or no) lighting and minimal sounds, so my goal is to cultivate that from home. Since we tend to be most comfortable in our own spaces, this should be easy!

My plan is to have the birth pool set up in our living room, turn on some battery-operated candles, and play my Christian hypnobirthing playlist. To add to the home-spa-like atmosphere I’m trying to create, I’ll also set up an essential oil diffuser with a blend of clary sage and lavender (as a doula, these are some of my favorites for labor!). My hope is that labor starts at night so my boys will be sleeping. If not, my mother-in-law will be on standby to hang out with them at her home down the street.

From a practical standpoint, I’ve been compiling some must-haves for labor and the immediate postpartum period. This includes:

Cotton towels and washcloths
A shower curtain to layer underneath the birth pool
Chucks pads to protect our living room floor
Another set of sheets to layer over our bed
A terry robe for getting in and out of the birth pool
A postpartum care basket filled with pads (iced and overnight), Ease-the-Ache for after-birth cramps, a peri bottle, disposable underwear, and other essentials
For my full list of postpartum must-haves, check out my blog post: The Ultimate Postpartum Essentials Checklist: Must-Haves for New Moms !

I also plan to set out snacks and coffee for my birth team and a homemade thank-you-for-supporting-me gift.

Looking Forward to Birth

I can’t wait to welcome my final baby in the comfort of my home, surrounded by a team I trust and a space I’ve intentionally prepared. Knowing that everything is in place allows me to focus on what truly matters—embracing the beauty of birth and meeting my baby with peace and confidence.

If you're planning a home birth, I’d love to hear how you’re preparing! Share your thoughts in the comments!

How to Create a Calm and Supportive Birth Space in the Hospital

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 18:15:14 GMT

When you’re preparing to welcome your newest bundle of joy, it’s easy to get so focused on making sure the nursery is stocked that you forget to consider what your birth space will feel like when you actually go into labor.

It may not seem like a top priority in the grand scheme of things, but in addition to emotional and physical support, your environment plays a huge role in the progress and satisfaction* of your labor experience!

If you’re planning a hospital birth, here are some easy ways to create a cozy, calming birth space you’re sure to love.

Plan for Privacy

Birth is one of the most sacred and intimate experiences of your life. Who you invite into the room during this time matters!

Only invite those you trust and who trust you during this process. That means if the thought of having your mother-in-law in the room with you makes you uneasy, you have the right to update her from afar. The same goes for your best friend who doesn’t understand why you’d ever want to avoid pain meds (or vice versa).

If desired, limit the room to essential staff only and say no to students or interns. You can have your partner or doula gently remind staff to keep the door and curtain closed to create a space that feels as private and comfortable as possible.

Create Cozy

Although many maternity wards have come a long way in terms of aesthetics and comfort, nothing quite beats the feeling of being at home. To recreate a homey vibe in your hospital room, bring personal items that inspire comfort and calm.

Things like your favorite cozy blanket, photos of your family or pets, an essential oil diffuser with lavender and clary sage, fairy lights, and your own hospital robe are all items that will transform the feeling of your hospital birth space.

Tamper with the Temperature

Even the most modern hospitals can feel sterile and cold. Adjust the temperature in your room to whatever makes you comfortable. If you keep your house at 72°F, ask your support person to adjust the thermostat as soon as you arrive. Keeping the room temperature between 68-72°F can also help your baby adjust after birth. Newborns have a harder time regulating their body temperature (which is why skin-to-skin with mom is so important), and a moderate temperature can make this easier.

Limit Lighting

Have you ever noticed that most babies come at night? That’s because our cortisol levels are typically lowest then, allowing oxytocin to flow more freely. But as soon as we step foot into a hospital room, bright lights flood our senses, tricking our brains into “fight or flight” mode. While you can’t do much about the lighting until you get into your room, once you’re settled, have your partner flip off the harsh overhead lights and set the stage for peace.

Set up battery-operated tea lights, a galaxy light projector, or string fairy lights around the room to ease your brain back into a parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) state.

Nix the Noise

Envision you’re in a hospital room. What’s the first thing that comes to mind? For me, it’s the constant beeping of the monitors tracking your baby’s heart rate, or the alert when the wireless fetal monitor needs a battery change. Or the machine whirring as it prints out your contraction pattern and blood pressure reading.

Did you know you can turn some of that off? Or at least drown it out?

It’s true! If you’re set up with continuous fetal monitoring because of an epidural or other reason, you can ask the nurse to turn off the sound while still being able to monitor you and your baby.

For unmedicated labor, you can opt for intermittent monitoring, eliminating those beeping and whirring sounds completely.

You can also drown out any residual hospital noises by asking your nurses and staff to speak in hushed tones. Bring a Bluetooth speaker and play a calming Spotify playlist ( this one is my favorite for labor!), listen to hypnobirthing tracks through your headphones, or use a simple noise machine.

In addition to a supportive birth team that respects your preferences and honors your autonomy, these simple yet effective tactics will help you set the scene for a calm, peaceful experience.

From one mom to another, I hope you have the most beautiful birth!

*Reference: PMC Article on Labor Satisfaction

The Ultimate Postpartum Essentials Checklist: Must-Haves for New Moms

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 19:40:40 GMT

Expecting a baby? While your registry may be overflowing with adorable outfits and baby gear, you might have overlooked one crucial aspect: necessities for your own recovery.

From self-care must-haves to essential items for making newborn care a breeze, this guide highlights the top five items in each category that you’ll really need in those early days after birth.

Perineum Care

Peri Bottle - I recommend having one for each bathroom of your house
Padsicles / instant ice pads - my favorites are the Frida Mom Instant Ice Maxi Pads or you can follow this recipe to make your own organic pads
Tucks Pads - so helpful for hemorrhoids or swelling caused by pushing
Arnica tablets - helps with bruising, swelling, and perineum pain after birth
Maxi Pads

Cesarean Care

Belly binder or compression belt
High-waisted underwear - essential for incision comfort!
Heating pad
Earth Mama Skin & Scar Balm
Refresh wipes

Infant Care

Muslin blankets - You can use these for everything! Swaddling, as a clean surface to lay the baby down, a nursing cover, etc.
Baby balm ointment
Receiving blankets for spit ups - these cover more surface area than burp pads
Diaper caddy or moveable station
Zipper sleepers (with the zippers at the bottom) or gowns - nothing makes those middle of the night diaper changes easier than a gown, trust me!

Nursing

Nursing pillow
Nursing pads for leaking
Organic nipple cream
Loose, comfortable, easy open clothing
Large water bottle - make sure to keep this close by, the middle of the night thirst of a breastfeeding mom is real!

5 Ways to Cope with Labor Pain without an Epidural

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 00:19:41 GMT

Planning an unmedicated birth? Your mindset, the support of your team, and some tried and true coping techniques will change the game!

As a doula and a mom of four, these five natural ways to cope with labor pain are my favorites.

Move Around

Movement in labor is essential! Regularly moving and changing positions can greatly reduce the intensity of a contraction. Swaying, rocking, moving your hips, or lunging are simple ways to release tension, increase oxytocin, and rotate the baby into a more comfortable position. Not sure which movements are right for you? Follow your intuition and let your body (and baby) be the guide. A good doula can help, too! For the most effective relief, make sure you’re changing positions every 30 minutes.

Use a Labor Comb

Let me introduce you to the ar t of distraction! Labor combs are inexpensive tools that work by blocking pain signals to your brain through acupressure points on your palm. As the contraction builds, simply squeeze the comb into your palm. After the point of highest intensity, slowly release your grip.

Use a TENS Machine

Similar to a labor comb, a TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) machine can also be an effective tool to cope with labor pain. TENS works by sending electrical impulses through electrodes attached to your back. You control the intensity of the impulse during a contraction, which provides relief/a distraction. Best started while still in early labor, many moms swear by this little gadget for relieving back labor.

Have Your Partner Apply Counter Pressure

As a doula, this is one of the things I regularly hear was the most helpful during labor! Having a partner apply counter pressure to your low back during a contraction provides simple and effective pain relief. Or, have your partner do a double hip squeeze . This provides relief by relaxing, stabilizing, and opening up the pelvis. This is especially helpful for a posterior or malpositioned baby.

Use Water

I truly consider water to be the holy grail of coping techniques. Studies have shown that the benefits of laboring (and birthing) in the water include:

Less pain overall
Less use of pain medication
Lower rates of medical intervention
Shorter labors
Higher rate of intact perineum

https://evidencebasedbirth.com/waterbirth/

Easy ways to use water* while you’re laboring at home, in the hospital, or at a birth center:

Sit on a birth ball in the shower while the water runs over your lower back
Use the shower head to spray your lower belly during a contraction
Submerge yourself in the bath tub or labor pool and have your partner or doula pour water on your shoulders or back
Relax into the water and enjoy the feeling of weightlessness in between contractions

*While water can feel wonderful at any stage in labor, submerging yourself in a tub is best reserved for when labor is considered “active” and contractions are consistently 3-5 minutes apart. Utilizing a labor pool or tub in early labor (before it is well established) may have the undesired effect of slowing things down.

Want more tips for rocking your unmedicated birth? Follow me @milliebirthdoula for encouragement, mindset shifts, and getting your body ready on Instagram !

The Mindful Benefits of Prenatal Yoga

Sun, 19 May 2024 15:27:58 GMT

When preparing for labor during pregnancy, you’re likely doing a number of things. Eating well, exercising, reading childbirth books, taking classes. But what are you doing to prepare your mind ?

No matter what kind of birth you’re planning for (unmedicated, medicated, hospital, home birth, etc), you will feel the sensations of labor at some point - and they are intense . To conquer this intensity, you’ll have to train for it ahead of time.

So how do you do this? Enter the magic of prenatal yoga.

Yoga as a practice focuses on flexibility, strength, movement, and breath work. It’s an ancient form of exercise that has many benefits in pregnancy. But what I love it for the most is it’s ability to reduce stress and calm the mind. Two things that are imperative to a successful labor!

How Yoga Reduces Stress

When our bodies are stressed, we can fall into the fear, tension, and pain cycle.

In this cycle, we become afraid of the sensations or the environment around us, so we tense up our muscles. This causes more intensity, which translates to pain, which causes more fear… you get the idea.

To get out of this cycle, we must shift our sympathetic nervous systems (fight or flight) to our parasympathetic systems (relaxation). In yoga, we break this stress cycle with Pranayama , aka breath work.

Pranayama works by bringing more oxygen to our systems and decreasing our heart rates. In labor this does several things. The oxygen makes our muscles work more effectively, it relieves stress/tension, and it gives us more mental clarity to focus on our babies moving down and out.

How Yoga Calms the Mind

Many yoga practices also include mindfulness or meditation. With breath work and poses that are gentle on our bodies, such as Savasana (corpse pose/left side lying for pregnancy) or Bhadrasana (butterfly pose), we can easily check in with our bodies. We examine where we are holding tension, and consciously release.

We use this time in yoga to visualize a moment or event that gave us peace. We focus on prayer. We create an intention for the day ahead. We release and relax into our calm bodies and minds.

In labor, we use these skills to surrender to the sensations instead of fight against them. We block the pain receptors in our minds by focusing elsewhere.

How Yoga Helps You in Labor

Labor is 90% a mental game. How you prep ahead of time will make the difference between an experience that is either peaceful or tension-filled.

Yoga trains us to move inward, focus on our breath, and release our tension so we can ease deeper into our poses.

These skills, when practiced enough, turn into muscle memory. They're recalled when our thinking brains switch off and our mammalian brains are activated during labor, allowing our bodies to open and our babies to be released earth-side. Pretty amazing, right?

Ready to dive in to your yoga practice? Schedule a one on one session tailored to your pregnancy here .

How Your Partner can Help in Labor

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 13:50:32 GMT

Although much of labor is a mental game, birth partners can play a pivotal role in our ability to cope. The right one will keep us grounded, focused, and calm when things get intense.

That said, if this is their first time supporting someone in labor, they may need a nudge in the right direction.

Whether the partner in your birth space is a spouse, a dear friend, or a doula, here are some ways they can support you.

Double Hip Squeezes & Counter Pressure

These two coping techniques can change the game of a challenging labor. Double hip squeezes open the pelvis slightly and gently stretch the surrounding tissues, relieving pain and pressure during a wave.

Counter pressure alleviates back pain, especially when baby is malpositioned.

Watch this tutorial on how to do a double hip squeeze!

Help You Stay Hydrated & Nourished

At a certain point, your focus will shift entirely to coping with the waves of labor. And they don’t call it “labor” for nothing - getting a baby out is hard work! As such, it’s imperative to stay well hydrated and nourished so your body works more efficiently. Your partner can encourage this by giving you sips of water and small bites of easy-to-digest snacks.

Get the Oxytocin Flowing

The same thing that put the baby in, is what gets the baby out! Oxytocin, also called the “love drug” works to thin and open the cervix. Your partner can help get oxytocin flowing by slow dancing with you, providing nipple stimulation, or by simply hugging you.

Encourage Position Changes

When we’re in labor, we often go to a place called “labor land.” Time loses meaning and our focus goes inward. During this time, our partners can remind us to change positions. Changing positions every 30 - 45 minutes encourages labor progress and can help with comfort.

Massage or Gentle Touch

Massage or gentle touch such as hand holding can be a great way to provide comfort during or in between labor waves. Many mamas love this distraction and find it to be a helpful coping technique. It’s also another great way to stimulate oxytocin!

Give Affirmations

Affirmations have been proven to rewire our brains. They help us cope and adapt to new challenges - like labor! When your partner says the affirmations, they may not only give you the extra push you need (no pun intended), but they’ll be beneficial for your partner’s mindset, too.

Be Your Advocate

When we’re in labor, the thinking parts of our brains go quiet and allow the more primitive parts to take over. We go inward as our bodies work hard to push out our babies. This makes it incredibly difficult to answer questions or think rationally. Your partner, who is familiar with your birth plan and preferences, can be your advocate and remind your medical team of your wishes.

Handle Communication

I promise you this, you will not be concerned with texting your mom, or aunt Susie, or cousin June about the progress you’re making in labor. But if you do want them to be in the loop, this is a great job for your partner. While you’re focused on working through the waves, your partner can handle the text updates.

Like this post? Don’t forget to send your partner the link! And best wishes with your labor, mama. You’ve got this.

37 Questions to Ask Your Provider When You Want a Natural Birth

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 23:07:16 GMT

Planning for a natural and autonomous birth? You'll want to make sure your provider's birth philosophy aligns with your own.

Here are 37 great questions to ask when you're interviewing providers to support your birth. Don't love their answers? Trust your intuition and find a provider who supports your goals!

General Questions

What is your experience with physiological birth?
How do you support a natural birth?
What percentage of your patients are considered high risk?
What pregnancy conditions are considered high risk?
What will happen if my pregnancy becomes high risk?
What is the rate of epidural analgesia under your care?
What is your cesarean section rate?
What is your induction rate?
When do you recommend an induction?
If my pregnancy goes past 40 weeks, what do you recommend?
How do you support breech presentation babies?
Do you support vaginal breech birth?
I'd like to choose my own drink for the Gestational Diabetes test, do you support that?
I'd like to do my own GBS swab, do you support that?
How do you feel about additional support people such as doulas?

Policies on the First Stage of Labor (Active Labor)

What are your thoughts on continuous fetal monitoring?
I'd like to have intermittent monitoring, do you support this option?
I'd like limited/no cervical checks. Do you support this & will I be required to get one to be admitted?
I'd like to decline an IV. Will I be required to have a saline lock?
What is your protocol for GBS positive and can I choose to decline antibiotics?
I'd like to move around in labor, do you support freedom of movement?
What is your policy on food or drink while in labor?
How long will you allow me to labor with ruptured membranes?
What if my labor stalls?

Policies on the Second and Third Stage of Labor (Pushing and Birth of the Placenta)

How long will you allow me to labor in the second stage (pushing) before suggesting interventions?
I'd like to push in a position that feels natural for me. Do you support other positions for both pushing and delivery?
What is your episiotomy rate?
What is your rate of forceps or vacuum extraction delivery?
How do you manage the third stage (birth of the placenta)?

Policies on Newborn Care

What is your policy on skin-to-skin?
I'd like to declin e suctioning of the nose and mouth unless medically necessary. Do you support that?
I'd like to delay cord clamping until it stops pulsing. Do you have a time limit on this, typically?
Will you allow my baby to stay skin to skin with me if there is a need for medical care/resuscitation?
What are your recommendations for Erythromycin (eye ointment), and what are the benefits and risks?
What are your recommendations for Vitamin K, and what are the benefits and risks? Do you offer the oral dosage or the shot?
I'd like to delay baby's first bath, is this something you support?
What is your after care policy for infants if I am GBS positive and decline antibiotics? (or if I don’t receive them in time?)

No matter the outcome, a supportive birth team can make or break your experience. I hope these questions help you find a provider you love!