7 things you need to know before you give birth
by Gayle Peterson
Approaching childbirth is akin to stepping toward a mountain range, and what lies ahead is completely new terrain. There is no way around it; it must be traversed somehow. There are choices, but the outcome is out of your control -- and unknown.
1. Childbirth is a huge event in a woman's life!
Birth is a life process, not a performance. Visualize what labor will be like if all goes well. Prepare yourself to deal with the pain of labor and work with your partner, friend or doula to get the support you need throughout the process.
2. Consider all your options
Open your mind to the idea that there might be more that one way to give birth. 'Painless,' 'medicated,' 'uncomplicated,' 'natural,' etc., are all viable options.
3. Work through negative feelings
This will increase your chances for a smooth delivery. Once anxieties are addressed, visualization can give your body a release from past trauma. This is not 'magic' -- it is physiological.
4. Women should be supported throughout this incredible experience
This is true whether the outcome is 'positive' or 'negative.' As women, we deserve support, with honor and respect for the process of life we are embodying.
5. The right kind of help can be empowering
Getting the support you need can take a lot of effort at a time when you may feel overwhelmed. If you look for the right questions to ask, rather than just focusing on answers, you will be led toward what you need.
6. Some things are out of your control
Yielding to nature and meeting the intensity of labor is likely to bring up issues that are really frightening to you. The perfect outcome is not within your control. You can't 'control' this process anymore than you can control the development of your baby in the womb. But, you can be supported to approach birth in an active, involved manner that is right for you.
7. Birth is an incredible experience of enormous proportions
It's impossible to know what growth and development await you. You do not know what the perfect birth is, or will be, for you. Childbirth is a unique and incredibly empowering experience because you grow, not because you have the perfect outcome.
You have given birth. This event, whether natural, medicated or surgically supported, is an event of great magnitude. I salute you and congratulate you. You have been an integral part of a miraculous process!
Approaching childbirth is akin to stepping toward a mountain range, and what lies ahead is completely new terrain. There is no way around it; it must be traversed somehow. There are choices, but the outcome is out of your control -- and unknown.
1. Childbirth is a huge event in a woman's life!
Birth is a life process, not a performance. Visualize what labor will be like if all goes well. Prepare yourself to deal with the pain of labor and work with your partner, friend or doula to get the support you need throughout the process.
2. Consider all your options
Open your mind to the idea that there might be more that one way to give birth. 'Painless,' 'medicated,' 'uncomplicated,' 'natural,' etc., are all viable options.
3. Work through negative feelings
This will increase your chances for a smooth delivery. Once anxieties are addressed, visualization can give your body a release from past trauma. This is not 'magic' -- it is physiological.
4. Women should be supported throughout this incredible experience
This is true whether the outcome is 'positive' or 'negative.' As women, we deserve support, with honor and respect for the process of life we are embodying.
5. The right kind of help can be empowering
Getting the support you need can take a lot of effort at a time when you may feel overwhelmed. If you look for the right questions to ask, rather than just focusing on answers, you will be led toward what you need.
6. Some things are out of your control
Yielding to nature and meeting the intensity of labor is likely to bring up issues that are really frightening to you. The perfect outcome is not within your control. You can't 'control' this process anymore than you can control the development of your baby in the womb. But, you can be supported to approach birth in an active, involved manner that is right for you.
7. Birth is an incredible experience of enormous proportions
It's impossible to know what growth and development await you. You do not know what the perfect birth is, or will be, for you. Childbirth is a unique and incredibly empowering experience because you grow, not because you have the perfect outcome.
You have given birth. This event, whether natural, medicated or surgically supported, is an event of great magnitude. I salute you and congratulate you. You have been an integral part of a miraculous process!
