Why is PAIN a Four-Letter Word?
I taught a class recently that was a little different. It only meets once and focuses on the brain-body connection, the practice of comfort measures, and how to stay in a coping mindset throughout birth. There’s no discussion about the stages of labor or when to go to the hospital. This class is like “extra” […]
Breathing – It’s Not Just for Labor Anymore!
As a Childbirth Educator, I’m charged with teaching my students about ways they can successfully cope with contractions. This includes all sorts of techniques: position changes, medications, hydrotherapy and the original coping technique: breathing. Breathing gets a bad rap, as far as I’m concerned. In movies and TV shows, Childbirth Preparation classes are a joke, […]
Making Predictions During Birth – About as Magic as the 8 Ball!
Did you ever have a Magic 8 Ball? I did. I loved that thing. I loved being able to ask a question, any question, and have the almighty oracle predict my fate. Inside the little window floated a single die, with twenty possible answers to life’s biggest questions. Some of which included: “Signs point to […]
Rethinking Early Labor Series: PART III
In my last two posts, I discussed how laboring women and their partners are being encouraged to stay at home and away from the hospital for most, if not all, of their early labor. But the definition of early labor has changed. It is now believed that a woman is still in early labor until […]
Rethinking Early Labor Series: PART II
In my last post, I identified that laboring women and their partners are being encouraged to stay at home and away from the hospital in early labor. But the definition of early labor has changed. It’s now widely believed that a laboring woman needs to get to about 6 cm dilation before active labor […]
Rethinking Early Labor Series: PART I
In doing some research for my book, just recently I read an article entitled, “What is women’s experience of being at home in early labour?” This article cites that there were four main reasons women came into the hospital “too soon” despite knowing that there was no need to arrive before active labor was well established: […]
Birth Fear Busters
It’s normal for there to be some fear about labor and birth – but these four fear busters can help!
It’s Called Labor for a Reason
Giving birth is hard work – it’s called labor for a reason! Having realistic expectations helps when it comes to coping with the intensity of labor.
It’s Go Time!
Families want to know when to go to the hospital: when contractions are in a pattern of longer, stronger and closer together.
Help! I’m Stuck!
If a labor gets “stuck” what considerations should you investigate to get it UNstuck?