Just wait

As I was checking email and Facebook this morning my computer started acting up.  I began to push buttons to fix whatever the problem was.  I tried to shut down and restart, I pressed ctrl, alt, delete.  As far as I could tell, nothing was happening.  After about two minutes I figured the only way to fix the problem was to manually force a shutdown by removing the battery and then restarting.  As I was about to do that the screen changed indicating that it was indeed working but was simply in overload due to everything I had done to it.
That's when it hit me.  We live in an impatient world, results must happen right now or nothing must be going on type of world.  That thought follows us into birth and labor.  We are measured by how fast we are dilating and/or effacing but there is more going on that we can not see and measure.  We put time limits on how the body should work and if we don't meet that criteria then there is a problem.  We try to speed up the process but that only slows things down. 
The process of labor and birth has not changed.  It is the same today, as it was for our grandparents, and their grandparents and theirs, etc.  What has changed is our outlook on life.  We want instant results and if we don't get them, we need to intervene.  As I said, it is a process.  It takes time.  We need to be patient and wait.  Wait for our body to work, wait for the baby to work, wait until the two are working together as they should be. 
Let's get out of the way, trust our bodies and baby will come out.  Just wait.

water!!!!

we all know that it is important to drink water...all the time, not just when pregnant.  but how much more important is it when you are pregnant?  super important!  who has heard this before (either yourself or someone you know):  the amniotic fluid is low...we have to get the baby out.  the thing is that if you drink a lot of water then go back and get tested the next day chances are pretty high that your fluid will no longer be low.  your level of amniotic fluid is directly related to the amount of water you drink.  well...ok, it doesn't only have to be water but water is the best!   so please drink lots of water.  more importantly if you or someone you know is told your fluid is low, be adamant about getting another ultrasound in a day or two after you have replenished your water supply. 

we are women

it is really important to remember that at the end of the day as women, we know our body best-not the dr or midwife or nurse, etc.  if we believe that our bodies are physically prepared to handle pregnancy and delivery then we can mentally and emotionally prepare.  Labor and delivery does entail mental and emotional preparation, it is not just a physical act.  there is nothing more important than preparing ourselves.  if we leave everything in the hands of our dr or midwife then we may very well not be pleased with the outcome.  learn what all your options are.  know that you are capable!  9 months is a long time to simply sit and wait until labor starts.  be proactive.  read, talk to moms, take private childbirth education classes, realize what you are truly capable of.  we are women, we are stronger than we think!

ouch!

recently i decided i needed to do some work on my baby belly so i started an ab workout.  wow!  i hurt and ached in places i didn't even know had muscles!  bending over was a struggle, laughing too hard hurt, i was in pain.  so the next day what did i do?  i did more ab workouts.  what?!  am i crazy?  why would i purposely put myself through that pain?  is it because i know what the pain indicates?  that the pain has a purpose and at some point will cease.  how did i handle the pain?  sometimes i would put pressure on it, other times just close my eyes and relax.
hmmmm...could this be similar to labor?  why yes!  labor pains have a purpose.  our body is working hard and we can feel it.  why do we think that pain for a workout is acceptable but not pain during labor?  part of it is what we've been told throughout our whole life...labor hurts, do what you can to avoid it.  but with working out what are we told?  no pain, no gain.  we know how to ease our pain, i gave a few examples.  what if we took what we already know (and maybe learn a few more) and implement it in our labors.  accept the fact that we are working hard and we're going to feel it.  that no pain, no gain is a good mantra and we can relax and work through it.
coincidentally did you know that it was men that told women they had pain in childbirth.  now men may know alot of things but they certainly do not know what giving birth feels like.  Let's remember labor is hard work and treat it that way, not like it is a problem.

Bradley

I am in the process of becoming a Bradley instructor!   Bradley is a method of childbirth that fully includes & trains your partner and focuses on birthing naturally.  I am very excited about this new venture and have official training later this month.  I'm excited to learn more about pregnancy and birth.  That information will no doubt be forwarded here as I process everything.

listen when your body talks

when you are in labor your body talks to you.  this is one reason why it's super important to be able to move.  as you contract you will notice that some positions feel better than others.  this is your body talking to you.  sometimes your body will tell you to walk around, other times you'll just lay or stand in certain positions.  your body is working with you, not against you.  movement helps move baby.  perhaps baby needs to turn or drop, the movement can aide in this.  your body also wants to be comfortable so the movement or a certain position may lighten the feeling of the intensity of the work it's doing.
whatever your body is saying listen and move (or don't move) that way.

what mama needs

What does a mama in labor need??  She needs a dark or dimly lit space so that she can concentrate fully.   For the same reason, she needs it to be quiet.  Labor is intense and a woman really needs to focus through her contractions.  Part of that focus is working on staying relaxed.  So a dark or dimly lit space and quiet not only help her concentrate but also help create a more relaxed atmosphere.  The greatest need of a laboring woman is to be in a space that she feels comfortable and safe.  A non-threatening space with people she knows and trusts.
When a woman doesn't feel safe her body reacts and that reaction can interfere with her labor which can then stall or stop.  When a woman labors among strangers the same reaction can occur.  Our bodies will protect baby when it feels threatened or fearful.  This is why our bodies react in such a way when a stranger enters the room or if a woman isn't comfortable and is scared about what is happening. 
It's very important for a laboring woman to be surrounded by people she feels comfortable with in an atmosphere that she can relax.  Woman who do that generally labor faster because they feel supported and safe which allows their body to progress without interruption. 
As always, mama needs to be educated on the process.  That education adds to the comfort of knowing what's up and feeling safe.