Active Birth Video

Lamaze and Injoy videos have teamed up on a nice new website called Mother’s Advocate. The site has a variety of handouts and a booklet to download based on “6 Healthy Birth Practices” (which, in and of themselves form a nice little birth plan for a normal, healthy birth!). I especially enjoyed their video on [...]

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Birth Affirmations for Fathers

In my classes, I suggest the use of affirmations. Affirmations are short, positive statements that inspire confidence and positive feelings. I have a handout that is printed on the front side with affirmations for mothers to read to themselves and the reverse has the same affirmations worded in such a way that they can be [...]

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Just Relax?

Most approaches to birth preparation emphasize “relaxation” and being able to “relax” during contractions. Some people have noted that the word “relax” isn’t very descriptive to women in labor–or, it can irritate them (”Just relax?!”) while at the same time not really giving them anything specific  to work with. I recently finished a really incredible [...]

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For Labor Support Remember TLC or BLT

When supporting a woman in labor, remember to use “TLC”:
Touch–this can be massage, hand-holding, foot rubs, stroking her hair, and encouraging frequent position changes. It also includes the use of water (hydrotherapy).
Listen–this is half of the emotional support in labor. Listening builds trust and meets emotional needs. Use active(reflective) listening and lots of encouragement.
Communication–there are [...]

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Why Honey Sticks During Labor?

I have already shared here about eating during labor. One of my suggestions is honey sticks–but why honey sticks and where to buy them? Honey sticks, also called honey straws, are plastic tubes of honey similar in size to a drinking straw. During labor, honey sticks can provide an instant energy boost for a laboring [...]

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Movement and pain

A brief quote from Biance Lepori an Italian architect who specializes in the design of birth rooms:
“Even pain dissolves with movement; pain killers are a consequence of stillness.” (emphasis mine)
This architect specifically designs rooms that support physiological birth–birth that unfolds accords to the natural biological processes of the woman, on her own timeline, and under [...]

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How to Use a Hospital Bed Without Lying Down

In classes, I often suggest that when couples enter their hospital room in labor they pile all of their belongings onto the bed rather than the laboring woman hopping into it. I encourage people to start seeing the bed as a tool they can actively use during labor, rather than a place for labor and [...]

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Top Five Birth Plan…

Birth plans are a topic often discussed in birth classes. There are SO many things that could be put onto a birth plan that sometimes it is difficult to sort out the most important. I encourage couples in my classes to complete two different “values clarification” exercises to help them include those things on their [...]

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Ideas for supporting your partner in labor

One of my favorite handouts to give in birth classes is a “Cliff’s Notes” to labor support. It is a two page handout with a variety of reminders and ideas about supporting your partner or wife during her labor. There are small illustrations as well and a review of the stages of labor. The [...]

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Care in Normal Birth

I recently discovered there is a free pdf book available from the World Health Organization  called Care in Normal Birth: A Practical Guide. The booklet is very research oriented, so while it is great for finding evidence based information, it is not “light” reading for every day use! It is directed towards birth professionals.

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