February

During early labor, your body is warming up. This is like the sun salute in yoga. Your body must prepare to give birth much like you must warm up your body for a yoga routine. Early labor might begin days before delivery with mild contractions and opening of the cervix. Before you do yoga, you stand in mountain pose, then take deep breaths, then begin the sun salute. 

Hello followers of Positive First Birth. Soon, I'll be creating links to other web sites and adding photos. Throughout this journey so far, I've encountered many, many women who have had positive first birth experiences. There have been many factors involved, but one of the most important components of positive birth is that the mother feel she was listened to and was well informed. If the mother felt in control of her care and her birth, regardless of how the child was delivered, she reports positive memories. I encourage you all to take control over your birth decisions--go in knowing what you hope to achieve. The first step to taking control and being an active participant is to choose your care provider. Many are available to you--ob/gyns, family practice doctors and midwives. OB/GYNs are specialists in childbirth and gynecology. These doctors are trained in medical school and have a 4-year residency. They not only aid the delivery of babies vaginally, but they also perform c-sections. Family practice doctors are trained for more general care and have not specialized in the OB//GYN field but can handle uncomplicated pregnancy and birth. Certified Nurse Midwives are becoming more popular. They are RNs who have a master's degree in midwifery. They have specialized in childbirth and may offer more natural birth options than medical doctors. Be sure you understand the difference between CNM and lay midwives as a lay midwife does not necessarily have formal training or degrees.

Mountain Pose

Pregnancy and childbirth can be likened to various yoga poses. Much like the act of yoga, pregnancy and childbirth preparation begins with awareness and focus. I think this is the key to a positive first birth experience. Once pregnant, I think it's good to metaphorically begin the journey in mountain pose. Stand tall, shoulders back, stomach reaching back to the spine head and chin up, body firm and strong. This is the time to be steady and aware. Like a mountain--full of beauty and strength and awe-inspiring heights, make this your moment to stand out and become educated and more self-aware. As a mountain, learn from the trees, flowers, animals, tundra and rocks about how to survive and how you can aid in their own survival. These components are your books, friends, family, healthcare providers, and anything else that is there to be with you on your journey into motherhood. Decide to stand tall, be open to learning, and find the tools you need to create your positive birth experience. Only you have the potential to know the kind of birth you are seeking. Be open, too, to ambiguity in the dynamic birth process and allow yourself a plan B. This is the time, perhaps in your first trimester, to discover your thoughts and feelings of sexuality and birth, what kind of care provider you seek, and to understand what pain means for you and how you wish to handle childbirth. When you've done these things, you've become a mountain.

My First Blog

Dear Expectant Mothers and Fathers,
I am writing my first blog to kick off my new blog spot Positive First Birth. I am a mother of two children who had a positive, empowering first birth and hope others would share their birth stories with me and followers of the blog.

When I was pregnant with my first child, I heard a lot of horror stories about birth. Many women recounted the details with dread and discomfort. Intuitively, though, I knew birth could be different--and it was! I had a wonderful birth experience with my daughter and through the process became more confident and empowered. My story was not like those I'd heard from my friends--it was positive and joyful. I believe that birth can be more than just a means to an end and can give women and their partners more than a child. Please join me on the crusade to turn birth into a true labor of love--and one that is positive and healthy.

Peace,
Laura