On my nightstand, I have a thick stack of books, mostly in the realm of birth books. Though I haven’t gotten through all of them, I have garnered many useful tips/tricks for the big day and after.
One of my favorites, Mind Over Labor, by Carl Jones, provides helpful tips and imagery for having a natural birth and getting through it in an enjoyable manner. My top faves?
1. View childbirth as a sexual experience. So often, we think of being pregnant and giving birth as a medical condition instead of what it is – a sexual, natural experience. Our bodies actually respond in much the same way to childbirth as it would to having sex. Trying to see your birth in this way can shift your level of pain tolerance and even give you a different perspective for the big day.
2. Find a “special” place. Once contractions hit, it’s nice to have a mental place to “check out” to in your head. This could be anywhere that brings you peace and comfort, whether it’s imaginary or real. At first, I was planning on Paris or Switzerland – two of my favorite places, but then I realized that one place I absolutely adore and am so calmed by is the beach. Every year since I was little, my parents have taken my brother and I to the beach. Over the past few years, Alex has joined us. It’s a place where we are all together. From the beautiful condo to our excruciating workouts on the beach, our slow, enjoyable bike jaunts down to get burritos and peruse the cool, indie bookstore, it is something I look forward to every year. Because we aren’t going this year, imagining it in my head during labor as my “reward” will help me think about life after Sophie is here – and how I can pass this tradition on to her as well.
3. Imagine each contraction as gold. Carl suggests imagining each contraction as gold – that your womb and uterus are filled with light and warmth. Gold is such a strong mental image – as the “waves of pressure” take hold, if you can imagine each moment filled with gold and warmth, the pain can be abated and you can have a more positive association with what’s happening.
4. Trust that your body knows what to do. Our bodies are made to do this. Women have unassisted births all the time. Instead of fighting against the pain of labor, give in to it (yes, I’m sure this is easier said than done – I will soon find out!). Just turn your brain off. Become in tune with your body and realize that with each wave, your body is preparing to give you what you’ve been waiting for these last 40 weeks: a child.
5. Eat good food. If you’re having a hospital birth, you can’t eat once you get there. I find this ludicrous, as you are expected to perform the most difficult physical task of your life, and yet you can’t eat! So, stay at home as long as possible. Once labor starts, fill up on iron rich, high energy foods that will sustain you and give you plenty of energy throughout. Try and stay adequately hydrated and eat early on, since you may feel nauseous and not interested in food at all as labor progresses.
6. Imagine your body opening. A powerful image is to imagine your cervix as a flower, opening and widening with every contraction. If you can actually “see” your body opening and preparing for the baby to just slip out, this can ease some of the pain and fear along the way.
Never underestimate the power of our minds to completely alter an experience. It’s up to us how we deal with every situation, from mundane daily tasks to the momentous event of giving birth.
One of my favorite “preparatory” exercises is below. While it doesn’t relate completely to labor, it gets your mind in that positive place where you can do anything you believe in. Period.
Exercise for the day:
Tonight, before you go to bed, instead of running over your massive to-do list for tomorrow, imagine absolutely everything you want: where you want to live, what job you want, who you want to be with and how you want to spend your days. Let these feelings flood your senses. Imagine only the good. Feel like a kid again. See every wild, massive dream to the end. Play it all out. Don’t put any limits on what you want. See how your breath changes, how your mood shifts and how you fall effortlessly asleep.
Night is a perfect time for imagination. If you are expecting, it’s also a perfect time to imagine your labor and birth as an enjoyable, but temporary experience. Imagine your body opening, imagine the serenity surrounding your birth and imagine what will come after. Think about the creature comforts of home and how, pretty soon, this will only be a memory.
Need some powerful food to freeze after the big day?
Try this delicious tempeh chili, using my chili recipe (below). Simply purchase a block or two of tempeh, slice it into strips and place in a frying pan with enough water and some Bragg’s liquid aminos to cover the tempeh. Cook until water is absorbed, then mash and crumble with a fork. Throw in with the pot of chili and serve with a gluten-free pasta and top with some Daiya cheese (optional).
Warning: this dish is chock full of fiber, iron, and protein, so be prepared to be satisfied for hours on end!
I really like these suggestions. Were they all in that book? I sometimes find with birth books that I get overhwelmed and don’t finish them. And your chilli recipe looks awesome – can’t wait to try it!
Thanks, Allie! Yes, most of those suggestions were from the book. There are a ton of exercises to try. It’s a great book because you can just peruse it, take what’s useful and ignore the rest.
I hope you like the chili!
I read that book when I was pregnant and loved it. Even though it’s older, it’s still universal isn’t it? I don’t know why we don’t look at birth as more of a sexual enlightening experience. It’s so hard to stay in that mindset once labor actually hits but I think if you can just slow down and breathe and realize that really the entire thing is so fleeting you might as well make the most of it!
I wasn’t able to do it naturally but if I do it again that’s my goal. This is very inspiring. Thanks Rea!
And I’m going to try that exercise tonight. I just realized i never let myself think about what I really want because I’m afraid I’m going to jinx it. Is that just me? I’m actually excited to do this.
I think the book is very universal as well. It is all about the mindset – you can “prep” yourself all you want, but it’s the actual moment that counts. I just want to be well-rested and in the right mindset!
Do try the exercise – it is so fun and I think you’ll find it incredibly liberating. There’s something about lifting the limits to your imagination and just “going with it” that’s amazing. Enjoy!!!
So good to read about birth again and to get the bullet points again, this book sounds very good but at this point I don’t think I have time to order it and read it anymore
I might borrow your happy place!
And yummy chili, you make me want to defrost mine
Borrow the happy place!!!
It was SOOOOO great to finally talk to you – you are stunning and are going to be the best mom ever. Your baby is very lucky.
I love this post. I am also 36 weeks pregnant and vegan so I am so thankful I came across your blog and chili recipe! My husband and I took a hypnobirthing class because we also want to have a natural birth. We absolutely loved it and received a lot of good tips for laboring. The book you are describing has a lot of similar suggestions for laboring but you also gave me more! Thank you so much for sharing
Brooke, congratulations on your pregnancy!! How rare to find another 36 week pregnant vegan mom who wants a natural birth!
I really wanted to take the hypnobirthing class – were there any special tips you found to be particularly helpful? Thanks so much for the kind words and for the comment!! One of my friends who also wanted a natural birth (and she did it at home) just had her daughter yesterday after only 6 hours of labor. She said having a good, solid support system is vital – are you doing a hospital birth? We are, but we’ve hired a doula. Good luck to you!!!
Thank you
and yes it is very rare!! Wow 6 hours! That’s so amazing, I hope mine only lasts that long! We are birthing at a birth center. We are also planning on having a water birth there. We don’t have a doula because it was a little out of our price range but my husband’s mom will be there with us to help as she is a strong believer in natural birthing as well. (That counts as a doula right?! lol)
The hypnobirthing class helped us to practice 3 different breathing techniques and different positions to labor in so the baby can stay in an optimal birthing position. If you would like I’d be more then happy to email you some information we received from the class! This way I don’t take up half your web page lol.
I would LOVE for you to email me some info if it’s not too much of a burden??? I’m at rbfrey7@gmail.com. Thank you so much!
6 hours IS rare. Sometimes Sophie feels so low, it seems like she’s just going to fall out. I keep trying to envision myself “opening” – actually, my doula emailed me THIS, and I found it so inspirational. Perhaps you can garner some inspiration from it for your big day????
“You were made for this. You are strong and beautiful. Birth is natural. Your birth is a journey from Womanhood to Motherhood. Enjoy it. Learn to flow with each pressure wave and ride it not fight it. Listen to your body, for only you have the answers. Talk to Sophie, express your deepest gratitude for her blessing you. Talk to her about her birthday. Visualize the path she will take. Imagine yourself opening. Even say the word over and over as time draws near. I am Opening with deep toning sounds. Go out on a date with Alex. Get dressed up, eat at a fancy restaurant, get sexy. Remember the same lovin it took for her to get in there it takes to get her out. I believe in you. We all know that birth is mysterious. It is the ULTIMATE unknown. Just surround yourself in a bubble of peace. White light that guides and protects you and your family on this journey. No matter what your journey is meant to be at the end of the day it will be a birthday, and every birthday from here on out is vegan cake and ice cream! I love and respect you as a woman, friend and Mother. Thank you for giving me the honor of standing by your side and holding space for you as you journey the depths of the unknown ocean.”
I would love to do the water birth! I’m actually with doctors, but there are midwives at our practice as well. For some reason, I just didn’t “gel” with the midwives, but I actually feel pretty comfortable with the hospital and the docs seem supportive of my natural plan. Your support system sounds amazing!!!