How to rock your birth in 5 steps
So you totally want to rock your birth? Who doesn't?
But what does does that really mean? Is it scheduling a C-section so you can plan for the exact day and time your baby will be born? Is it learning breathing skills so you can "zen" your way through the contractions? Is it calling the anesthesiologist when you pull into the hospital parking lot so they can meet you halfway for the epidural? If you're asking how to rock your birth, we're betting that means you're curious about options. As the creator of an accessible, skills-based birth preparation course, we're excited to share with you how to rock your birth in 5 easy steps.
Rock Your Birth Step 1
Connect with a few doulas in your area. Check out a couple of doula directories HERE and HERE. Sure, you could do the research yourself about what birth options are available nearby, but doulas have already done that heavy lifting for you. Find a doula who's a good personality match by having a casual chat with a few of them. Expect to budget around $1,500 for their flat fee which includes prenatal support, continuous labor support, and a postpartum check-in to see how you're adjusting after baby comes home. Not only should your doula be a good fit personality wise, but they should also show you you're a priority for them. As soon as you hire them, they'll get to work connecting you with options that suit your unique preferences and goals.
Rock Your Birth Step 2
Figure out what's most important to you for your medical care. Are you generally healthy and low-risk? Do at-home visits sound appealing? If so, a homebirth midwife could be a good fit. Do you want to ensure easy and quick access to an epidural? Ask around to hear varying experiences with epidurals at your area hospitals. As experienced birth professionals ourselves, we've seen epidurals ranging from so strong that a person has absolutely zero mobility or ability to push, as well as epidurals that provide both excellent pain control and ability to move. Of course results will vary depending on the person, but try to find out what L&D hospital trends are in your area so you'll have a general idea of what to expect. Your doula can help with this too. Do you want your birth care provider to be very hands-off from a medical standpoint, providing recommendations only if complications arise? An OB could be a good fit. Prefer to have more personalized attention for longer periods of time but still want the option to use pharmaceuticals if needed? Look for a hospital-based midwifery practice.
Hospital-based midwifery can give you the best of both worlds, but you still need to be choosy
Rock Your Birth Step 3
Choose a birth prep class! HelloBirth is a 4-week series that provides a ton of value in both information and skill practice, so you can rock your birth with hypnobirthing skills, no matter what kind of birth you have!
Rock Your Birth Step 4
Practice! Whatever you choose for your birth preparation method, carve out a little time to practice with your tools and skills each week. After all, we've never heard of anyone who knew how to rock their birth without giving it some thought ahead of time! HelloBirth makes the practice schedules easy and accessible to fit with a busy lifestyle.
Rock Your Birth Step 5
Have a baby and rock that birth! OK but how? I know, I know, that's why you're here. One of the best tips we can offer if this is your first baby especially, is stay home in early labor if you can. Of course there are a few reasons why someone might want to be with their medical care provider in the birthing facility when they still have many hours to go before their baby comes, but for the most part it is incredibly beneficial to rest in your own bed, eat your own food, and bathe in your own bathroom for as long as possible. If you can get to the hospital when your cervix is already starting to open up, you'll have the greatest chance of experiencing a smooth process from that point forward.
Thanks for checking out our post on how to rock your birth! We hope it was helpful!