📖 Learning about birth

Introduction

• Educational resources

• Lamaze

• Spinning Babies

• Hypnobirthing

• Evidence-Based Birth

• Questions to ask your provider before birth

  • “Questions to ask your provider about VBAC” (VBAC = vaginal birth after Caesarian)

  • “What to ask a physician who may provide your maternity care”

Learning about labor

• Stages of labor

  • “Stages of labor and birth: Baby, it's time!” from Mayo Clinic

  • “Labor and delivery” from Cleveland Clinic

  • “What is the ring of fire in pregnancy?”

• Possible interventions

  • Cervical checks / exams during labor

  • Fetal monitoring - what it is & pros/cons

  • Inducing and augmenting labor

    • “Labor induction: Overview”

    • “Augmentation of labor”

    • “Natural” / home methods

      • “The truth about 'natural' ways to induce labor”

      • “Is there any guaranteed way to induce labor?”

    • Professional methods and tools

      • Foley bulb / balloon

      • Sweeping membranes

      • Breaking bag of waters / amniotomy

      • Pitocin

        • “Natural birth with Pitocin: Pros & cons”

  • Vacuum-assisted delivery

  • Caesarean section (C-section)

• Pain management & coping/comfort techniques

  • Penny Simkin’s "The Essence of Coping in Labor"

  • Common medications for labor pain

    • “Laughing gas” / Nitrous oxide

    • Analgesics

      • Includes anti-inflammatory analgesics and opioids

    • Epidural

  • Non-medicinal options

    • TENS unit

      • How might a TENS unit help during labor?

    • Applying counterpressure

      • From Mamaste Fit

      • From Willow Birth Center

    • Water therapy

      • Advantages and disadvantages of using water in childbirth

        • Please keep in mind that not all birth clinics / hospitals may be able to accommodate a private birth tub/pool, but may have a bathtub or shower available for you. Ask about this in advance!

    • Breathing / meditation exercises

    • Vocalization

      • May help prevent perineal trauma

      • Making noise in labor and birth

      • Vocalization for childbirth

Birth positions

• “Evidence on: Birthing positions”

• “Positions for labour and birth”

• “A midwife's guide to labor positions and support tools”

• “Birthing positions: Supporting choice in labour”

Preparation for birth partner(s)

• “The Birth Partner” by Penny Simkin

• “The role of a birth partner: A key support in childbirth”

• “How to support a woman in labor”

• “Getting ready for birth: For dads and partners”

  Birth stories & videos

  • “Positive birth stories” from The Positive Birth Company

  • “Birth stories” from HypnoBirthing

  • “My ordinary, everyday, boring birth story”

  • “Birth trauma stories” from the Birth Trauma Association

  • “Labor and delivery: Water birth” from Natalie Antoinette (video)

  • “My positive birth story (step by step explanation)” from Bridget Teyler (video)

  Birth doulas on social media

  • Amanda Rae DeBacker / The LA Doula

  • Jeanna McNeil

  • Bridget Teyler / Built to Birth

  • Gina and Roxanne / Mamaste Fit

  • Keshla Lockett / Empowered Black Doula

Back to 🧘‍♀️ Preparing for birth