When we birth with our sensuality we effortlessly allow layers of armor to melt away and reveal the hidden jewel of our sacred sensual strength and passion. Within this secret doorway lies all of the power and connection we need to have an amazing natural childbirth.

When we embraced this it can lead us far beyond birth ruled by pain and fear and into the infinite where we rediscover natural childbirth as an empowering, expansive, satisfying, deeply rich, and even orgasmic experience! In this article I will share with you how women are able to use their sensuality to achieve an amazing natural childbirth, how I did it, and how you can do it too!

Orgasmic Natural Childbirth

ORGASMIC BIRTH! I know, it sounds bizarre, but it’s not orgasmic like we think, it is sensual but not sexual, it’s a whole new orgasmic that stretches way beyond what we have perceived in our lifetimes. It stretches far beyond, it is amazing, powerful, expansive, mind blowing, indescribable, a truly out of this world experience!

Natural Childbirth Video “Orgasmic Birth,  The Best-Kept Secret”

Among the natural childbirth documentaries I watched while I was pregnant was “Orgasmic Birth, The Best-Kept Secret.” It resonated with me that giving birth was a simple extension of the very sexual very sensual experience that created the baby in the first place. As this truth shone down upon me I began to see birth as an amazing opportunity to dive into unrefined freedom and feminine expression!

The most common way people give up their power
is by thinking they don’t have any.
~ Alice Walker ~

Don’t Be Fooled- You Were Made for Natural Childbirth

One of the best kept secrets and one of the biggest truths in this world is that as a woman you are an amazing and powerful force in this world, which is why you were designed for natural childbirth!

The energy of natural childbirth is also an amazing and powerful force in this world, and one that we have been perfectly paired with. As powerful and magnificent as birth is we are just as powerful and magnificent ourselves!

The secret is to draw upon your personal power and energy and align it to merge with the energy of the birth. To do this you must first understand that birth, by nature is the ultimate feminine act, it calls us to operate from our full feminine power.

One of the greatest sources of our feminine power lies within our sensual nature.

“Dive into the lusciously rich experience of who you truly are and birth your baby from there!”

We are rediscovering our primordial feminine splendor and power that over time seems to have gotten lost. Within our core lies the very essence of what we are as women. We are truly magical and powerful beings.

We are a woman’s touch, soft, tender, and sensual

We are a Mothers love with everlasting strength

We are passionate and fierce

Yet at the same time we are soft and yielding

These gifts run through us and this is whats going to help you to birth your baby!

“It is possible to have an ecstatic birth—in fact, that is the best natural high that I know of. And these states of consciousness are best reached when a woman is fully aware and fully awake. Women don’t have a way to know how their body works until they really try it out in birth. I think that women can be just completely surprised by the change in them from giving birth—you have something powerful in you—that fierce thing comes up—and I think babies need moms to have that fierceness—you feel like you can do anything and that’s the feeling we want moms to have.”

-Ina May Gaskin

You are Responsible for Your Own Orgasm – You are Responsible for Your Own Orgasmic Natural Childbirth

Remember that birth is an extension of the sensual energy that created your baby in the first place; natural childbirth is the grand climax, this is when the energy peaks and flows powerfully through bringing your baby into life

As your birthing time begins the flood gate swings open and this powerful flame which has so patiently waited inside is set free.  Now how you choose to interpret and use this amazingly powerful energy is up to you, and can be the difference between whether your natural childbirth is experienced as pain or pleasure.

“You are responsible for your own orgasm” Meaning you are responsible for your own experience. Most women will agree that you can have horrible sex or amazing sex just based on how you choose to interpret and respond to it.

It’s all about how much you can allow yourself to release into it.  

Embrace and Explore Your Birthing Waves and the Sensuality of Natural Childbirth

In birth it is helpful to use many of  the same tools as you would in great sex……Release into it…… Turn it into something that you embrace and explore. It’s about the exploration, the journey as much as the destination. Ride the intensity of the waves, welcome them into you, become uninhibited, breathe, moan, and tell yourself how AMAZING it feels!

How Your Partner Can Help You to Have an Amazing Natural Childbirth

The answer is love, it is always love. I’m not talking sex, but the physical expression of love can be an enormous help! Kissing, cuddling, sensual caress, massage, and nipple stimulation can all have a positive effect on the progression of birth.

When you and your partner are able to remain conscious of allowing your love to flow freely without being restricted, then birth is more likely to flow freely without being restricted.

My Orgasmic Natural Childbirth

There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud
was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
~ Anais Nin ~

When my birthing time began I was amazed by the incredibly powerful sensations of the birthing waves.  They were nothing that I could have ever imagined! They were larger than life. About an hour into my birthing time a really powerful pressure wave came on and I thought to myself,”Wow that one hurt!” That moment will stay in my mind forever. It was my moment of truth.

As soon as that thought entered into my mind I felt myself instantly being jerked down to a place of fear.  Then a vision opened up in my mind of the long dark and painful road that was ahead of me if I continued to allow myself to interpret the sensations as pain.

With the very next pressure wave I made a conscious choice that no matter what happened I would interpret the sensations in my body as pleasure.

In that instant the sensations turned from pain into pure juicy life force. It was dancing within me igniting my sacred feminine power. I felt myself come to life, my sensuality, my passion, my power, my undying love, and incredible strength rose up within me. Birth called to the fierce lioness inside of me inviting me to embrace and unite with it’s power, calling me to surrender and ride the waves of ecstasy.

My mouth hung open wide as my breath poured from my body,  and entered again powerful strong and full, each breath building in momentum, each sensation stronger than the last, taking a hold of me, pulling me in, begging for my surrender, calling me to release and flow into it.

I moaned in ecstasy, it felt so incredible! Through this incredible sensual energy I transcended into an alternate reality, and became consumed by this exquisitley expansive feeling of connection on all levels. I was dancing with a pure and powerful energy. It spiraled through me and moved me baby out into my arms.

Here is our birthing video where you can see and hear the ecstasy of the experience!

My Natural Childbirth Advice

Embrace the sensuality of natural childbirth. Open wide the door that leads to your feminine power. Welcome the energy and intensity of the birth. Say YES to the sensations. Repeat to yourself how amazing they feel. Choose pleasure over pain, become uninhibited, and give your baby a natural childbirth encompassed in LOVE.

The post The Sensuality of Orgasmic Natural Childbirth appeared first on My Natural Childbirth.

More than any other time in recent history we are asking ourselves honestly what is best for our babies, homebirth vs hospital birth.

Those of us who have already made that choice can tell you that homebirth has been a defining moment in our lives! It is said that during birth we truly meet ourselves and for the first time we are given the chance to allow our greatest potential to be fulfilled.

But this is not a journey we travel alone, and as grand as it is for us, just think about what an enormous and defining experience birth is for your Baby!

With all of the nervousness, excitement and anticipation it’s easy for us to get caught up in our own heads with our own agendas about our natural childbirth and we sometimes forget that we are merely here for the ride, and that this whole show is being put on for our Baby.

This is our child’s birth and it matters more than we can ever imagine! It is his first step in his new land. This experience teaches and imprints the child deeply.

We should put careful thought into what we want our children to learn from this experience, and what imprint we wish to leave with them. This is not something to be taken lightly, this event will set the foundation for the rest of their lives.

In this article we will explore homebirth vs hospital birth from your baby’s perception and discover what natural childbirth means to your baby.

Challenging Society’s Beliefs About Awareness in the Newborn

There seems to be a harmful misconception in our society that newborn babies just aren’t quite full human beings yet, that because they are small, and they don’t talk, they don’t see, hear or move like we do that they must not be capable of experiencing the full range of emotions yet either.

Many may argue that this is not true, that of course we recognize babies as being human!

But if this is so then why would we possibly allow our babies to be treated with such carelessness, disregard and even violence upon their first entrance into the world?

“Why must a child emerge from the quiet darkness of the womb into a blaze of blinding light and loud voices? Why must an infant take its first breath in terror, hanging upside down as its vulnerable spine is jerked straight? Why must the infant be separated from its mother after spending nine months inside her nourishing body?”

~Frederick Leboyer

In an attempt to understand birth from a babies perspective I am going to tell the story of birth and I want you for a moment to imagine that you are the baby, and that this is your birth.

Homebirth vs Hospital – “Un” Natural Childbirth – The Baby’s Story

Imagine, you are safe, warm and cozy in the womb, surrounded by the familiar comfort of your Mother. Then suddenly your world is pressing in on you from all directions, you hear your Mom screaming and yelling, you feel her fear and it causes you to clinch with fright.

You are then drugged, you can’t think straight, you are scared and you don’t know what’s going on, you think this must be the end, that you must be dying. You are then forced down into a dark tunnel, and you hear strange voices shouting PUSH PUSH!!!

Then suddenly, you come out into a strange room, with these bright blinding lights and weird machines beeping. It’s filled with strange people. Your cold and scared, and the light makes it hard for you to open your eyes. Your groggy and disoriented from the drugs. People are shouting all around you, “It’s a BOY, it’s a GIRL! There loud voices pound through your fragile eardrums. And you are being carelessly clutched in the gloved hands of a strange man wearing a mask.

You look around for something familiar,  something to explain what is happening to you!

You hear your Moms voice and want to go to her. But instead you are surrounded by strangers who roughly dry you off, then proceed to shove things in your mouth, poke you with needles and run tests on you.

You are crying and screaming profusely but no one seems to take notice or care, they are too busy congratulating themselves for a job well done.

If your lucky you get to meet your Mom for a moment before being whisked away down the hall and into a  room with a bunch of other babies like you, who are scared and crying for the love of their Mothers, but she is no where to be found.

“Oh my God, is this what the world is like?”

What Kind of Message is That Sending to Your Baby?

I can’t imagine it sending the message that it is welcomed and accepted, that it will always be loved and kept safe. Rather I imagine it being a terrifying experience, that would make me just want to crawl back inside of myself and hide.

How can we raise confident children when with their first experience we strip them of their dignity?

Imagine The Alternative – A Sacred, Respected and Natural Homebirth

Your Mom feels her birthing sensations begin, she takes a deep breath and fills herself with the most peaceful and calm feeling imaginable. She lights some candles, turns on soothing music, or takes a warm bath. She talks to you and lets you know that everything is ok, not to fear, you’re birth will be a sacred event that you will journey through together in trust, faith and love, and that you will be born into a peaceful and loving home.

The birthing space is being held by the select few who your Mother has chosen to be with her, they are there bringing her comfort, making her feel safe and loved. They are there to honor her and to honor you.

As the natural child birth progresses your Mother does not allow herself to be swept away by fear, rather she soars into greatness and awakens to an inner strength that introduces her to her full exquisite and powerful self.

She embraces the power of her body, and for a moment in time feels connected with the ancestral wisdom of every woman that has gone before her.  She is releasing, opening and allowing her body to lead her.

The walls of your world are tightening all around you, you are nervous and not quite sure what is going on, but then you feel the soothing and calm vibrations that she’s sending your way. You feel her love emanating through you and all around you. You take the leap into the unknown, release and let go!

You ease gently out into a dimly lit room, it is filled with peaceful and loving vibrations. No one is running around, or shouting. It is as if you are entering a holy temple, the space is respected, voices are hushed and peace fills the room.

You are surrounded by the gentle warmth of water or of a cozy room.

You are guided into life and welcomed for the first time into the loving hands of your Father. What an amazing introduction! But still you yearn for your Mother, your only true source of familiarity and comfort.

You hears your Mommas voice, look around and there she is, gazing at you with the warmest smile. You are placed in her arms, you feel welcomed, safe and loved.

Your Mother instinctively offers you her bosom, you yearn for that connection and happily latch on. You are wrapped snugly in her arms surrounded by her love. Your belly is filled with the sweetness of your Mommas milk.

You feel loved and safe, and so curious as to where you are. You are very alert and spend the next few hours looking around bright eyed and curious before drifting comfortably off to sleep.  You have entered your new kingdom in peace, you are home.

To us the choose is clear, homebirth vs hospital birth, how do you think your baby would choose to be born?

The post Homebirth vs Hospital birth – What Your Baby Would Choose appeared first on My Natural Childbirth.

Women in the midst of a world in panic are choosing homebirth.

What we are experiencing right now in the world is unlike anything we have ever seen in our life time! And it is Freakin Scary! And yet here we have pregnant Mothers going beyond the fear, back home preparing for their homebirth.

My inbox has been flooded every day with stories from women whose plans have pivoted from hospital to homebirth, and then there are the women who already knew that this is what they wanted but something was holding them back until now! I have to honestly say that I have never been more PROUD of women before now!

Here are the things that these women all have in common that make them awesome in life and will also give them an amazing birth…

An Unstoppable Mindset

We have two options here, FEAR or LOVE!

Fear says the world is in crisis look around you things are out of control! Go home, be scared, spread fear!

Love says Yep, you’re right this is totally out of your control. Go home, be safe. Things are happening, plans are changing, the world is shifting. My Darling bring your attention inward. Don’t give your energy to things you can’t control. 

Go within, listen to that inner knowing, go home, be safe, be still and listen. Do you hear your baby asking for a gentle, peaceful entrance Earth-side?

That my Dear is your task. Let the rest of the world do their jobs and you do yours. Release that desire to control and just believe that this is happening for a reason. Isn’t it such a gift you are being given, this beautiful opening to invite your baby here with calm loving awareness, in the comfort and safety of home.

The Ability To Pivot

 

There are some people who are so fixed on the idea that things should be a certain way and then when change comes they just stand there yelling at a closed door.

Nope, not these women they look at a changing situation and adapt and adjust and pivot toward the opening! During birth this is the number one key to making it awesome! When a pressure wave comes on strong or the position they are in isn’t working for them they don’t give up or get mad they simply take a breath and adjust. Being able to take what comes and find the opening is when it all starts working for you!

Homebirth Mothers Believe That Things Are Happening For Them Not To Them

This is probably the thing I have most heard from these amazing women that are being called to homebirth. They have an unwavering trust that this is all a gift! Most of them knew that they wanted a homebirth but something was getting in their way of giving it their full YES. Now everything has aligned and they are finally able to be ALL IN. I have seriously cried tears of joy sharing their excitement and joy and the overall strength that they are accessing inside of them.

 

I said it before and it’s true! I am so PROUD of these women who in the craziest of times are still able to tune in to their own voice, strength and wisdom! They are giving their baby such a exquisitely loving entrance into the world that they won’t even have a clue as to the fear and jumble that is happening outside because they are safe at home.

 

 

The post The Women Who Are Choosing Homebirth During COVID-19 appeared first on My Natural Childbirth.

Sounds fun right, but yes ladies this is indeed a part of preparing yourself for natural childbirth. You want to be as stretchy as you can be, so that your baby’s head will slide right on out easily without a lot of resistance. This can be beneficial to you in so many ways! First of all it can make natural childbirth a whole heck of a lot less painful, and it often helps the pushing phase to be much quicker and easier.

There are a few techniques that you can use to prepare yourself to be really stretchy. In this article I’m not only gonna share them with you, but also share my experiences using these techniques. So get ready to get up close and personal with my flower of life!  ; )

My Biggest Fear about Natural Childbirth

So I come from a family who is no stranger to natural childbirth, I was born at home and my entire life have heard nothing but what a great experience my birth was. So I was pretty confident about having a natural childbirth. But this does not mean that I had no fears. Boy oh boy did I! And this was my biggest fear; I did NOT want to be ripped open or cut during birth. I couldn’t even imagine the pain that would ensue. OUCH!!!!

However I also knew how extremely important it was to rid myself of those fears before my birthing time. I couldn’t very well be birthing my baby while the whole time I was thinking about my most sensitive area being ripped open! So to deal with this fear I decided that instead of dwelling on it I would find out how I could prevent this from happening.

What I found out was that during pregnancy certain hormonal changes occur naturally that help the tissues of the cervix and perineum to become extremely thick and elastic. And I also found out that there were indeed some pretty simple things that I could do to support this process, and to work with my body. I’ll start with the easiest first.

Foods That Help You to Be Stretchy

First I found that you have to stay super hydrated in order to keep your tissues healthy and to help your body with the elasticity. So I drank a ton of water! What I would do was fill up a gallon size water container every morning and just made sure it was all gone by the time I went to bed. Yes I had to pee a lot, but it was a small price to pay!

Also in order to support your body’s process in becoming super stretchy you have to make sure that you get enough of the right stuff: protein, vitamins, and what they call short-chain fatty acids, the “good fats”

Good Fat Sources:  Avocado, nuts, seeds, beans, cold-pressed oils and fish such as salmon and tuna.

Vitamin E Sources: (at least 1,000 mg per day) Wheat germ oil, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, almonds, pecans, safflower oil, peanuts, corn oil, soybean oil, and lobster.

Vitamin C: (very beneficial for tissue health, cellular integrity, elasticity and regeneration) Strawberries, oranges, grapefruits and other citrus foods.

Bioflavanoids: These are the compounds that make oranges orange, blueberries blue, and cherries red. Some foods rich in flavonoids are blueberries, cherries, citrus fruits, pears, grapes, cabbage, legumes, plums, and onions.

Preparing Your Perineum for Natural Childbirth

OK here is the fun part, perineum massage! This is the process of actually sticking your (or your partners fingers) inside of your yoni and gently stretching it using a certain massaging technique. You do it every day of your last month of pregnancy and it’s supposed to make your tissues uber stretchy so that when your baby’s head is crowning you won’t tear or have any need for an episiotomy.

My Wonderfully Thrilling Journey through Perineal Massage

This is my experience with perineal massage. My slightly kooky childbirth instructor told us in class that this was a good thing to do for many reasons. Not only would it make me super stretchy, but it would allow me the “opportunity” to get acquainted with the sensations that I would feel during birth giving me a platform to practice remaining calm, relaxed and breathing through the sensations.

Also, she suggested that instead of doing it myself that I would have my partner do the massage on me, because this would give us a chance to “work together, communicate with each other and build trust” in preparation for our birth.

Ummm..……..can you say, “AWKWARD!!!?”

Only after she assured me that my vagina wouldn’t stay stretched out forever, and that after birth it would snap back into place did I decide “What the heck, why not.”

After all, when it really came down to it I would do pretty much anything to prevent myself from tearing!

And since I felt like I had done this entire pregnancy by myself I figured it would be the perfect opportunity to con Andy into getting involved in preparing us for our natural childbirth. After all I didn’t make this baby on my own so I thought it only fair that he helped as much as he could. Also it might help him not to pass out if he got used to seeing my vag in a different sort of setting so that he wouldn’t be so shocked by the “expansiveness” during birth.

He was a bit hesitant, and only after cracking a crap load of perineum and vag jokes did he step up to the plate, and we went for it! Now that, is LOVE!

I took a bath to get myself and my tissues relaxed. I imagined that my birthing time had begun and that this was the real thing. We set the room just like we would for the birth; we dimmed the lights, put on the music I had picked out for our natural childbirth, the whole shabang!

Using almond oil to soften up the tissues he stuck both his fingers and his thumbs inside of me and began following the instructions that we had printed out on how to perform the “massage.” http://www.bloomingbellys.com/bb-blog/prenatal-perineal-massage/

I relaxed as much as I possibly could. He would gently and progressively stretch to a point where there was quite a bit of pressure, if it was too much pressure I would cue him by tapping on the bed to tell him to let up a bit, if I could handle a little more pressure I would tap on the wall so that he could apply a little more.

I was a bit shy at first, but I very quickly realized how this was helping us to communicate with each other and had also put us both in a rather vulnerable and intimate position where we had to let down our walls of resistance and really become open with each other.

Even still I have to tell you that it wasn’t much fun, and it actually did create quite an intense sensation! But, it was well worth it! I found myself really having to be creative to find ways to fully and completely relax. Which turned out to be a truly great way to prepare me for natural childbirth, because I got to experience firsthand the difference between how when I tensed up it created pain, and how when I relaxed it became easier and manageable.

So we did it every night for the last month, and every time we did it I was stretchier than before, and it became easier and easier to do.

The Results- A Pain Free Natural Childbirth

So what were the results of all of our efforts? It was the 16th hour of my birthing time (of course I had not known that) I had gone to a place where time didn’t exist. I was fully consumed in this alternate reality, of complete surrender and unhampered connection with this HUGE universal energy that was flowing through me.

All of the sudden I felt my body make a changeover and suddenly I felt the urge to push. It felt so completely natural that I hardly even felt like I actually had to do much pushing at all. It more felt like my body was going to do it. So I tried to relax into it. Sure enough my body began to do some pushing and I helped it out by filling myself with enormous breaths and harnessing all of the power and strength that I had within me. This power expelled itself in these amazingly powerful moans!

I had heard all about the “ring of fire” that I was supposed to feel as the baby’s head came out and was secretly waited for the excruciating pain that was supposed to come. 3 gentle pushes and her head was out. No pain, no ring of fire, just a squish.

It actually felt amazing as her head and body came out, it was like this tremendous relief! And the best part, not a tear, not a rip, not a scrape. My perineum was perfectly intact and my yoni was all shiny and pristine! My baby was amazingly healthy and beautiful, no smooshed or cone shaped head, just perfection.

Oh and by the way, Andy was GREAT during the birth, not squeamish at all, he was oozing with love, tenderness and connection. For us the stretchy vagina techniques definitely paid off!!!

I would love to hear your thoughts! What do you think about this whole stretchy vagina, perineal massage business? Have you tried it, or would you think about trying it for a potentially easier natural childbirth? Or do you have any tips on how to prevent tears?

The post How to Make Your Vag Stretchy so that You Won’t Tear During Natural Childbirth appeared first on My Natural Childbirth.

I know that there’s a ton of things that demand your attention when preparing for natural childbirth, but please do not allow yourself to overlook what to do to your baby’s umbilical cord at birth. In this article I would like to express to you the enormous importance and value of waiting to cut the cord! The difference in waiting a short amount of time after your natural childbirth may not seem particularly monumental to you but to your baby it is huge, and can affect them for the rest of their lives!

What the Umbilical Cord Means to Your Baby – While inside the Womb

The umbilical cord is your baby’s main source of life while it is in your womb. Among other things it takes the place of its lungs.  It connects your baby with the placenta which pumps this amazingly oxygen and nutrient rich blood through their entire body feeding, sustaining and nourishing them. And then when the blood is ready to be cleansed it pumps it back to the placenta where it is refreshed, renewed and sent back to them to use. This is a continuous ever flowing beautiful process that nature has created perfectly.

So there is a constant feeding, nourishing and cleansing system that is taking place between you, your baby and the placenta. In essence it is your baby’s “life cord.”

You Chose When to Cut Your Baby’s Cord After Natural Childbirth- Please Make an Informed Choice

After your babys’ natural childbirth it is still going to be connected to its umbilical cord until you decide that it is time to cut it. Sadly we are living in the days where everything is rush, rush, rush, hurry, hurry, hurry! We seem to have forgotten the importance of slowing down long enough to respect nature’s process. It’s all about the short cuts. And this is what it’s become in the medical community; the quickest way to get things done has taken precedence over the most beneficial.

All too often we just go along with whatever procedures are in place simply because we don’t know any different. But please do not allow your baby to miss out on all of the benefits that nature has intended for it. And remember that this is your baby and all decisions surrounding its’ birth and care are yours to make.

What the Umbilical Cord Means to Your Baby – After Natural Childbirth

Even though your baby is now able to survive on its own without being connected to the cord does not mean that it suddenly is of no use anymore. Remember that this cord has been your baby’s connecting life force for the entire span of its existence so far. So to cut it suddenly, abruptly and prematurely is not beneficial to your baby. In terms of health benefits and emotional benefits it is much better for your baby to wait to cut its cord.

When to Cut Your Babys’ Cord after Natural Childbirth

How long should you wait to cut the cord? After your baby’s natural childbirth the umbilical cord does not just lie limp not functioning. For several minutes after birth the cord is still very much alive and active, still pumping blood and oxygen into your baby. You should not cut the cord until it has completely stopped pulsating. Changes in the cord’s whartons jelly then produce a natural internal clamping within 10-20 minutes after birth. But as long as it is still beating it is still benefiting your baby.

Some parents choose to have what is called a “lotus birth” meaning that they chose not to cut the cord at all but rather allow the baby to naturally detach from the cord and placenta in its own time.

Benefits of Waiting Until the Cord Stops Beating

For one thing it forces everyone to be patient, and leads them as well as the mother to respect the rhythm and the sense of time ordained by the child.

Besides, leaving the cord intact allows the natural physiological changes to take place within the child’s body at their own pace, and allows iron and many other very important nutrients to be delivered to the baby.

What It Means for Your Baby to be Allowed to Experience Natural Childbirth in His Time

“In the act of drawing breath, of oxygenating his own blood with his own lungs, the child becomes himself. With his first breath, the child sets forth on the road to independence, to autonomy, and to freedom. Nature provides oxygen for the child through two sources: the cord continues to beat even as the lungs begin to function, the two systems work together, one taking over from the other, like a relay. The first system, the cord continues to oxygenate the child until the new system, the lungs, has taken over completely.

But practically speaking much depends on the way this transition takes place; whether this transition is made slowly, progressively, or brutally, in panic and terror. This can make the difference between a calm gentle birth or a…tragedy…

If the changeover comes abruptly it will leave a mark for the rest of life, any future changes will always be perceived as threatening.

Although the child is out of the womb he remains dependent on his mother through the umbilical cord, which continues to beat strongly for several minutes four or five sometimes even longer. Oxygenated through the cord and thus protected from anoxia the child can, without shock or danger settle down to breathing without being rushed – in his own time…

For a few minutes the baby straddles two worlds as it were. Then slowly, slowly he can cross the threshold from one to the other peacefully and easily, and with all safety, as long as we don’t rush in, interfere”

~ Frederick Leboyer “Birth Without Violence”

Trust and allow nature to work as it is intended, birth is not an emergency or a race. It is so precious, and those moments right after birth are what defines your child’s view of it’s new world. Savor those moments, allow them to be sweetly sacred. Just taking a little extra care and those few extra minutes can make all the difference in the world to your baby, sending them the message that you are there to support love and respect their individual journey in this life.  After your baby has been allowed to make the change over in its’ own time, and the cord has been detached you can keep it, make art out of it, all sorts of really cool stuff! What are your thoughts on the importance of this process? Do you have any plans on what you’re gonna do with the cord after your natural childbirth, or are any of you planning a lotus birth?

the beautiful umbilical cord stump

umbilical cord art

happy baby minutes after birth with umbilical cord still intact

The post Natural Childbirth: How Cord Cutting Can Affect Your Baby for Life appeared first on My Natural Childbirth.

What is a Birthing Ball?

Very simply it’s an exercise ball that you can find at any department store. We call them birthing balls because we use them for birth, but you don’t have to go seek out any sort of specialty “birthing ball.” They’re pretty inexpensive and definitely invaluable.

1) Using the Birthing Ball During The Early Stages of Birth

When you first start to feel your rushes coming on using your birthing ball is a great way to ease into the process. The best way to use your birthing ball in the beginning is to simply sit on it and begin spiraling your hips in a circular motion. Having your birth partner standing in front of you holding your hands or being available for you to rest your head on between rushes can help you feel more supported.

Don’t think too much, don’t worry about the direction your going, or counting your spirals. You can just follow the natural flow and rhythm that you feel in your body. Remember to trust your body and allow it to lead you. This spiraling movement is one of those essential keys to moving the rushes through without allowing them to compound and become painful. The birthing ball makes it easy to move without  a ton of effort allowing you to just relax and merge that connection between the rhythm and movement of your body and the flow of the birth. While simultaneously it is opening up your pelvis creating space for your baby to move down.

Using Spirals on the Birthing Ball to Get into Active Labor

Now this one is similar to the first one but is used to get your birthing rushes started. Perhaps your water has broken but it’s taking a while to progress to the point of contractions yet, so to get things rolling you can sit on the ball and do smooth but active circles (perhaps to the same flow as salsa music)  for 20 minute alternating directions periodically during that time. This will bring your babies head right down onto your cervix and some nice juicy rushes (contractions) should start flowing.

2) Rocking and Spiraling on Hands and Knees Over the Birthing  Ball

Great to use any time throughout your birth. It’s a good way to maintain that hands and knees position without putting any extra strain on your wrists. And the birthing ball is a fabulous support for your upper body allowing you to relax while your body does the work. In this position you can lean over the birthing ball and rock or sway your hips from side to side or from front to back. This movement feels really nice, and can be very soothing. Or even better spiral your hips in this position.

3) Using the Birthing Ball When Mama gets Tired and Needs A Little Extra Support

Another great reason to have a birthing ball on hand is because there may be times during your birth that you get really tired and movement may become challenging. This is when the birthing ball comes in handy. With the help of your birth partners you can sit on the ball and they can easily help to move rock and spiral your hips while your on the ball. Since balls move around easily it is a way to keep your body moving and flowing with the birth without exerting a lot of effort. Also if you’d like to lean over the birthing ball as in the previous position while your birth partners rub your back or apply warm compresses it can help you to relax and release your muscles.

4) Using Birthing Ball to Progress Labor or Get Baby into Favorable Position

This is a position to use if birth has slowed for some reason and you need to get it going again. Sometimes when birth has slowed it is because the baby has moved into an unfavorable position. This one will help to correct this and get your baby properly aligned. You sit and bend your knees touching the soles of your feet together. The birthing ball is placed in the space between your knees and you lean forward to hug the ball. Now you have two trusted people at either side of you.You vigorously rocks side to side as your support team holds your arms and shoulders to hold your weight when you lean towards them preventing you from falling. This is a vigorous movement that shifts the asynclitic  (the baby’s head is tipped as if listening). It may correct the angle of the baby’s head and allow it to descend if it was in an unfavorable position.

5) Deep Squatting with the Birthing Ball

Squatting is a great position to be in during birth, because you are upright and working with the pull of gravity to move the baby down, it also creates a wide opening in your pelvis. The arch of the ball can help to support your upper body while in this position. This is a great one to use during all phases of birth and may even be a good possiblity during the pushing phase.

So go out and get yourself a birthing ball! You can practice doing some of these moves while your pregnant such as leaning over the ball (which is awesome to help with back strain) or doing the comfortable spirals on the ball. I used my birthing ball through my whole pregnancy, which relieved a ton of the discomfort and pressure especially the further along I got, and I used it some during the birth. If you already have a birthing ball and have any tips that you’d like to share or if you have any questions please leave me a comment below

The post 5 Great Ways to Use a Birthing Ball For an Easier Childbirth appeared first on My Natural Childbirth.

If you have never used hypnobirthing techniques before they are a great way to help you stay in a positive mindset during your pregnancy and your natural childbirth. Through mastering these techniques you can effectively rid yourself of destructive patterns of negative thinking and empower yourself with the tools needed to replace them with positives. This can go a long way when preparing yourself for birth!

In this article I’ll share with you a few of my favorite hypnobirthing techniques. And also give some tips and pointers on how you can use them to create a truly enjoyable pregnancy and natural childbirth.

Why I Dove into Practicing Hypnobirthing Techniques

As my pregnancy progressed and the old singular me rapidly faded away, I began noticing  a new pathway opening up, and from it emerged a total shift in what I began to value as important. Stronger than any feeling I had ever experienced before sprung this great desire to give my daughter an amazingly beautiful and peaceful birth. It was as if I had received a message, and I somehow intuitively knew that her soul desired to be born this way!

I knew that she deserved to journey into this world completely and wholy saturated in love; and that my job was to simply allow her this experience without letting my own fears and doubts get in the way. In order to do this I would have to find a way to get beyond all of my uncertainties about birth and transform my mind to a place of complete faith and trust in the process.

I was fortunate to come across some amazing hypnobirthing techniques! I began using them in an attempt to retrain my mind to focus on and allow only positive thoughts into my experience and to protect myself from all thoughts and ideas that did not serve me. Through these hypnobirthing techniques I was able to release the fear that I had been holding onto, and my outlook on my amazing pregnancy and upcoming birth began to glow with optimism!

5 Easy Steps to Create and Maintain a Positive State of Mind Using Hypnobirthing Techniques

Step 1 – Commit Yourself to Practicing Positive Hypnobirthing Techniques:

As with anything else if you want it to truly work for you, you must first commit yourself to it. If you commit yourself to this it is guaranteed to open up a whole new world for you that will not only help you through your pregnancy and natural childbirth, but will continue to improve the quality of your daily life.

Step 2 – Recite Daily Hypnobirthing Affirmations:

Affirmations are positive suggestions that help to arrange your state of mind to feel great. Pin them on your bathroom mirror and read them to yourself every morning upon waking and every night before going to bed, either out loud or in your mind. Another idea is to record yourself saying these affirmations and listen to them during your day.

So take some time to think about and write down some positive things that you would like to remind yourself of. They should be statements that make you feel safe, they should invoke positive, peaceful, calm and loving feelings about your pregnancy and birth. And remember to always use positive phrasing.

Here are some examples of positive hypnobirthing affirmations:

 “I love my pregnant body and I feel Great!”

“I know that my baby is growing healthy and strong inside of me now.”

“I trust birth, and I allow my body to easily lead me.”

“I know that there is no limit to how deeply I can relax.”

“I look forward to our birthing time.”

“I know that my baby will be born peacefully.”

Step 3- Avoid Negative Self Talk:

This seems pretty simple right? Do not talk bad about yourself. Do not put yourself down. And stop complaining.

Step 4- Avoid Negative People and Situations:

Having a natural childbirth you are going to face all sorts of opposition, this can come from friends, family, doctors and even complete strangers. Stand firm in your beliefs and don’t let anyone succeed in filling you with their fears.

If you know there are going to be certain situations or people that are going to be negative, try to avoid them at all costs until after your birth! I know that this is not always possible which is why next I am going to teach you my personal favorite in Step 5.

Step 5- Create and Use Your Bubble of Peace and Protection

This is a magic bubble that you create around yourself that protects you and your baby by acting as a kind of sheild repelling all negative thoughts, ideas, energies and suggestions. At the same time that it is keeping these bad things out, it is also protecting and strengthening feelings of peace, comfort and love inside of it. Your magic bubble of peace and protection is easy to create and is available for you to use instantly at any time or place!

To create this bubble all you have to do is take a few moments to find a quiet spot, and begin relaxing very deeply, then imagine surrounding your entire body and especially your baby in a beautiful white light. You may imagine, see, feel or just sense this light around you. Focus on and feel an abundance of peace and love radiating within it.

Once you feel yourself completely surrounded in this light your bubble of peace and protection is ready to be used. Remember that it is available to you at any time!  Use it whenever you feel that you may need to shield yourself, such as before you go into a public place, or at doctors appointments, when you around certain people, or in any stressful situations. All you have to do is imagine that bubble of light around you and it will instantly be there working for you!

If you would like to add a triple layer of protection all you have to do is imagine adding a layer of purple and a layer of green to your bubble.

Perfecting Your New Hypnobirthing Techniques

Now just because you have vowed to remain positive does not mean that you will no longer be faced with negative situations. But now you have to tools to deal with them. So instead of looking at so called “negative” situations as a bad thing begin to view them as a good thing.

Negative situations are not presented to you anymore to corrupt your thoughts, cause you fears, or detract from your positive ideas, they are now here simply as a platform for you to practice and perfect your tools and ability to remain calm and peaceful in the light of any situation.

I hope you enjoy putting these wonderful hypnobirthing techniques to use, and I look forward to hearing your comments on how they are working for you!

The post Hypnobirthing Techniques- 5 Easy Steps to Create a Positive State of Mind During Pregnancy & Natural Childbirth appeared first on My Natural Childbirth.

The other night a guy friend of mine who saw the content of my Facebook page asked me, “so what’s the big deal with all these women and natural childbirth? And why do they feel the need to constantly talk about their birth and to get people to watch their birth videos and stuff?” My first reaction was to say, “You won’t get it, it’s a girl thing and it’s WAY too big of a topic to even get into.”

But then it occurred to me how little the average person knows about the current state of birth in our country. And that the only way to change that is to make it common knowledge and the only way to do that is to speak up and spread the word!

The truth remains that in our society most of us are either uninformed or misinformed. And most of what we think we know has been implanted into us not for the safety and well being of ourselves and our babies but for the monetary gain of the HCA (Hospital Corporations of America) one of the richest and most fraudulent corporations of all time.

I can’t keep quiet any more, this information is too important not to be shared. Women deserve to be given all of the information, only then can they be expected to make truly informed decisions.

Only when women are acting from a place of knowledge and not from fear will we have a real chance to reclaim birth as the sacred and empowering journey that it is meant to be and not as the dire medical emergency that is leaving millions of Mommas traumatized.

We Choose Natural Childbirth Because We Know the Facts

FACT #1- The Current Medically Engineered System of Birth Is Failing Us

In our country we treat birth as if it’s a medical emergency. Instead of allowing normal birth to follow it’s natural process doctors are interfering and are taking over with their own man made technology centered system of birth. As if they can somehow do a better job than nature. These methods are highly intrusive and dangerous. Over half of the women who give birth in the hospitals are leaving feeling abused, mistreated and traumatized. This system is failing us in a BIG way!

• The United States lags behind most other industrialized and even some developing countries in maternal mortality, currently ranking 50th out of 171 countries

• Our current C-section rate is 33% and rising

We Choose Natural Childbirth because it is Our Bodies, Our Babies, Our Experience and Our Choice

FACT #2- “Birth Rape” is Real and It’s Common

Since I have dove into this birth world I cannot believe the stories that I’m hearing every day. We’re  seeing our fellow women, our sisters, and our friends going into the hospital to have their babies and coming out completely traumatized by what went on!

They say that they were manipulated by the hospital system and bullied into accepting unnecessary interventions and even c-sections without sound medical reason.  The feelings some women have about their negative experiences are overwhelming. Many are claiming birth abuse, and some would even go as far as to say birth “rape” especially if they had instruments placed inside them without their consent.

This (rape) can include having Q-tips, speculums, scissors, forceps, vacuums, fingers, hands, and other objects inserted into a woman’s vagina or being given an enema, IV, epidural, or C-section without their consent.

 Having one’s water broken without consent is another example of doctor’s taking control, which is basically what rape is all about. Being coerced, manipulated or deceived so that one will be obedient and go along with these treatments is another form of birth rape. Some even consider making rude and discouraging remarks to influence the mother rather than empower her to be included in the definition. Moving a mother into certain positions without asking and telling her what to do are further examples of mistreatment.

Some deny the existence of birth trauma in mothers or believe that they or exaggerating, especially being that misconduct is rarely reported.

Some 54% of women in one study had grounds for a complaint but did not file.

We Choose Natural Childbirth Because We Will Not Allow Ourselves to be Operated on For Profit

FACT #3- Despite the Poor Quality of Care, Business is Booming & Profits Soar for the HCA (Hospital Corporation of America)

One of the largest hospital operators is a gigantic corporation called the HCA (Hospital Corporation of America) it is one of the most profitable and corrupt multi-billion dollar corporations of all time.

 Before you decide to hire them to be in charge of one the most important and monumental experiences of your life, the birth of your child there are a few things that you should know about them.

• The HCA has been investigated by the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Health and Human Services who served search warrants at Columbia/HCA facilities and on dozens of doctors with suspected ties to the company. Following the raids, the Columbia/HCA board of directors forced Rick Scott to resign as Chairman and CEO. Who despite his wrongdoings still made off with $350 million dollars. In 1999, Columbia/HCA just simply changed their name back to HCA, Inc. and went about business as usual
• HCA also admitted fraudulently billing Medicare and other health programs by inflating the seriousness of diagnoses and to giving doctors partnerships in company hospitals as a kickback for the doctors referring patients to HCA. They filed false cost reports, fraudulently billing Medicare for home health care workers, and paid kickbacks in the sale of home health agencies and to doctors to refer patients. In addition, they gave doctors “loans” never intending to be repaid, free rent, free office furniture, and free drugs from hospital pharmacies.
• 2000 and 2002, Columbia/HCA pleaded guilty to 14 felonies.
• In late 2002, HCA agreed to pay the U.S. government $631 million, plus interest, and pay $17.5 million to state Medicaid agencies, in addition to $250 million paid up to that point to resolve outstanding Medicare expense claims. In all, civil law suits cost HCA more than $2 billion to settle, by far the largest fraud settlement in US history.

All of these crimes appear to be aimed at making more money from each patient as possible. Apply this to birth and suddenly the reason for a 33% cesarean rate becomes clear. They have no interest in a simple, intervention free birth but have such a huge interest in interventions that they are willing to risk a $2 billion fine as just a small cost of doing business.

Fact #4- Hospitals Make More Money Off of Birth Than any Other Condition

They have twice as much money coming in from each c-section birth than each natural vaginal childbirth, some employer based health plans give doctors an extra bonus of up a $750 per C-section.

This is a scary thought. We are putting our faith and trust into a system that is not working for us but rather for themselves. This is why you need to analyze for yourself everything that these doctors tell you. They can be crucial in spotting and helping with severe issues, but they also have a terrible record of inflating very minor differences into surgery requiring problems.

Most midwives on the other hand have nothing to gain from advising an intervention, their only motivation would be the wellbeing of the mother and child. This is a crucial separation of interests; it is never good to have the person with the most to benefit from a bad outcome as an advisor.

Hospitals most profitable service is birth; they’re charging a fortune but are delivering poor service. If they were a restaurant chain they would have gone out of business years ago.

But they are a multi-billion dollar business and they have something very powerful on their side: billions of dollars, enough to hire the most expensive cut throat financial consultants there are, people sitting at desks doing nothing but figuring out how they can make the hospitals more money!

They have the ability to manipulate using the oldest tactic in the book, by feeding off of peoples fear. They do this by creating the illusion of danger, they tell us that for one reason or another our bodies are broken but we are in luck because they are there to offer the solution to it, and one they get paid for.

We Choose Natural Childbirth Without Fear

It is the most natural thing in the world for us to have fear about birth. It is something that is huge! We’ve never done it before, it sounds impossible that our bodies would be able to pass another human through them. And then the pain, all the pain we’ve heard about, the anguish the horror stories, and then there are the movie scenes that all tell us that birth is scary and painful! Women are scared to death of giving birth.

And that is why WE are here!

We Share Our Natural Childbirths because…

If We Don’t Tell Women the Truth about Natural Childbirth Then They’ll Never Know!

“Pregnancy is Not a Condition and Birth is Not an Emergency”

I and many other women know this to be true! We know how profound, amazing, empowering, beautiful and completely encompassed in love natural childbirth can be! It is so powerful I feel like it has changed me right down to the core, it has awoken me to this powerful woman that I always thought that I could be but that I now know that I am.

I choose natural childbirth because I want to pass on to my daughter that she too is strong, and to lead by example that when you are faced with the unknown the answer is never FEAR,  it is always to trust and believe in yourself.

Why do you choose Natural Childbirth?

The post We Choose Natural Childbirth Because We Know What Goes On in the Hospital appeared first on My Natural Childbirth.

Oh yes, I had this same dilemma, it took me the majority of the pregnancy to convince Andy that I wasn’t just trying to be a rebel, but that it was the most educated thing to do. In the end he gave me his full support, he was absolutely wonderful during the birth, we had an amazing experience and now he is Mr. Home Birth!

My partner wrote this wonderful article on how you convince someone who is accustomed to thinking of birth as a medical emergency that it’s really not such a big deal.

Why Men Think Having a Natural Childbirth at Home is a Crazy Idea

By Andrew Briggs

 The key is in understanding how they are accustomed to viewing birth. Imagine in general how uninformed women are about the birthing process and then imagine someone whose only experience in the matter comes from dramatizations they see on television.

Especially imagine the births you see in movies set in the Middle Ages, when I thought about birth before hospitals that’s where my mind went. So that’s how I thought a homebirth would be; dark and dank room with wet rags as our only tool against all the bleeding and screaming along with infections and dirt everywhere.

So that made me think it was going to be a dangerous, dirty and scary way to give birth!

When in reality that is not the case at all. And none of this view actually holds up if given a rational examination of the situation.

What you are going to need to show them is that home birth is just as safe as hospital birth because safety is going to be their only real concern.

How to Talk to Your Partner about Having a Natural Childbirth at Home

When you approach them you need to do so directly and let them know how important it is to you that they keep an open mind.

I was very stuck in the hospital mindset to begin with because I had used them often in the past so it was natural for me to think that everything they do there is for the best. So my initial reaction was to scoff and mock the idea but when April let me know how serious she was about the idea I became more open to evaluating it honestly.

Have Them Specify and List Their Fears

What you need to do is get them to analyze their preconceptions and actually specify and list the actual fears. Once the fears are listed they seem less overwhelming and can be refuted one by one. This will take some research, but from what I was told all the risks of home birth for healthy women can all be minimized by educating and preparing yourself.

When given enough information they will discover that there really is very little to fear, you just need to introduce them to that fact, and if they are anything like I was they really have only a vague idea of the potential risks.

Get the Facts on Natural Childbirth

Use as many hard facts as possible. If you can, get the actual percentages of complications they fear, show them how unlikely that situation happens in a homebirth scenario and what the midwife is able to do to help if it does happen.

 Persistence is the Way to Get Them to Except Natural Childbirth

It can be very difficult to change an ingrained misconception. This is the key to getting them to adjust their opinion. It was for me, and without the persistent extermination of the causes of my fear it would have been difficult to imagine such a dramatic change in my paradigm.   

The Big Whammy- Our Natural Childbirth

The birth itself I found to be a very exciting and fascinating experience!

Most of the birth I just tried to read what April needed and do anything I could to make her comfortable.

It was near the end when I went into the tub and got ready to deliver our daughter that I was most thankful to have the midwives there to reassure me that I was doing everything right. With them there I wasn’t really nervous or afraid of anything.

After Lileahs birth it seemed infinitely easier than I ever thought it would be! Everyone’s birth is different and I think I got off easy but in general I think guys are more afraid of not knowing what to expect than when they are in the middle of it.

It was great doing it at home because of how personal and peaceful it all felt. No body was running around screaming, and it was just me and April through the whole thing until the very end.  I was in the tub and when she came out I brought her up out of the water. It was the most amazing experience of my life to be the first one to welcome Lileah into the world!

Seeing Natural Childbirth Made Me a Believer!

After experiencing the birth of my daughter and seeing the benefits of natural childbirth versus hospital births I was convinced that this is the only way to bring our children into the world. The difference in her and other kids I saw that were born on drugs in the hospital is amazing! Lileah could hold her head up immediately and had her eyes wide open and alert for hours after she was born.  She was able to push herself up on her belly, she was unbelievably strong and healthy.

I was impressed and completely blown away by the experience so I have since been very much an advocate for natural childbirth! This is a huge change from how I thought just 6 months before Lileahs birth and it’s very much a result of Aprils research and our daughters beautiful entry into this world.

” And remember be Persistant!” -Andy

Aww I love him!  What a Great man! If you haven’t seen our birth video yet you should definately watch it, he completely surrounded me with LOVE and support, he was so Amazing!! Makes me cry every time! When you work together the possibilities for a great natural childbirth are infinite!

The post How to Get Your Partner on Board With Your “Crazy” Natural Childbirth Idea- A Mans Perspective appeared first on My Natural Childbirth.

~Peggy Vincent

If I could tell you the most important thing that you could know about natural childbirth it is that your birth will be what you imagine and allow it to be!  The physical act of natural childbirth is quite simple and natural; it is only when our minds get in the way that it becomes difficult. In this article I will share with you how you can shape your perception to allow the release of harmful thoughts and to embrace natural childbirth in a way that can open up the doorway to experiencing a truly amazing birth!

Go Beyond the Skewed Perception of Natural Childbirth

For most of us, before we got pregnant the thought of birth and what it’s going to be like rarely entered into our minds. Now suddenly it consumes our thoughts, and all we want to know is, “what is it going to be like?” Since most of us have never actually seen or experienced what a natural childbirth is really like and scince we have nothing to compare it to, this is a difficult question to answer. So we tend to draw from the only sources of reference we’ve had: Movies, TV shows and the chatty women at the office.

But little do we know that what they are telling us is not the truth. The picture of birth as a long scary and painful process is only a false idea that has been wrongfully passed along for too long!

“We must not allow other people’s limited perceptions to define us”

~Virginia Satir

 If we wish to reclaim birth, then we must break free from the restraints of fear and realize that it is us that makes the choice!  How we  experience natural childbirth will greatly depend on what we expect and allow ourselves to experience. If we continue to see birth as something undesirable that is happening to us and allow ourselves to be sucked into that fear then we are allowing our perception of birth to be fogged over and all we will be able to see and experience is pain and struggle.

But when we allow ourselves to see through that fog of misconception suddenly the doorway opens to realization that birth is the most amazing act that we will ever get a chance to be a part of. And that is when the potential for an amazing natural childbirth becomes limitless!

“If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear as it is – infinite”

~William Blake

Birth is the ultimate gift, the ultimate act of creation. It is the power of God manifesting itself through you to bring new life in existence. It is a bridge that finds you and your baby linked together straddling the gap between two worlds with the common purpose of life. It is a powerful, pure, and magnificent force!

Birth is a journey, birth is beautiful, birth will transform you, birth is work, birth is a reflection, birth is life, birth is LOVE!

How to Shift Your Perception to See How Amazing Natural Childbirth Really Is

You realize very quickly when you become pregnant that it suddenly seems that everyone has an opinion and is dying to share it whether you ask for it or not. Let me tell you there will be no shortage of bad information and negative stories flying your way!

I don’t think that these people truly realize how harmful fear can be or else they might think twice before saying some of the things they say. But despite all of their bad advice the most important thing to remember is that it is completely up to you what beliefs you choose to embrace! Do not allow negative ideas to have power over you. If it does not serve you let it go!

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

 ~ Albert Einstein

For a Positive Natural Childbirth Fill up with Positives

If you wish to have a great natural childbirth you must focus your thoughts and attention on experiencing a great birth! Here are some tips to help you.

Watch Positive Natural Childbirth Videos

If you wish to have a great birth you must take control of what images you allow to enter into your mind. Stop watching movies and TV shows that depict birth in a negative light and start replacing those images with positive images of natural childbirth.

No more TLC  birthing stories, no more Hollywood drama, instead start filling up with real live natural childbirth videos, the kind that shows birth in its full glory! Utube is a great source to watch natural childbirth videos, there are also a number of natural childbirth documentaries that show how inspiring and empowering natural childbirth can be when we allow it. Also my birth video is on this sight under the “my birth video” tab if you want to check it out

Practice Hypnobirthing

Hypnobirthing is a quite popular and effective way of getting rid of negatives and reprogramming birth into your mind as a positive and enjoyable experience. For more about hypnobirthing check out this video

Positive Natural Childbirth Affirmations

Another helpful tool is to practice natural childbirth affirmations. Take some time to think about and write down some affirmations that you can repeat to yourself everyday that remind you of how capable you are, and how much you trust birth. Tape them on your mirror and read them first thing upon waking up in the morning and last thing before going to bed.

Through affirming to yourself every day how powerful, capable, and amazing you are, how perfect your body’s knowledge of birth is, and how peaceful and loving your child’s birth will be you are actually recreating that reality inside of your head. You are actively filling your mind so full of positives that there is simply no more room for negatives to linger about. Birth then no longer becomes something that you fear but rather something that you look forward to embracing. With this mind-frame it will be much easier to relax and allow your body to do it’s work without interfering.

“Just as a women’s heart knows how and when to pump, her lungs to inhale, and her hand to pull back from fire, so she knows when and how to give birth.”

~Virginia Di Orio

How I Used My Perception to Create an Amazing Natural Childbirth

While I was pregnant I opened my mind to the significance of birth, not only for me but for my child. I saw in natural childbirth a chance to discover myself, a chance to discover my capabilities, my strength, my power. This was my time to reach beyond fear into the inner most depths of my soul to guide my baby into life with perfect love.

This was a rare opportunity for us to experience something amazing and powerful together, and one that I would not allow to be wasted. She was dependent on me to allow her the peaceful entrance into this world that she so rightfully deserved and I was not going to disappoint her!

“There is no way out of the experience except through it, because it is not really your experience at all but the baby’s. Your body is the child’s instrument of birth.”

~Penelope Leach

With no way out the only option left was to go into it, fully and completely, and so that’s what I did! When I did that my entire perspective shifted, and I began to view and experience birth not as pain but as an amazing and powerful act of energy. This is a picture that I drew when I was pregnant of  how I had imagined my birth would be.

It was turning out just as I had imagined it! With every pressure wave I imagined pure white energy spiraling through the universe and traveling amazingly through my body expanding me in every sense of the word, opening up a beautiful pathway for the energy to pour out of me bringing my baby right down with it and out into the world.

It was a very powerful feeling, and I knew that if I allowed myself to fall victim to fear for even one moment those magnificently powerful sensation would very quickly and easily turn to pain. So I kept it in my mind as the ultimate act of love and a gift that I was giving my child. I embraced it and it was Amazing!

“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.”

~Albert Einstein

 Remember that what you focus on with your thought and feelings is what you attract into your experience. Learn to become still and take your attention away from what you don’t want, and place your attention on what you wish to experience. Set a goal so big that if you achieved it, it would blow your mind! Imagine yourself experiencing an amazing natural childbirth and then make that your reality! Happy Birthing Mommas!

The post Natural Childbirth- Secret #5 Your Perception Matters appeared first on My Natural Childbirth.