Colorado Nesties
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Natural Birth Mommas - I can do it, right?
I don't know why, but for some reason this week I've had a ton of doubt about being able to handle labor and birth according to my "plan". I took the Hypnobirthing class and loved it and listen to the relaxation tracks at least once a day but I don't feel like they're working. I just can't relax.
Is this normal? Up to this point I've felt like I could definitely do it but now that it's around the corner I'm wavering. Any tips or advice to get my head to quit playing with me or will the doubt be there until I actually do it?
Re: Natural Birth Mommas - I can do it, right?
You can definitely do it. Lots of women do.
During labor, I was having little panic attacks all through about whether I would be able to do it or not. When I was in the hospital, my "mantra" through contractions was "I can't do it, I can't do it, I can't do it."
But, in the end, I did it. And I'd do it again.
Disclaimer: If you can't do it, it is totally fine. Don't worry about it. But you can definitely do it.
oh and this.
my read shelf:
The Out-Of-Date Bio | The Blog I've Started Updating Again
I had those freak out days before LG was born, and he was #4. I think it's normal, sadly, to doubt ourselves.
I think this is why a supportive labor coach makes all the difference in the world - whether is DH, friend, sister, mom, or doula. Someone who can encourage you and also help step in when you need it to make decisions.
DH knew when to encourage me and reassure me when everything started going badly. I was so freaked out I had no clue what to do.
He also knew that I really wanted to go med-free but if I got to X point, I think he would have recommended it, and that's OK too.
PHOTOS REMOVED
Of course you can. Women all over the world give birth without access to pain medication every day. They manage it and so can you.
I did hypnobabies, perhaps a bit too successfully, but really it's important to listen to those birth affirmations. If you believe that you can do this, well, you can
and now I see that you're doing hypnobirthing, not hypnobabies. want to borrow a birth affirmations track?
~Working Mom~Breastfeeding Mom~Cloth Diapering Mom~BLW Mom~
Blog - No Longer on the DL ~ The Man Cave
Shawn and Larissa
LO #1 - Took 2 years and 2 IVFs ~ DX - severe MFI mild PCOS homozygous MTHFR (a1298c)
LO #2 - TTC 7 months, surprise spontaneous BFP!
Yes! What all the PP's said!
Check out the Natural Birth board too - they have some good stories. Or the first half of Ina May's book.
Yeah, you can do it! Is birth uncomfortable and strange, yes, but that doesn't mean it also isn't amazing and fantastic. Giving birth is tough, so surround yourself with positive people (if DH isn't totally hands-on and positive, you might want to invite a friend or rely on an awesome nurse/midwife) and positive stories.
I did it with a little pitocin and no pain meds the first time, the second time I did it with no interventions even though my kid was a surprise breech, so I know that with the right team and a determined mom, you can do a lot!
I second reading the birth stories in the Ina May books and searching you tube for homebirth videos - I know quite a few are pretty hippie, but a lot of them are super positive and so exciting that they will help build your excitement.
ETA: Also make some time to go to a prenatal yoga class if you are feeling anxious. Those always centered me, reminded me what my big purpose was at that moment and taught me awesome breathing techniques to help me relax. I didn't do hypnobirthing/hypnobabies, but yoga relaxation breathing and visualizing (mine was tough mtn bike hills during contractions) were my best tools in both labors.
Are you united with the CCOKCs?
YES YOU CAN!!
My recommendation would be to sit down with DH and do the fear release script again. I was wavering at about 37 weeks with DS and my doula and I did the fear release again and from that day on I was on a high and it carried me through an amazing birth. Continue to do your affirmations and the relaxation too.
Another thing that helped me was creating our own three short affirmations. DH and I went out on a date and we brought an index card and wrote out three affirmations of our own. Things that he felt comfortable saying and that I felt inspired me to get through or made me giggle when I needed it. He then used that card in the last few weeks of pregnancy and in labor, it was fabulous.
You will have an amazing birth no matter what!!
Ditto this, prenatal yoga really helped me with breathing and getting myself centered, and also a good instructor will talk about putting yourself on the edge of discomfort (in class in a pose or stretch) and breathing through it.
BTW I had a natural labor, dilated to 10 cm, and ended up with an emergency c-section due to other complications. I think the key is preparing yourself to go natural but staying open and flexible too because things don't always go as planned. GL!