Tips for going no meds🫣

what helped me was, reading positive birth stories my whole pregnancy. so much of labor is a mental game and having the mindset that you CAN and will do it is important. i also had positive affirmation cards my bf read to me during labor that helped my mind stay in check. make your environment as comfortable as possible, limit any distractions so you can stay focused. my long history of yoga helped me a lot with breathing through every contraction. that was like pain medicine to me, during each contraction i would close my eyes and just breathe deeply, not thinking about anything else other than the fact that pain is temporary, and every contraction brings you closer to your baby pushing was the hardest part for me, i did tear but what i will do differently next time is no coached pushing. the dr and nurses trying to direct me did not help. listen to your body and only push with your contractions. do research on different positions so you can find what’s most comfortable

@Izzie thank you🥰 i started yoga after my son and do it now so im sure that will help because I even see it helping now. I hateddddd going natural but im happy that I did get to experience it and now I plan to do it again so hopefully those things help, i think being prepared to do so makes a big difference as well

of course! also to add i had a doula and she made the whole thing so much better. they are expensive but if you can swing it it’s so worth it. for pregnancy and preparing for birth, labor and postpartum!

If you have the means, look into hiring a doula. They have SO many resources and tips to help manage pain if your plan is to go natural. I had an unmedicated birth and idk what I would have done if it weren’t for my doula helping me stay focused. Bridget Teyler has a lot of free resources on YouTube that you can check out as well! But there’s nothing like having someone there to guide you in the moment so you don’t have to think about it

My birthing class told us to practice holding ice in our hands and focusing on our breath while counting. Ice is readily available in the hospital, so it’s something you can practice before labor and still use during.

make a birthing plan. i made affirmation cards too. Train with your birthing partner and study your birthing plan so the can advocate for you in the time of need. Also a doula is really useful too! i had my baby boy naturally and it was a breeze ! your body was made for this mama !! 🫶🏾

Question, where do you find a doula ? I just moved to my area so don’t know many people here but its something i would look into for sure! And thanks for the tips everyone ❤️ I’m feeling a little more calm already with good stories!

@Jade google, social media, word of mouth . Find one that fits your wants and needs

@Anitra yes thats the hard part i dont have social media and im a sahm but ill ask some mommas if they know of one that my son plays with during the week!

this site has a directory of doulas, there may be one near you! https://www.birthbelongstowomen.com/doula-mentoring-1 check on Facebook for local mom groups and you can probably find some recommendations

Thank you! I tried another website before but no one got back to me. I don’t have have facebook but when there’s a will there is a way lol I’ll look for ideas

@Jade you can Google “doulas [your city and state]” and see what comes up. That’s how I found mine! I searched, looked at reviews and then reached out to everyone that had good reviews. I think I spoke with 7 or 8 before I made my decision

Have you considered a water birth? This is what i wanted and seems to really be a great soother amd baby is less panicked when delivered to so less traumatic x

@Mariah thats what ive been doing being honest i just think i dont live in an area with a lot of options for my due date, but also hospital presence is huge here.

@Tiffanie yes i have , my fear is if it will burn and open vagina and water just dont seem to go well together in my mind😭 where im delivering has the option to do so which is great

i didn’t birth in the tub but i did labor there for awhile, it was amazing! they made me get out because the monitor wasn’t working in the water 🙄 but i imagine pushing is a lot more manageable in a tub

Yes the hospital im delivering at this time has a hot tub/jacuzzi situation which I’m excited for. With my son I was induced and had my water broken so not prepared at all but this time the hospital is only 6 minutes away and before it was 40 so i was trying to be in time and was way too early

@Izzie do you plan to have any more in the future?

yeah i do! i have my heart set on homebirth for my next baby/babies. that’s nice you are close to the hospital, that way you can labor at home as long as possible!

@Izzie i just messaged you!