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 definately 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

Active Spirals on the Birthing Ball to Get Contractions Started

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

Birth Partners Helping Mother on the Birthing Ball

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

Using Birthing Ball to Progress labor

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

"Pay attention to your dreams - God's angels often speak directly to our hearts when we are asleep"

It’s a pretty common experience when we’re pregnant to have intense dreams and visions about pregnancy, our babies, our natural childbirth, etc.  Some of them may not make a lot of sense to us, but occasionally we can experience something really profound that can serve to awaken us to certain truths that we may not have otherwise thought of before.

Well at least that’s what happened for me, when I was pregnant I experienced an AMAZING awakening! A vision came to me that was more unique and powerful than anything that I had ever experienced before, and completely altered the way that I would forever view natural childbirth. It is the reason why I do what I do, and why I am so passionate about giving every child the opportunity to experience the natural child birth that is rightfully theirs, one that is free of fear and all encompassed in love.

Why I Have Decided to Share This Vision

So far I have only shared this with friends and family, and a few of the Mommas in my natural childbirth classes who I thought would actually “get it.” But I haven’t shared it publicly, I guess because of the fear that maybe people would either think I was crazy or wouldn’t be quite ready to except this information. But as we all know, FEAR has to GO! It cannot hold us back any longer!

In the current state of our world right now, with all of shifts and changes that are occurring I feel like this is not the time to delay. That now is not a time to shrink down, hide and be small, but a time to be bold, rise up and free the truths that we hold inside of us! So here goes…

My Visit from a Higher Source – Speaking of Natural Childbirth

One night I experienced a connection with I suppose you can say a “higher source” that came to me and spoke to me about a new group or cycle of souls that are being born into the world right now.

They are of a higher frequency (light children) and they are to be born at a higher vibration.

Their work in this world is very important. They are here to bring light, love, and to harmonize and balance the changing Earth.

Their souls are arriving from a place where they resonate at a higher frequency or vibration, and they will cross over the threshold with this still intact, (if we don’t get in the way and interfere). The biggest obstacle in their way is their birth.

 Will they make it through birth with their resonance and mastery still intact?

The possibility is YES!!! But this is the part that lies in your hands. And let me tell you that the odds are in your favor, as long as you can see birth for what it really is, (a threshold bridging the gap from one existence to the next, a doorway) and to not hide from it and shut yourself off, but rather go into it, open the door and tap into its energy.

The energy at work that brings souls across the threshold of birth to be delivered onto the Earth is pure “God Energy”, or the “Divine Energy”, (whatever you want to call it) it is exquisite and unmatchable, the strongest purest energy that exists. During birth this energy comes through the cosmos and enters into us; flowing powerfully through the birthing Mother and the Child.

When this energy is allowed to flow, free of disruptions your baby will be able to travel all the way through with their high vibration still intact, and will be able to carry it with them into the world. However if the energy is interrupted or hampered in any way, it creates a disruption and sense of chaos in the harmonic  flow of energy and the baby crosses over out of sync with that connection.

In the Absents of Fear…. there is Only LOVE

This enormous energy that brings our children’s beautiful souls through our bodies and into the world originates from source and is LOVE; it is pure, powerful and unfiltered. But it cannot cross the boundaries of our free will, and it is ultimately up to us to choose. We can unconsciously fall from that state of love and turn it into fear, simply by losing our connection and allowing ourselves to interpret this energy in a destructive way. But we have to be careful not to allow that to happen.

Our job is to consciously allow the energy to flow through us while we hold ourselves in an elevated state of LOVE throughout the entire experience.

Will Our Babies Experience Natural Childbirth in Love? It is Our Choice

We can choose to stay in a state of love just by maintaining our connection and by realizing that all of that energy that comes surging through you during birth is God energy which is LOVE. And no matter what, make the choice to keep interpreting it as such and not allow it to turn to fear. 

The Importance of Clearing Emotional Blocks before Natural Childbirth

During natural childbirth every emotional block that has not been released prior to birth such as our fears, anxieties, self doubts, sexual issues, and such will find us during our birthing time. Because that is the time when there is no more hiding from our selves, the veil is lifted, the walls crumble and our inner issues come up.

It is important that you take time to clear out these old emotional blocks so that they do not cause you or your baby any more damage. You must find it within yourself to realize that the experiences that have taken place in your life or in your past do not define you; and that you will not let them keep you down any longer. They are only illusions that keep you separated from really seeing the beauty and truth of what you are. You must rise up within, reconnect with your truths and take a stand that you will not allow yourself or your baby to fall out of that beautiful state of divine love. And that you will soar high above the useless illusion of fear, pain, and struggle and reclaim your truth!

You Share the Experience of Natural Childbirth with Your Baby

Remember that your baby experiences what you do, and is working just as hard as you are to be born. Every cell in a Mother’s body is directly linked to every cell of her baby’s body and they are communicating and working with each other throughout their entire birth.

If you are experiencing fear then it will send a signal to your baby to be afraid and hesitant to be born, but if you are experiencing love then it will send a signal of safety, love and security, and that is what will draw your baby peacefully into the world.

In birth the material plane comes secondary, the most important matter is that we find that personal power that exists inside of us and focus it as love. There is unimaginable strength in LOVE, and when it is embraced in its fullness all else falls into place. And that LOVE is what will guide your baby across the threshold of birth.

Natural Childbirth Should be Approached as the Ultimate Meditation

It is only when we allow our own resonance to be activated that we are able to reach that state of deep connection and meditation.

The overwhelming energy of hospitals, drugs, procedures, etc. can all interfere with our original state of being and prevents us from reaching that direct connection with ourselves. They keep us trapped in the role of the victim. We feel like they are there to help our babies to be born, and it is then that we surrender control, not to the higher source, but to the hospital staff or the medical system or whatever may be in place to help our babies to be born.

When we do that we are looking outside of ourselves for the answer, instead of within. And we are not allowing our personal strength, power and vibration to be active.

In order for our babies to be born at that increased vibration we need to step through the door into the truth of our full potential, and see ourselves as we truly are. We are not small, weak or insignificant. We are part of God, we are Goddesses, and we bring life!

I hope this makes some sense to you. I have wanted to share this with you but didn’t know if you’d “get it.” But I believe that you will, and that you have an amazing gift and an amazing amount of personal power. Call upon that power. Call upon it now while you are pregnant. Work every day on your energy, release dark or stagnant energy and refill with light and love.

I do believe that all of our visions are meant to teach us something. If you feel like this vision resonates with you and that you understand it, or if you’ve had any dreams or visions of your own about pregnancy, your baby or natural childbirth please share your experiences in the comment section below.

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 16^th 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?

Of all the things that I write about natural childbirth, if you learn nothing else from me please let me share with you this single truth, and allow yourself to believe it.  Despite everything that you may have seen, heard, read or thought throughout your life time that has lead you to believe that natural childbirth is this excruciating and horribly painful experience, let me tell you, that is not the truth!

For many women I think that they end up having painful childbirths simply because they didn’t know better. There was no one there to educate them, to tell them, “Hey it doesn’t have to be this way, natural childbirth does not have to be painful!”

I was fortunate to come from a line of  women who have given natural childbirth and so this information was readily passed down to me, but for many of you who may be the pioneers of natural childbirth in your family this may be new to you.

So let me be the one to tell you that there are very simple steps and techniques to eliminating labor pain. And that you directly affect how much, if any pain you experience during natural childbirth by the choices that you make.

If you adopt these easy tips it will make giving birth a whole heck of a lot easier for you!

Redefine Pain and Release it from Your Natural Childbirth

You will experience what you expect to experience, so if you expect pain then that is what you’ll get. I know we’ve been told our whole lives that it is going to hurt so changing this in our minds may be a little tricky, but it can be done! Part of the problem with the belief that natural childbirth is filled with pain really just comes from our lack of a better word for it. Our language is too narrow; we have simply one word (pain) to describe virtually anything that we deem as unpleasant. However the word pain is not appropriate in all situations.

Definition of Pain:

“An unpleasant feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli, such as stubbing a toe, burning a finger, putting alcohol on a cut, and bumping the “funny bone.” ^[2]The International Association for the Study of Pain’s widely used definition states, “Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage. ^[3]Pain motivates the individual to withdraw from damaging situations, to protect a damaged body part while it heals, and to avoid similar experiences in the future.”

So there it is, pain is our body’s way of communicating with us. When our body experiences something that is not a natural part of its healthy process it sends us a signal that tells us, “Hey don’t do that again or it is going to cause damage!”

This definition of pain does not apply to natural childbirth. It is not an injury, an illness or a disease. It is not something your body has to protect itself from. It is not your body going wrong! It is actually quite the contrary; it is your body working perfectly to do the job that it is supposed to be doing. It is birthing your baby.

The Difference between Pain and Pressure in Natural Childbirth

During natural childbirth your body will work harder than it ever has before, all systems are Go! Every part of your body will become fully activated.  And this will create sensations that are all new to you, that you have never experienced before. But it is not neccesarily pain unless you chose to turn it into pain.

It’s important to understand what is happening in your body during birth. Your uterus is going to be rhythmically contracting and then releasing, contracting and then releasing. This will build in strength and intensity until your baby is born. While it is firmly contracting inwards your baby is little by little being pushed downward. Now this is not something that you actively do, it is something that your body does perfectly all on its own. And as long as you can relax enough not to get in its way, then it will continue to do its job, and you will continue to experience it as a very strong sturdy pressure.

But if you react to those new sensations by tensing up, then your body is going to try to help you by communicating with you in the only way it knows how to. It will send you a signal of pain to tell you, “Hey stop doing that, don’t clinch up! I can’t do my job well if you’re gonna be fighting against me.”

So if you do feel pain it is because your muscles are clinched, and your body is trying to tell you to release and relax.

Now I know that it can be a challenge to relax when all of that pressure is going on inside of you. But here are some easy tips that are designed to help you stay relaxed so that your body can do its work.

An Open Mouth = an Open Vagina

This one is easy. Open your mouth. Let it hang wide open. It doesn’t matter if you feel foolish; when you are giving birth looking foolish should be the last thing from your mind. There are two big reasons for keeping an open mouth during natural childbirth.

One: Your jaw is a control valve for all of the sphincters in your body. (This is important because your vagina is a sphincter, it is a muscle that opens and closes.) When your jaw is clinched tight so are your sphincters, when your jaw is nice and relaxed and open so are your sphincters. An open mouth = an open vagina.

Two: When your mouth is closed it is too easy to clinch your teeth and jaw together when you feel the pressure from your contractions. This clinching of your jaw subsequently clinches and tightens your whole body which will result in your body sending you that pain signal to tell you to stop doing that. Your body needs to be able to freely move, expand, contract and make space for your baby to come down. To allow this to happen without pain you need to stay nice and relaxed, soft and pliable. Let your mouth hang loose and open. An open mouth = an open vagina.

Vocalize to Release Pressure and Let it Out

As your uterus contracts and the pressure and energy begins to build inside of you, do not hold it all in. It helps to find a way to move it through and let it out. Vocalizing is a great way to move the energy through, and to prevent it from compounding! Again get over looking foolish, none of that matters. Just release and let go!

 Here is a post that will expand your awareness of just how significant of a role sound plays in natural childbirth, also it will give you some tips and techniques, and has an absolutely must see video of a very empowered woman vocalizing amazingly! 

 http://mynaturalchildbirth.org/natural-childbirth-secrets-3/

Do Not Underestimate the Power of Your Breath

You can actually control the amount of intensity that is experienced through learning how to move it through with your breathing. If you make the mistake of holding or breath or not breathing fully then your body has a hard time continuing on with it’s job because it is being restricted and deprived of essential oxygen. And that is when pain comes in to the picture, because again your body is telling you, “don’t do that.” Don’t constrict your breath, just let it flow.  Here is a video with some tips on how to breathe effectively. It starts out a little rocky so I recommend starting around 4:00  http://mynaturalchildbirth.org/natural-childbirth-breathe-your-baby-out/

Learn Spiraling: The Best Natural Childbirth Technique Out There

First of all you’ll want to always stay upright when giving natural childbirth, the hospitals version of birth with the Mother lying on her back is the worst possible position you can be in, and the most painful. While you are upright the physical act of spiraling may be the biggest and most valuable natural childbirth technique of them all! Actual movement in your body is the best way to move the energy through without allowing it to compound. This article will teach you all about spiraling: http://mynaturalchildbirth.org/natural-childbirth/

Only Use Positive Self Talk and Visualization

Natural childbirth is experienced on two levels, a physical level and a mental level. Your thoughts are as real as anything during birth and what you think will become your reality.

Whatever you do, do not say a single negative thing to yourself during birth.

 Do not ever say, “this hurts,” I can’t do this,” or anything that will place doubt or fear into your mind.  The only thing those negative thoughts will do is cause you to tense up. And as we already know tensing up will cause your body to send you pain in an attempt to communicate with you, “stop doing that!”

Instead trust birth, and trust your body. Always tell yourself that it feels good. Repeat to yourself over and over and over again with every pressure wave, “aaah this feels GREAT!” Imagine yourself in the midst of a very enjoyable experience and it will be enjoyable. Imagine and tell yourself open, open, open and you will easily open.

Get in the Water It Feels Great!

Water is an ancient secret to birth, woman have been entering into the water to birth their babies since time began. They have gone into lagoons, the sea and other bodies of water to birth their babies simply because it feels good. Nowadays since most of us birth inside we use water birth tubs. I suggest getting one that allows for you to stay upright while you are in it, they can be rented online, or you can buy a big kiddie pool, or even use your bath tub.

Water is so effective at easing labor pain that it is often referred to as natures epidural. And I can attest to how wonderfully it works! It immediately reverses the effects of gravity, so the pressure becomes much less, and much more tolerable. The minute you step into the water your body is able to relax much easier. Also water gives you that feeling of weightlessness so it is much easier to move flow and sway into positions that feel comfortable to you which is a huge help! And in no way are you committed to staying in the water, you can always get in and out at any time.

None of these techniques are new, they are ancient secrets that have been passed down through generations of Mothers and Grandmothers who have been giving natural childbirth since the beginning of time. They sure did work amazingly for me! My birth was the furthest thing from the painful births that we are accustomed to seeing in the movies. If you have never seen the video of my birth I welcome you to watch it. Just click on my birth video on the top of the page. I look forward to hearing how these natural childbirth techniques work for you, and if you have any tips to share that helped you to eliminate labor pain I would love to hear about them!

Conscious gestation and natural childbirth is a gift of divine creation. It’s an ancient energy that acts powerfully through you, first growing your baby and then peaking during your birthing time, rhythmically pulsing, surging and moving through you, bringing life perfectly into the world.

What you and your baby experience together during this time is profound and sets the very foundation for you and your child’s life together. As Mothers we are the vessel in which this new soul will form and be given life through. We are the most important and influential factor in our baby’s life while living both inside and outside of us.

In this article we will explore why we are more important than we know, and how we can transform ourselves to be more supportive of our baby’s physical, mental and emotional health allowing us to create a balanced, confident and happy child by making just a few simple changes now.

You are Your Childs Teacher- During Gestation, Natural Childbirth & Beyond

So much of what your child experiences and learns about life is being learned right now in the womb world where your baby is literally living inside of you. Like a sponge your baby is soaking up everything that you are sending his way and building his ideas of life and personality traits based on his experiences thus far. This learning will be followed by how he is birthed and how he is greeted and cared for, or not cared for upon entering into his new world.

I think that we all too often tend to underestimate just how important of a role we play in our baby’s lives during those precious nine months and during birth. Maybe for sake of modesty we just don’t realize how powerful, influential and important we are.

The role of a Mother is to teach her child about many things, about life, about the world, about how to react and respond to situations, about selflessness and love. It is not enough to simply talk to our children about these things; after all talking is not something that is very familiar to your baby yet. Your baby communicates through a transfer of energy, emotions, and feelings. So we must set ourselves up to be in a place within us where we can teach and lead by example.

For a Great Natural Childbirth the Time for Transformation is Now

Pregnancy and natural childbirth is a significant time in both of your lives. It is a time for great change, an amazing and rare opportunity for growth and transformation on all levels. To prepare your child as an emotionally adjusted member of life you must first make that transformation within yourself.

To do this we must rediscover ourselves as pure potential waiting to be unveiled. We cannot be fully present in our role as a Mother and a leader unless we first come to terms with the fact that we ourselves harness all that we will ever need to give our baby a great birth and life.

To do this we must practice regularly going deeply within ourselves, preparing ourselves emotionally, physically and spiritually for our baby’s natural childbirth and our role as Mother and Mentor.

Your Baby’s Quality of Life and Birth is Held in Your Hands

Your baby is living inside its own universe which is YOU! Everything that you experience is experienced by your baby.

So when you are having a stressful day so is your baby; now this is important to realize because your emotional state will not only affect your baby’s emotional state while living inside of your womb but will also have a large influence on your collective birthing time.

Negative emotions felt by Momma such as fear, anger or inability to accept what is currently taking place offsets your baby’s emotional health and results in a general feeling of lack of security.

When the birthing time begins if your baby has experienced and harbors feelings of fear, stress or insecurity your baby will be less likely to be confident in making that leap off into the unknown, and will struggle with the ability to just relax, let go, trust and allow birth to happen. You are only one part of the birth; your baby is the other. So as you prepare yourself for natural childbirth remember that you are preparing your baby as well.

By Loving Yourself You are Loving Your Baby

For a Peaceful and Balanced Childbirth Balance Your Energy

When you are out of balance your energy levels, emotional state, and overall health suffer, which similarly affects your baby. However when you make it a priority to align your mind, body and spirit in unison with your baby you are creating two masterpieces! When you are both at your best birth will unfold perfectly.

Natural Childbirth Momma:

Take time for you. Pamper yourself, spend time doing things you enjoy, go on long walks, spend time in nature, daydream, paint, dance, laugh, meditate, do yoga, connect with yourself and let your creativity and imagination flow.

Natural Childbirth Papa :

If this were your boxing match you would be her man in the corner. Your job is to keep her feeling good. Do the things she enjoys with her. Practice asking yourself, “can she be any more comfortable? Can she be any more relaxed? Does she have everything she needs? Could you use a massage? Can you draw her bath? Be sure to go out of your way, above and beyond to be patient and loving.

When you make it a point to take time everyday to love yourself, balance your energy and to be happy you are not only soaking your baby in those wonderfully fluffy feelings but you are also teaching your baby the most important message: that no matter how stressed you are you always have a choice, you can choose calmness, peace, happiness, acceptance and self love over negativity and resistance. Work on building a more confident and happy self and you and your baby will be well on your way to having a great natural childbirth and a fulfilling and joyful life.

Before we get pregnant most of us rarely if ever think about birth so we really have no idea how hard many of us will have to fight just to be “allowed” to have a natural childbirth.

Women and Babies rights are very quickly being stripped away one by one making it increasingly difficult to have a natural childbirth, especially if your plan includes a hospital.

Now I am not saying that natural childbirth can’t be accomplished in a typical OB and hospital setting, but you are going to have to work a heck of a lot harder than if you were to use a tradition midwife and birth at home.

But no matter how hard you have to fight it is worth it!

This article is all about how you can prepare yourself for a natural childbirth despite all the push for a technology centered pharmaceutical birth.

 You Must Educate Yourself on Natural Childbirth Because They Aren’t Going To

So here we are putting our trust and faith in the medical establishment to assist us in our natural childbirths. As great and safe as that sounds it is actually quite the opposite and I’ll tell you why.

Medical staff learns what they know from going to school. In school they learn how to act in an emergency, how to artificially manage birth to get the baby out as quickly as possible.

So they are taught about the drugs, the machines, the tools, the surgeries, the emergencies. Now this is all great stuff to know, however the problem is that instead of having this knowledge on reserve in case it is needed they are using emergency means to treat every birth as if they are all dire life threatening emergencies even when they are not.  

Most of them have no experience in natural childbirth, and have most likely never even seen a natural childbirth occur, so the thought of being part of something all new to them is enough to make them feel uneasy and nervous about it. So instead of taking themselves out of their comfort zone and trusting natural childbirth they try to force you out of your comfort zone and into theirs.

So how do you prevent them from interfering with your natural childbirth and turning it into a string of invasive procedures?

You will have to fully arm yourself to be informed, educated, and prepared to stand up for your right to have natural childbirth.

Step #1 For a Natural Childbirth Hire Natural Childbirth Professionals

If you want a natural childbirth you must hire people trained in natural childbirth. I have been told that there are in fact OBs that are natural childbirth advocates, but they are in fact rare.

OBs and Midwives

The ideal situation would be to hire an OB and a Traditional Midwife, that way you will be able to see for yourself the difference between the two and decide who you believe is better suited to support you in your natural childbirth. Also when your OB tells you that your natural childbirth idea is out because of reasons A, B or C you will have a real natural childbirth professional to double check with to see if in fact that is the truth or not. Many doctors work using scare tactics, “better safe than sorry you don’t want a dead baby” sort of thing. And yes this kind of manipulation works (unless you know better).

If your Doctor tells you that there could potentially be a problem do not take him at his word, and do not allow any final decisions to be made without first consulting a traditional midwife or maybe even two or three.

Most midwives offer a consultation where you can get to know them and propose any questions or concerns that you may have for free. So you really have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Get a Doula, They Make Natural Childbirth Easier to Accomplish 

Now if you are for sure planning on birthing in the hospital I highly recommend hiring a Doula, they are there to help you to achieve your natural childbirth whether it is rubbing your back, bringing you water, or advocating for you by making certain that your wishes are being honored. Chances are that in the midst of labor you are not going to feel like discussing your options with doctors, you are going to be busy giving birth, this is where a doula comes in and translates your requests.

Enroll in Natural Childbirth Classes

Do not take any class associated with the hospital, they are fear based. Instead enroll in a local natural childbirth class or find one online. They offer a wealth of information that can save you from having to do so much leg work. Here is a link to an article giving you some good options for classes: http://mynaturalchildbirth.org/childbirth-classes/

Step #2 Find out What Things Interfere with Natural Childbirth and Avoid Them

 I know that it can be difficult to know where to begin especially if you have never been pregnant before. So here are some important things to be aware of and to research further.

Prenatal Screening Tests can interfere with Natural Childbirth

Many of the standard tests that are performed while you are pregnant have a high false positive rate. A lot of natural birth professionals would agree that it almost seems as if they are setting you up for failure trying to find any reason they can to jump the gun, slap you with a “high risk” label and get you into the technological birthing system.

You have the right to refuse any and all tests. Some tests you may want to go ahead with if you know that in your family history there is a risk involved, but I do not suggest doing any test without researching it for yourself first.

If you are at an appointment and they send you for tests my advice is to tell them that you choose to postone the tests, and then go home and do extensive research before deciding if you do in fact want to go ahead with the test or whether you would like to decline.

Ultrasounds are not Exact Science

All too often women are missing out on their chance for a natural childbirth due to misinformation from ultrasounds. If a woman goes past her due date she will be recommended for induction by her OB. Also if a baby is guessed too small or too big it can lead to induction and/or C-section.

Ultrasounds are not an exact science, and there are many issues that are caused by treating them as if they are.

The first issue is with the determined due date. They get this figure using the assumption that every woman fits perfectly into an exact mold in which the length and frequency of menstruation is uniformly the same. We all know that each and every one of us has a different cycle making it impossible to come up with an exact date. They can not tell you with accuracy how far along you are, they can only give their best guess. And they absolutely cannot tell you when your baby will be born, only when both your baby and your body are ready will birth begin.

The next issue is with determining the size of the baby. Often times they will tell you for whatever reason that they believe your baby to be too big or too small and that you cannot have your natural childbirth. They then tend to reffer you for induction or even C-section. Please don’t fall for the wrong size baby card. All babies just like all humans are different sizes, unless there is truly a danger  we should have enough respect for our babies to allow them to grow at their own speed.

I have had friends who have fallen victim to this wrong size baby lie and agreed to whatever the doctor suggests only to find out that they were way off about the weight, that in fact their babies were born within a perfectly normal weight range.

Just know  that there is no sure method of measuring your babies weight, only guesses. The estimation from an ultrasound is also just an approximate guess, and can be off by + or – 2 to 3 lbs which is ALOT! It is the difference between a healthy 7lb baby and 4lb baby, or an 8lb baby and and 11lb baby.

There are also other risks associated with ultrasound, making it definitely worth educating yourself further.

Induction is Rarely Necessary

It sadly seems that induction has become the new norm. We may be uncomfortable; we may want our bodies back and our babies to come out, but there are no rushing these things. Baby knows best when it is time to be born. Induction is very dangerous and has a ton of risks associated with it. And as far as sound medical reason for induction, that is extremely rare for a healthy low risk pregnancy.

No matter what the doctor tells you do not agree to induce without getting a second, third or fourth opinion and not just from doctors but midwives as well.

Drugs in Childbirth are Dangerous

There is no safe drug. Pictocin, Epidurals and all other drugs should be avoided at all cost! Do further research into these drugs and they will likely scare the crap out of you!

Step #3 For a Positive Natural Childbirth Fill up With Positives

Once you educate yourselves on all of the risks of technological birth it is then time to put that aside and fill up with positive ideas, images and thoughts about natural childbirth.

Watch natural birth videos and documentaries that teach and show you how amazing natural childbirth is. A few of my favorites are “Birth into Being”, “The Business of Being Born” & “Orgasmic Birth”.

Also read as many great books on natural childbirth as you can. “Spiritual Midwifery,” “Ina Mays Guide to Natural Childbirth,” “Birth Without Violence”, “Birth Without Fear”, and “Birthing from Within” are all good ones.

The Most Important Thing to Remember

Listen to these words and do not ever lose sight of them. In the end this is YOUR and YOUR BABY’S birth! All decisions about your birth are truly yours to make. Be sure to keep researching and educating yourself so that you can make informed choices. And do not allow anyone to sway you from your purpose, which is to give your child a sacred, respected, honorable and loving natural childbirth.

Read this story and I’m certain that you will be just as inspired as I was by it! Enjoy!

(Thank you Olga for sharing your story, it is an inspiration to women everywhere!)

My Natural Childbirth

By: Olga Naden

I want to share a birth story of my second baby, Sylas Victor Naden born at home unassisted at 39 weeks and 2 days.

I had been preparing myself for the upcoming birth thoroughly, during the whole of my pregnancy I practiced Natal Hypnotherapy by Maggie Howell and read multiple natural birth books, like Ina May Gaskin’s ‘Guide to Childbirth’ or ‘Childbirth Without Fear’ by Grantly Dick-Read. I have watched many natural birth documentaries and videos and all episodes of ‘One Born Each Minute’ – to remind myself what I DO NOT want my birth to be like.

“After having a traumatic first induced birth, I vowed to stay at home this time, to avoid any unnecessary interventions.”

I feel very strongly about the importance and beauty of natural birth and feel that women should be given their primal powers back in this important time.

How I Prepared Myself for Natural Childbirth

During pregnancy we tried to stay as low-tech as possible: declined dating ultrasound, most blood tests and all Doppler testing. We had only the 20 weeks ultrasound, which revealed that we were expecting a baby boy – which we were very pleased about as our first child was a girl. Our consultant recommended conducting multiple growth scans, as per previous small baby, which I politely declined. Consultant then confirmed that my pregnancy was indeed very low risk and was happy for me to go ahead with my home-birth plans. Pregnancy continued relatively uneventful, though after bad hyperemesis I developed pregnancy SPD which left me in pain for most of the time.

Getting Closer Now

It was Tuesday, 5th April 2011. I still had 5 days left till my due date and was getting quite uncomfortable and impatient to meet my new baby. I was getting period pains for the previous three days, some of them contraction – type.  I was reading up on natural induction methods and as much as I believe that they will work only when baby is truly ready, decided to try breast pumping to move things along.

I had used my double electric pump for 15 minutes, soon after my husband set off to work. During that time the period pains had intensified. After I had finished pumping, I woke up my daughter from her afternoon nap and realized that those period pains had become quite regular.

Is This the Real Thing?

 It was 3.15 PM. I had decided to time them and they were lasting one minute each, three minutes apart. I was quite confused as to whether the sensations I was experiencing were meaningful or not, as they didn’t seem very painful. I didn’t expect them to be labour pains as I have never heard of contractions starting three minutes apart from the onset.

I made an afternoon snack for Freya and we started watching Toy Story 3 together. For some reason I couldn’t sit down so I started walking around the living room, timing the pains and rocking from side to side leaning against the table during them. I texts my husband that I had some sensations, but wasn’t sure that they meant anything.

Progress

 By 16.15 they were still coming every three minutes, but started getting longer – lasting up to two minutes at the time, so I called Christian to come back home from work.

 After one visit to the toilet, I found a jelly ‘blob’ of clear mucous, but dismissed it as nothing, as it didn’t have any blood in it.  All that time I still wasn’t convinced that I was actually in labour as contractions were easily manageable – all I had to do is rock from side to side and breathe through them.

 When Christian arrived at 5PM, I decided to have a shower as I felt quite hot and sweaty. I stayed there for about 30 minutes and noticed that the pains were getting slightly stronger. At 5PM I called my brother Victor to come round and look after Freya as something might be actually happening. At about 5.30 I asked Christian to put on my Tens Machine and started using its Boost mode during contractions, which felt great.

 I was still convinced that I was only in early stages of labour and was quite happy leaning on my birth ball during contractions, visualizing cervix opening and ‘breathing in golden light’ – techniques from Natal Hypnotherapy.

I Began to Withdraw into My Own World

About 6PM pains were increasing in intensity and frequency – they lasted for two minutes, two minutes apart.

 By that time I have become very withdrawn, didn’t speak to Chris and practiced hypnotherapy techniques most of the time. I have noticed that Christian has started to set up the birth pool. I felt very calm and detached from everything, withdrawn into my own world. I remember Christian asking me some questions and I couldn’t give him a logical answer and ended up mumbling incoherent words.

Finally I Realize that I Might Actually Be in Labor

At 6.30 my waters broke and I started moaning during contractions. Only at that point I have finally realised that I might actually be in labour.

 J Victor arrived at 6.40 and immediately took Freya to the park for a walk. Christian then called midwives at 6.45 and they confirmed that they’re on their way.

After having two three minutes contractions that came only one minute apart, I went into transition and remember thinking ‘I bet that when midwives arrive I will only be three centimetres’ and that I would not be able to cope if that was the case, as it was starting to hurt by then. Those two contractions are the only ones that I could describe as painful; otherwise they just felt like warm pressure opening sensations.

Got in the Water and it Felt Great!

I got into the pool at 6.50 and it felt great! It was only about half filled, but warm water relaxed me a great deal. Christian started to pour hot water down my back, which was one of the best sensations in my life! I was hanging of the sides of the pool, in deep squat, with my pelvis wide open. My first contraction in the pool felt different, like everything was opening wide inside. During the next contraction I had to cling onto pool walls and shot up into half-squatting position with a loud roar, realising that my body has pushed the baby’s head out.

The Head is Out

I told my husband ‘The head is out’ – he couldn’t believe it but soon reached down and felt baby’s head. During next contraction the body slid out and at exactly 7PM I have scooped my son up from underneath the water into my arms.

Meeting Our Baby- As a Family

He was tiny but perfect, with ideally round head. He started crying straight away and was a lovely pink colour. Both I and Chris were in shock as we didn’t expect the baby to come so quickly and effortlessly. I sat in a pool staring at my perfect baby, holding him in my arms after nine months of anticipation.

We left the cord to stop pulsating for over forty minutes. Christian called Victor to come back from the park and he and Freya were the first to see newly born Sylas. Freya was very excited to meet her baby brother.

Here Come the Midwives

 Midwives arrived at 7.15 PM and started filling in their paperwork. In a way I am really glad that they didn’t make it on time, as they would have most certainly disrupted my hypnotic state and natural birth process. I know that they were just doing their job, but I found their presence intrusive.

One of the midwives actually admitted to me that she was terrified of natural birth and decided to ask for elective cesarean section if she ever became pregnant. I am really glad that a midwife with an attitude like this didn’t participate in birth of my baby.

 I loved the fact that nobody but family members got to hold Sylas during his first hour of life. Afterwards he was weighed – 2720g – 6lb and had his first breastfeed soon after. He was extremely alert and took to breastfeeding like a pro! Midwives have checked my perineum, which was completely intact – which they haven’t apparently seen before. Blood loss was minimal

“I felt like I could conquer the world. It was a true freebirth!!!”

I really loved my birth experience – it was much better than I could have ever dreamt of. Though I was toying with idea of unassisted birth during my pregnancy, I didn’t want to make that decision consciously. I am very happy that it turned out to be unassisted though. I now feel that this moment was too special to share it with strangers – our baby was welcomed to this world only by his loving and caring parents.

I also gained lots of confidence as a women and it was an amazing experience for us as a couple. The amount of love and power it gave us is beyond description. Both my husband and myself remained confident and calm throughout – we were not afraid at any point.

“I feel truly empowered by my birth, which now has completely healed trauma of my previous hospital birth.”

 It is such a shame that more women don’t get to have an experience like this and are robbed of this almighty feeling forever.

It is very interesting how I experienced ‘Foetus Ejection Reflex’ as described by Niles Newton. I didn’t know it was possible until it happened to me –

“My body just ‘pushed the baby out’ without me having to do anything – truly amazing!!! “

I am also very pleased that I practiced hypnotherapy during my pregnancy – it has helped me a great deal. I was able to block out the pain – contractions felt like pressure, but weren’t really painful.

Most important factor was letting go of my fear and accepting that labour is something that female bodies are designed to do and have done for thousands of years, all we have to do is let go and let nature do its job. And it did.

“ What a miracle our bodies are and what a truly empowering experience natural, undisturbed labour can be!!! “

 I understand that homebirth isn’t for everyone, but I wish it was offered to more women. In our culture birth became over medicalized, it is now seen as a dangerous emergency and women are expecting agonising pain.

The fact is, if women are left alone in their own environment, the whole process can be very calm, safe and empowering. Natural birth doesn’t have to mean that you’re a martyr and go through unbearable pain, but is an important rite of passage that empowers you to be the person that you want to be – nothing is impossible anymore. Just like Nietzsche said ‘What doesn’t kill me – only makes me stronger’.

Please don’t feel sad or like a failure if your birth experience was far from ideal. I know – I have been there. I believe that we always make the best decision with all the information available to us at the time. Medical staff can be intimidating sometimes and we feel pressured to do something that we didn’t intend to do and regret it afterwards. I was bullied into accepting induction for my daughter, without sound medical reason. The birth ended up being horrific and all that I didn’t want to happen happened.

 We all learn from our mistakes, I hope this story will show that your dream birth is possible, but you really have to take charge of your experience – otherwise decisions will be made for you, and they might not be decisions that you would be happy with.

Thanks for reading…

~Olga

~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 article: http://mynaturalchildbirth.org/hypnobirthing-secrets/

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

“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

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 waisted. She was dependant 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!

 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!

~ Sheryl Feldman

Mothers throughout the ages have shared a very primal connection to creating sounds during natural childbirth.

The act of natural childbirth calls to a sacred and powerful place inside of us that we may not have even known existed before. When we embrace this we begin to witness ourselves acting within our full source of power. Without any thought or preparation sounds begin to permeate from inside of us releasing in a intrinsic expression of hums, moans, chants, song and even animal noises. These sounds create a certain harmonic within our body that helps to release pain, keep us focused, and in general makes birth easier and more manageable.

What most of us aren’t aware of is just how significant these sounds are, or the enormous effect they have on us, our babies and the birth as a whole.

Through the right kind of vocalization a wonderful doorway opens up that can connect us with the harmony of birth and life in a profound way!

In this article I will share with you just how significant vocalization is during natural childbirth, and give you tips and techniques that will help you to use your voice to bring forth your personal power and create an amazing natural childbirth for you and your baby!

To Understand the Significance of Sound in Natural Childbirth You Must First Understand that Everything is Sound!

“In the beginning was the word… or in Sanskrit, “Nada Brahma,” the world is sound”…

I had heard this mentioned in reference to biblical text before, but had never quite understood the meaning until I stumbled across the science of Cymatics, which draws on the principles of the ancient Greek philosophers Heraclitus, Pythagoras and Plato, and cosmologists Giordano Bruno and Johannes Kepler’s theories that all matter is made up of sound.

Since we ourselves are made of matter, and so are our babies I found this idea very intriguing!

“Each celestial body, in fact each and every atom, produces a particular sound on account of its movement, its rhythm or vibration. All these sounds and vibrations form a universal harmony in which each element, while having it’s own function and character, contributes to the whole. “
-Pythagoras (569-475 BC

“What makes us feel drawn to music is that our whole being is music: our mind and body, the nature in which we live, the nature which has made us, all that is beneath and around us, it is all music.”
Hazrat Inyat Khan (Sufi Master) (1882-1927)

 I have to say that these videos, though a bit old are pretty amazing! You’ll be able see with your own eyes matter being formed and manipulated from sound waves vibrating at different rates, frequencies and pulses creating the illusion of solid objects and revealing that…

…“All is vibration!” ––Novalis

The Vibration of Natural Childbirth

During natural childbirth a dramatically increased charge of vibration travels through your body. Not only is the individual vibration of our bodies at work, but we also have the vibration of our baby’s body at work, as well as the power and vibration of birth.

This magnificent harmony of increased vibration is what brings life over the threshold and into the world. How we choose to work with this energy can be the difference between whether birth will be a struggle or an act of magnificence!

In order to have an amazing natural childbirth you must open to this energy and allow it to not only enter into you but to flow out of you.  If this influx of energy is not given a path to release itself it will build inside of us and turn into pain. Vocalizing is one of the body’s most primal ways of providing an outlet for this energy to flow through so that it can maintain balance.

How Vocalizing Effects You and Your Baby During Natural Childbirth

“In the germ, when the first trace of life begins to stir, music is the nurse of the soul; it murmurs in the ear, and the child sleeps; the tones are companions of his dreams- they are the world in which he lives”
~Bettina Skrzypczak

The sounds that are created during birth cause very real physical and molecular change within our bodies.When vocalizing  during birth, remember that your baby is living in a world comprised of those sounds. Do not allow yourself to loose control and get caught up in sounds of fear such as screaming or yelling that frighten the child and can cause physical changes in the babys heart rate, blood pressure and stress levels. Avoid harmful sounds that can trigger pain such as saying OW, instead remain focused and tuned in to your body. Use sounds that encourage calmness, peace and opening.

Using sensual sounds as we do when making love encourages us to release into the intense energy flow of the birth; and sounds like OM, AH, or WOW that require us to open our mouths wide encourage the opening of our bodies.

There is no set way to vocalize during natural childbirth and every woman will have her own unique birth song. The important thing to remember is to try and tune in to the energy and harmony of the birth and match your harmony in accordance.Listen to your body and do what feels good!

For an Amazing Natural Childbirth- Release Your Fear, Step Outside of Your Comfort Zone and Free Your Voice!

The best way to become comfortable with vocalizing during natural childbirth is to practice it often while you are still pregnant. In the local community classes that I teach we do chanting, which is pretty much universally awkward and uncomfortable at first, but once we get into it and we feel ourselves breaking out of our shells we start to realize what an amazing and powerful force we truly are! And then the awkwardness fades and we become very tuned in to that primal force that exist within us, it is then that we become empowered and ready for natural childbirth.

Amazing and Inspirational Natural Childbirth Videos

Here are some great examples of empowered women embracing the sound of birth and vocalizing amazingly! I encourage you to draw upon these videos for inspiration in your practice and during birth. If you would like you can even use this  first video during your practice, just play it and follow along with her vocally. There are also plenty of videos on utube of chants that you can follow along with.

In this video you can see the amazing and beautiful effects of some of these tones. Enjoy!

The magnificence of sound brings forth life, and will  bring forth our babies in perfect harmony! If we can allow ourselves to connect with birth on this very primal level allowing the vibrations to flow through us then natural childbirth will happen like a song!