Quick Facts About Birth
Did you know that you have been wonderfully made,
with all the perfect equipment and tools required to birth your baby
just the way you would like to?
Your uterus has three layers of strong muscle,
made especially to birth your baby. The outer muscle layer has
longitudinal fibres that allow the baby to descend by
retracting.
The middle layer is made of criss-cross fibres that provide the
other two layers with the blood they need to work. The inner layer
is made of ringed fibres that wrap around the uterus and the cervix
and expel the baby by contracting.
Did you know that the blood in your body goes to
where it is most needed? It is important during labour for you to
relax, so that the uterus is getting as much blood as possible. If
you are not relaxed your body will send more blood than is required
to your extremities ready for what it predicts will happen – a
‘flight or fight’ response – and your uterus will not be able to
work as efficiently. Good practices of relaxation include
meditation, visualisation and positive affirmations.
Did you know that when you breathe slowly and
deeply you provide your body with as much oxygen as possible? This
is important during labour as the more oxygenated the blood is that
goes to the uterus, the more effective it will be at birthing your
baby. It is a good idea to practice breathing long, slow breaths.
This can be incorporated with your relaxation routine to be used
during labour.
Did you know that if you are afraid of labour
being painful, it is more likely that you will actually experience
pain? This is due to the “fear, tension, pain” cycle. When you
experience fear, your body produces chemicals that change the way
your body works, that in turn triggers the ‘flight or fight’
mechanism. This causes your uterus to continue working with less
oxygen, the body tries to stop labour (thinking there is danger),
and the muscles begin to work out of sequence, which causes
unnecessary pain. It
is important that you deal with any fears about the impending birth
while you are pregnant to prevent them from having a negative affect
on your labour. Relaxation and meditation can help with these.
Did you know that when you are praised and loved
it can make a labour shorter, easier and happier? This is because
when you feel good, a powerful hormone called oxytocin (the love
hormone) is being released into your body. Oxytocin is a potent
stimulator of contractions, and helps to dilate the cervix and move
the baby down and out of your body. Your body will produce oxytocin
to help birth your baby when you are relaxed, when your partner
speaks positive words and gives you hugs, when you are comfortable
and when you trust in your body and those around you.
Did you know you can help your body birth your
baby by having an active labour? This does not necessarily mean
continually moving around, but putting your body into positions
which encourage the descent of the baby. You can use gravity to help
expel your baby and you can use positions that encourage your pelvis
to open and allow the baby to move through easier.
So, birthing your baby will be made much easier if
you firstly surrender to your body – it knows what to do. Prepare
yourself while you are pregnant to help you relax as much as
possible during labour, clarify anything you are unsure about
beforehand, surround yourself with people who speak positively about
the impending birth and talk to your partner and your baby about the
feelings you are experiencing. When the day comes, try to remain as
calm as possible and focus on the practise you’ve done to prepare
yourself for a beautiful labour experience!
Back to Planning Your Birth.