3 Topics you should know if you are pregnant.

𝟏. 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝.

Making informed decisions is vital ! It’s super important to know the risks & benefits of everything throughout pregnancy and birth. Every woman’s situation may be different. So a one size fits all doesn’t work for everyone. Ask as many questions as you you need so you understand, and for information on why you’re given such advise so that you’re fully informed. My favourite websites that hold great information for pregnant women are:

Www.aims.org

Birthrights.org.uk

Dr Rachel reeds blog @midwifethinking

Midwifethinking.com

Familiarise yourself with the websites and information on things like inductions, scans, cord clamping and so on. Put as much effort into informing yourself for your birthing day as you would your wedding day. This way you can make the best decision for the health and well-being for you and your baby.

𝟐. 𝐏𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

Biomechanics of the pelvis plays a huge part in labour. I highly recommend every single pregnant book in to see an Osteopath for pelvis alignment while pregnant. This can better the chances of your babies journey down the birth path. While preventing labour dystocia, the need for unwanted medical intervention and emergency C section. As I recently learned through @biomechanics_for_birth training course, the female pelvis, ligaments and all is incredibly fascinating. And staying active during pregnancy like walking, doing prenatal yoga help loosen up the ligaments to accommodate baby for a desired “optimal position” for labour. However not forgetting that breech for many women is normal and not always something to be frightened of and if this is the case for you, trust your body during labour. What position do you instinctively feel is right? When we trust our bodies they usually know what position is best to help baby on their journey.

𝟑. 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Let’s talk hormones…. What have a hormones got to do with it?? WELL… a great big deal let me tell you. When our bodies go into labour the physiological process when we’re relaxed means our natural oxytocin’s flow which also work with contractions or as I like to call them surges/waves. The more relaxed. The more oxytocin, and the more oxytocin the more the body’s natural pain reliving hormones flow to be precise the melatonin’s and endorphins. During relaxing in labour these hormones are released allowing surges to feel more manageable and sometimes painless.

What a catecholamines? These are adrenaline hormones that we release when we tense up and feel anxious. These stop our natural pain relieving hormones from working. So when we’re scared, stressed and anxious this can make surges and labour more uncomfortable and painful. Learning how to keep the body calm and relaxed so that our natural birthing hormones can flow can have a very positive beautiful experience for birthing mothers with so many gorgeous benefits, like the feeling of an ecstatic birth! Which is why I am so obsessed with the Marie Mongan HypnoBirthing®️ programme I teach!