10 Actions to Empower your Birth | Oui Chéri Lifestyle

I have been thinking about pregnancy and birth a lot lately because I have so many good friends who are pregnant right now. As they have asked me about my birth experience and how I prepared myself for my natural birth with Peter, it has caused me to reflect a lot on my experience and what made it so empowering. I want other women to feel the sense of empowerment and euphoria that I felt at the birth of my baby boy. I have felt for a while that I need to share more about my birth, thoughts on childbirth, and help others find more resources to help them have the birth they want (whatever that looks like!). So here are some actions you can take before you get pregnant or during your pregnancy to have the empowering birth you hope for.

Educate yourself

Hands down this is what gave me the most power and strength to have the birth I wanted. There is so much fear surrounding the birth process because we generally tend to hear only horror stories. Try to set aside the negative things you have heard or experienced surrounding birth and instead learn about they way your body was created to give birth. Read books that talk about the strength of your body to give birth and attend a childbirth education class if you can. Click here to read about our experience and what we learned taking a Hypnobirthing Class.

Know your rights

Women in labor have rights. It is important that you and your birth partner know what your rights are so you can hold your ground if you feel those rights are being threatened during your childbirth experience. Click here to view the rights of every woman during childbirth.

Choose and prepare your birth partner(s)

You have the right to have whoever you choose present during your birth. Decide who you want to be with you during this moment. My husband and I prepared together by attending a hypnobirthing course (read more about our experience with hypnobirthing here.) I felt that this gave me a lot more confidence in his ability to support me during labor. While in labor, he was prepared to give me the physical and emotional support I needed. Carter was absolutely amazing during the entire labor process. I never felt like I was laboring alone, but like my birth was a complete team effort.

My sister was my doula and she, too, was extremely prepared. Even if you choose a labor partner who isn’t certified as a doula, they can still prepare by learning about childbirth support through classes or books. I recommend The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin. It is available at many public libraries if buying it is isn’t the best option for you!

Helpful things for your birth partner(s) to be aware of:

the labor process, your rights, helpful labor positions, massage/pressure techniques for labor, relaxation techniques you’ve practiced, your birth plan…

Anything that is important to you or you plan on applying during labor, they should be aware of so they can help you!

Learn relaxation techniques

Many women go into labor without learning any (or very few) of the amazing relaxation tools they can use. Relaxation techniques give you tremendous strength during childbirth. Whether you choose an unmedicated birth, epidural, or C-section, these techniques will give you strength and clarity during your birth. And let’s be honest… what mom couldn’t use relaxation techniques long after baby is born, too?

Listen and meditate to birth affirmations

I love birth affirmations. Write them on your mirror, in your kitchen, or listen/recite them while meditating, driving in the car, etc. These help you to truly believe in your body’s ability to give birth in a beautiful and peaceful way. ♥

Some of my favorite birth affirmations:

I trust my body to know what it is to do

Every expansion/surge/contraction brings me closer to meeting my baby

I am confident in my body’s ability to give birth

I am relaxed and happy that my baby is finally coming to me

Try searching birth affirmations and write down some of your favorites to keep in your head during birth. You can also make playlists that speak affirmations to you. Listening to this really helped me during labor.

Watch positive birth videos

This one is so helpful. Familiarize yourself and your birth partner(s) with what an empowering, positive birth can look and sound like.

Practice Deep Relaxation

In hypnobirthing we practiced listening to deep relaxation (hypnosis) tracks. Some women find this really helpful to bring them into that state of relaxation during labor, too, so it is really worth adding to your toolbox!

Practice Yoga

Yoga is an amazing tool to prepare your body for childbirth! It increases your flexibility, stamina, and ability to breathe through difficult things. It can strengthen your body for labor. Yoga has been proven to reduce labor times and decrease perception of pain during labor. Be sure to research safe yoga while pregnant, as there are certain modifications you’ll want to make for pregnancy. I loved searching prenatal yoga videos on youtube so I could practice on my own schedule. My favorite prenatal yogi is Brett Larkin ♥.

Create your Birth Plan

You may have talked about your preferences with your doctor or midwife, but your nurses are likely the ones who will be there for the majority of your birth! (especially if you are laboring at the hospital). To make sure everyone is aware of all your birth preferences, type up a birth plan specifying how you would like things to go. Without a birth plan, nurses may assume you are they “typical” patient who is fine with monitors, IVs, induction, etc. Make sure they know what you want!

Choose a doctor or midwife who is supportive of your desires

It is so important that your medical team is truly supportive of your birth wishes! Don’t be afraid to switch doctors partway through pregnancy if you realize that your visions are not aligned. It may be some extra effort or you might feel bad, but trust me… you want a doctor who is 100% supportive of your wishes and your rights! You can ask for referrals from others in your area (Facebook groups can be a great resource!) or visit with multiple doctors before making your final choice.

Well those are my 10 actions you can take to have an empowering birth experience. You can do this, mama. You are so strong and powerful. Your body was made to do this. Your body has an innate wisdom that you just have to trust and believe in ♥