By: Courtney Ferguson
I want you to take a second to think about different places that you have been in. What spaces created a sense of calm and peace for you? What spaces created anxiousness? You may notice that there are a lot of different things that play into you feeling one way or the other.
Let me give you a personal example. I tend to love being in natural light and warmer, rich colors. Being in environments like this help me stay focused and I can get more done. I do not like fluorescent lights and being cold. I find that being in spaces that I do not like effect my moods and how I cope with stress.
How does this apply to labor? I have said this before and I will say it again. How you feel in labor effects how you labor. If the environment you are in changes how you are feeling, it will also change how you labor. What can we do to change our labor space? Well, I am so glad you asked!
I like to focus on each one of our senses. This is how your nervous system gets input to figure out what it needs to do next. What can we do for each of our senses to create a calm and peaceful place for us to labor confidently? Here are just some tips that you can try.
Touch:
Ask for options around equipment that touches you. Ex: using a wireless monitor versus monitors that need straps.
Have something you're comfortable wearing. Ex: your own birth gown, a rob, or blanket/pillow
Taste:
Snack on things that bring energy but also taste good (Can give a boost of endorphins)
Drink fluids to not feel dehydrated
Sight:
Bring in your own lights: Ex: fairy lights, battery candles, salt lamps.
Keep lights low
Bring pictures that bring you joy or are soothing. Ex: family/friends photos, landscapes, ultrasound picture.
Smell:
Bring essential oils and use in a diffuser. Extra tip, Do not put oils or fragance on your skin; you may not like that smell later on and it can be hard to get rid of.
Hearing:
Keep low, inside voices when talking in active labor
Bring a speaker to listen to music, guided meditation, or whatever else brings you stress relief
These all are small things that have the potential to make a big difference in your birth experience. Just to test this, I will give you two scenarios and let you decide which you would rather birth in.
First scenario is you in a darker room with candles flickering around you. While you are riding the wave of the contractions you are listening to soothing music while your diffuser is sending the smell of lavender into the space around you. Your support people give you quiet words of encouragement while massaging your back.
Second scenario: You are put in a bright room with lots of noise in the background (TV, people talking loudly, certain alarms going off.) While riding the wave of your contractions someone is pulling on the straps of your Fetal monitor and instructing you to get into a better postion to listen to baby.
What scenario would you rather labor in?
Scenario one
Scenario two
Neither
I would like to note that if you are having a hospital birth, equipment and policy can create obstacles in creating your environment. Talk to your provider about what you can bring in to set up for your birth experience.
Using your environment can help create a beautiful memory when bringing your baby into this world. Even changing the smallest thing can make a world of difference when it comes to reducing stress and increasing peace. Labor takes as much mental fortitude as physical so why not stack the cards in your favor?
Love,
Courtney
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