I’ve created an online form to help you in creating birth preferences, if you'd like to, in order to prepare and educate yourself about some of your choices surrounding labor, birth, and immediate postpartum care.
Password: welcometoearth
Preparation & Mindset
3 Sisters of Balance (Spinning Babies)- Daily exercises for optimal fetal positioning Getting baby well positioned and low provides the best opportunity for spontaneously occurring, short labor without back pain/back labor. I highly recommend doing these frequently as you near full term and until delivery.
Birthing from within (book)- very cheesy cover, but an amazing chapter with exercises for coping techniques.
hypnobirthing the mongan method - I cannot recommend hypnobirthing enough! I think it is an extremely useful and powerful birth preparation tool. While a class is always ideal, this book is a great intro to the concept and practice.
On Being Podcast on The Placebo Effect- an interesting exploration of the placebo effect/hypnosis.
Reframing Pain Podcast A really interesting take on reframing expectations/sensations of labor, from a midwife who gave birth 8 times!
Mantras for Laboring some sample mantras- these can be great to use on their own or as inspiration for coming up with your own mantra that speaks to your specific fears/desires/inspirations and strengths.
LABOR
Katherine Marivelle Birth Photography a wildly talented photographer focusing on prenatal, birth and intimate family portraiture. She shoots in home or hospital births and does fresh 48 newborn photography (photos within first 48 hours postpartum).
Hypnobirthing Spotify Playlist - a nice, relaxing and very long instrumental playlist. Can be made available offline before birth to save battery and in case of poor wifi connectivity.
ACOG Safe Prevention of Primary Cesarean
ACOG Position on Informed Consent
For Energy in labor :
Electrolyte replacement such as powder or tablets.