Better Birthing Techniques
For Natural Birth
Birthing Techniques
I
know it sounds crazy but there is a way to birth better. Yes, birth is a natural process and it should go on its own pace. But here is the thing
- if we apply some special birthing techniques to this natural process it
will only be better. Natural and better births. Sounded too good to be
truth for me at first.
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How I learned to birth better
I started researching about different natural birthing techniques after I had my first baby. Even though I had her naturally all I could think was: "it must be a better way to birth".
To tell you the truth, I was obsessed with finding the right childbirth class which would lead me to some better birth experiences. And when I did, I knew it instantly.
The Pink Kit. I bought the kit immediately after I got pregnant with my 2nd child and I haven’t separated with it until now.
I did buy and used some other childbirth education classes, but always kept The Pink Kit as my foundation for my birthing.
If
you ever took a birthing class you will agree with me that they DO
provide a lot of information. In fact, they over deliver with it.
I don’t know how about you but I always left those classes without really knowing how to help myself during that intense moment of labor and birth. I didn't know how to use the knowledge in practice.
That’s
why Pink kit is different from any other course out there. It teaches
unique, yet very logical SKILLS how to ease the labor and have a better birth. That’s what I was
looking for. Skills how to manage your body, skills how to read and
feel every muscle in your body.
Here is a very brief summary of birthing techniques that I have learned with The Pink Kit Method.
Birthing Technique #1
Work with your breath
Image from the DVD of The Pink Kit
As musicians, athletes and all other professionals who go through intense, physical activities learn and use different breathing techniques, women who are in labor and give birth should also learn how to breath.
I have learned breathing to be one of the most important birthing techniques. Here are few things that really helped me:
- using the cleansing breath at the end of contraction
- certain breathing techniques helped my body and mind to deal with the contraction pain and negative emotions
- 5 Phases and the Bell-Shaped Curve
- using Directed Breathing to relax especially tense or painful areas
- using my inhaled breath to expand my bony pelvis so baby has more space
Letter to a daughter
When I had you, I was by myself in hospital, so afraid, in so much pain. The Sister on duty came in and told me to be quiet and not make so much noise. So I was terribly afraid for you when you told me that you were pregnant—a parent never wants their children to suffer. All the suffering I went through to give birth to you was worth it, but I didn’t want you to go through that.
When you asked me to come to your birth, I couldn’t imagine what help I could give you. You taught me about breathing when you worked through the Pink Kit. I thought it was a bit odd, but did as you asked.
At the beginning of your labor, we talked about what you really wanted, and as the contractions got more intense, my first response was to become frightened. But my little girl was stronger than I was, and you told me to work with you. I gathered my courage and did as you asked.
I can’t thank you enough, dearest daughter, for the healing you have given me. I learned that women can feel wonderful about labor, even if it hurts. I learned how important it is for women to be taught how to breathe. We laughed and cried for weeks. We both spend hours looking at our precious little girl and know that the cycle of fear has been dissolved. I am blessed.
Adopted from the workbook of The Pink Kit
Birthing Technique #2
Discover Your Bony Pelvis and work with it
Image from the DVD of The Pink Kit
Honestly, I was embarrassed that I gave birth
to my first child without knowing anything about my body and its bones.
During The Pink Kit class (that I took at my own home due to digital version of the course) I got to actually FIND those
bones on my own body. The instructors show how to do it. How to determine the size and the shape of various bones that pay big influence in your birthing positions.
Why is it important? The baby comes through the pelvis. So it is a good idea to learn your specific size and shape of your pelvic bones than you will be able to use these tools to create as much room as possible for your baby in your pelvic area during your labor and birth. Knowing your body’s structure and its uniqueness will pay role in your better birth experience.
It develops body awareness so that you understand where the baby has to move through in YOUR body and what might get in the way. Also, it focuses on developing awareness of the muscles involved in birth. You can relax your face and shoulders and seemingly whole body and still how a lot of tension internally in the most important muscles involved. The Pink Kit will teach you how to tune into those muscles and keep them relaxed.
Birthing Technique #3
Soften your Pelvis
A lot of tension held in your body during labor usually works against your baby’s efforts to be born. If you tense up muscles in your belly now and tighten vagina, imagine a baby coming out through this "road". It is very clear that when everything is tight in "there" it makes more difficult for the baby to come out. So if you learn how to relax and soften in as many places as possible you will be making a more easier and faster road for your baby to come out.
It is not easy task to do, but with the right exercises and persistence it can be accomplished.
The Pink kit will help you:
- identify important parts of your soft pelvis
- appropriately prepare your soft pelvis for birth during the last period of your
pregnancy, so you can remove as much internal tension as possible - learn the skills to soften your soft tissue in the birth so you can help your baby’s
efforts to move down, through, and out of your body, even when you feel the pain of labor contractions or during surgery.
These birthing techniques will also help you manage the pain associated with the opening.
We also practiced and learned Thai Massage which helped to release the abdominal tension that prevents the baby from moving into the pelvic inlet.
We learned the Pelvic Clock and how to soften in specific places inside my pelvis to fasten the dilation of your cervix.
In the last few weeks of pregnancy, I paid special attention to practicing Cervical Relaxation and Breathing into the Perineum.
Birthing Technique #3
Manage your labor with body positioning
Image from the DVD of The Pink Kit
I learned which positions will have my pelvis open and which ones will have it closed. Every woman’s body is different so it is very important to practice and find your own perfect positions. The instructors on DVD help you find different positions that will keep you open.
The exercises take time to feel your body. But, hey, whatever it takes to learn to have an easier birth.
The participation of your partner in this class is very important as he should know and memorize all the positions and which ones were better for you so he can remind you later in labor about them.
Instructor also demonstrates what happens to the baby in each position. Understanding all the pros and cons of different positions will help you make better decisions about when to change the birthing position when birth is not progressing.
"We did sacral tilt with her and convinced her to give it a go whilst lying on her left side. As soon as we did it the intolerable supra-pubic pain went and she felt her baby move into her pelvis".
What if the baby is not moving down the pelvis even using all the previous positions? There is a solution for that too in The Pink Kit.
Birthing Technique #4
Prepare your Body
While I was pregnant, I did cardio-vascular exercises to ensure a good supply of blood to the uterus.
Also I did the internal massage on myself from about 6 months, because I knew my baby was going to be big. He was 10lb. I didn’t tear at all, but more important, by the next morning my crotch felt normal. I could not believe (and anybody else) that I just had a 10lb baby and the very next day I went to the park. I knew it was due to the massage. Thanks to The Pink Kit.
Birthing Technique #5
Use most successful relaxation techniques that release the tension in your muscles
Image from the DVD of The Pink Kit
Massage tips are also great and will teach your partner to
touch the right way and the right places when you are in labor. We practiced those methods during our pregnancy so knew what I
liked and what I didn't.
I learned how to recognize conscious tension within my own body and see it in another person. Creating relaxation comes from recognizing the signs of tension. Once you see and hear tension, it will make common sense to you. Without cues, you would have no idea.
We both learned that any tension can be changed, softened, and relaxed once we knew where and sometimes what causes the tension. Even bones can move relative to one another, if you can relax and soften both the muscles and connective tissue that hold us all together.
Every woman who gave birth knows how important is the role or your partner. Yes, it feels good that he is in the room with you, but it feels so much better when he actually can help you.
When I gave birth the first time, my husband kept asking me what is my pain level (from 1 to 10) ??!!! He was asking me this because the nurse was doing that and he thought it was helpful.
When I didn't reply him once (because I couldn't speak during a very strong contraction), he made a loud thought and said:"hm...maybe 4?"
Yeah, that's when I decided that we will get a childbirth class for our next birth.
During our second birth (after we studied The Pink Kit trough the whole pregnancy) my husband already knew what kind of questions to ask (he even had a list of them written down).
For example, instead of saying: "Try to relax, honey" (I wonder if it ever works for anybody?), he said: "Try to relax your bum". He was able to recognize where I had tension and most of the times he could even massage or just touch so I will feel better and get back on track before I "loose" it.
The Pink Kit thought my husband how to touch me (and help me) during painful labor so I never got to scream "Don't touch me!"
Those deep touch relaxation techniques were really helpful.
How Affective is it?
It is not just me who find The Pink Kit A MUST HAVE for every mother who is getting ready to have any kind of birth (vaginal, with epidural, planned/unplanned c-section).
It doesn't matter if you give birth at home, in water, in the birthing center or in the hospital. This course is for every mother AND father.
Let’s
look at the statistics of women who used birthing techniques learned in a Pink Kit childbirth class. These
numbers are provided by a midwife in New Zeland whose clients used the birthing techniques The Pink Kit class provided. It shows the clear decrease of labor inductions, forceps and emergency c-sections.
"These skills have been used in every type of pregnancy and every imaginable birth situation. It's very much a skills-based resource and it's only ideology is the concept of birth as a skilled activity and skills as a necessity to giving birth."
I can honestly say that it's because The Pink Kit and the birthing techniques I learned in it my 2nd birth was amazing. In so many levels. It literally changed who I am.
You can learn more about this online childbirth education course here.
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