How To Push, Push, Baby
The nursery is ready, you’ve gotten everything on your baby registry, and your pregnancy is nearing full term. But do you know how to labor effectively and push baby out?
We tend to over prepare for our babies’ arrival in ways that help us when we’re past the finish line, in postpartum. That’s all well and good, but we need to get ready for those last few miles of pregnancy, too. I’m likening pregnancy and labor to a marathon because it is! Actually, it’s even harder. Don’t worry, though. You’re tougher than all of it.
If runners have to train, be knowledgeable about their bodies and have the right tools to finish their marathon, then so do you! It’s important to be educated about labor and birth so you can be more prepared. Just picture it – you’ve been in labor for quite a while. Then your care provider tells you it’s time to push. You’re mentally, emotionally and physically tired. You can see the finish line but it’s one mile uphill. You may be tempted to tell your care provider to go do something unsavory. But you won’t – because you will know exactly what you’ll need to do next.
BEAR DOWN
Have you heard this phrase? You probably have A LOT lately. You’ll be ready to push when you reach 10 cm dilation and feel a lot of pressure on your vagina and rectum, almost like you really need to poop (I know, gross, but it’s true). It’s at this point that you’ll want to bear down (exert pressure) and push.
BREATHING
We’ve all seen “hee, hoo, hee, hoo” breathing in TV and movies during birth scenes. This type of restricted breathing was popularized by Lamaze. However, Lamaze stopped teaching it in the 1980s, so popular culture needs to quit it with this one.
Evidence shows us that the most effective way to breathe during labor and pushing is whatever is most comfortable for the mom. Diaphragmatic, or belly, breathing is usually a very pleasant breathing technique for women during labor. When you feel a contraction coming on during pushing, try to take in a breath and then try to slowly release it while you bear down. Do whatever works best for you!
BE PREPARED
Don’t run your marathon without getting ready. There’s so much more to learn about labor and birth. Get all the tools and knowledge you’ll need by taking a childbirth education course. You’re almost there! You’ll be in labor soon enough.
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