How To Push, Push, Baby

How To Push, Push, Baby

Feb 24, 2020 | Birth

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

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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.

My Top 4 Postpartum Care Products

My Top 4 Postpartum Care Products

Jan 13, 2020 | Postpartum

You’ve done it! Congrats on your baby, mama! Be proud of what you’ve accomplished. Now it’s time for postpartum care.

Your care provider or childbirth educator may warn you about how you could feel after delivery. If you had a vaginal delivery, you’ll experience swelling around your vagina and perineum. Tearing is pretty common during birth, but there are varying degrees of severity. Third and fourth degree tears (the most severe) are less common, thankfully! And, I’m sorry to say, many of us will experience hemorrhoids from pushing. Every mama needs to take it easy to heal up.

I know this sounds scary. These discomforts, especially after being pregnant and uncomfortable, can be difficult. But you can get prepared for postpartum and what you’ll need to get through those first few weeks of healing.

Here are my top four postpartum care products for vaginal delivery.

1. Ice Diapers

childbirth classes, birthing classes near me, childbirth classes near me, online birthing classesHear me out – many maternity wards make these for new moms. Take a Pampers diaper and pull apart the top of the diaper. Fill it with ice chips. Then fold the open top and use the sticky tabs of the diaper to close. Watch directions here. This goes right in your underwear and IT WILL FEEL AMAZING.

I had a second degree tear that was very close to being a third degree. Ice diapers were the only things that could completely numb my perineum and vagina. These were the most helpful in my postpartum care. The ice greatly helps reduce swelling after delivery. Another option if you don’t like the ice diaper is to make a padsicle – soak a maxi pad in witch hazel and stick it in the freezer for some nice cold pain relief.

 

2. Dermoplast

childbirth classes, birthing classes near me, childbirth classes near me, online birthing classesYou may find a can of Dermoplast in your hospital room after delivery. It’s used to spray your perineum to cool and help numb any pain from swelling and hemorrhoids. The spray’s cooling effect provides some temporary relief. This was one of my go-tos after vaginal delivery.

 

3. Tucks Pads

Another important product in my postpartum care kit for new moms is Tucks Pads. They are medicated with witch hazel to help relieve, you guessed it, hemorrhoids. But I found its cool temperature great for the perineum, as well. You can put them on your pad or panty liners.

 

4. Disposable Underwear

While I never saw myself wearing Depends until I reached ripe old age, using disposable underwear was the best advice I got from another mom. Women often bleed for several weeks after birth and may have trouble controlling pelvic muscles and actions, including peeing. A cough or sneeze, and like in pregnancy, a wee bit of wee may come out. I was so glad that I didn’t have to worry about my good underwear during postpartum. If I moved around too much one day and my bleeding got worse or I all of a sudden felt the urgent need to pee and wasn’t sure I’d make it to the bathroom, my disposable underwear had me covered.

 

Postpartum’s not glamorous for sure, but these items will definitely help get you recover from birth. If you want to learn more about what to expect from birth and postpartum, check out my Informed and Mindful Birthing online class.