My goal in teaching childbirth classes is to help my students understand what is going to happen during the labor and delivery process and prepare them to have the best experience possible. Knowing what to expect and how to respond so that you are working with your body and your baby is key! We discuss topics related to birth, play games to make the learning fun, watch videos, and practice what we have talked about during class. I also try to share from my personal experiences, or have guest speakers come and tell their birth stories, to encourage my students and help them see birth as a positive, rewarding, and thrilling process.
One of my biggest tips deals with the second stage of labor, the part when the mama pushes the baby out, and then gets to hold and kiss her child. When I gave birth to my first daughter, I pushed for TWO HOURS, tore, and had to have stitches. I think all that could have gone differently if I would have heeded my childbirth instructor's advice: Don't push until you can't not push. I believe I got in a hurry to meet my baby and didn't let my body tell me what to do. I let my emotions take over and as a result I had to work a lot harder and a lot longer to get my baby in my arms. When I found out I was pregnant with our second daughter, I knew I wanted to change only one thing about my labor: the pushing part. This time I would definitely wait until I absolutely, positively, beyond a shadow of doubt had to push. And I did. Actually, I like to say I didn't even have to push at all the second time around. I kind of just "breathed" my baby out, and oh my what a difference!
My hope is that my students learn from my "mistakes" and skip right to the wonderful birth experience I had with our second child. Thus, I repeat over and over throughout our series of classes,"Don't push it!"
We have an entire class devoted to the second stage of labor. We watch videos about what is going to happen, discuss how to work with your body to make your pushing the most effective as possible, and then practice various positions when it comes time to welcome their baby to the world. But since this is such an important part of the labor process, you can't hear too many positive stories or read too many articles on how to make your own birth all that you want it to be. With that being said, here are some more great reads about the second stage of labor:
Pushing Techniques
Ways to Push During Labor
The Pushing Stage of Labor
Be encouraged.
Be empowered.
Replace those seeds of fear and doubt with confidence and joy.