2011 - Talk Birth

• Hands and knees on bed
• Kneeling with one leg up (on bed like a platform or ”stage”)
• Holding onto raised back of bed and squatting or kneeling
• Squatting using squat bar
While most of the above tips can be used during monitoring, additional ideas for coping with a simultaneous
need for monitoring AND activity include:
• Kneel on bed and rotate hips
• Sit on edge of bed and rock or rotate hips
• Sit on ball or chair right next to bed (partner can hold monitor in place if need be)
If something truly requires being motionless, it can be helpful to have some breath awareness techniques
available in your ”bag of tricks.” One of my favorites is: [4]Centering for Birth
Some time ago, a blog reader posed the question, [5]can I really expect to have a great birth in a hospital
setting? I definitely think it is possible! I also think there is a lot you can do in preparation for that
great hospital birth! When planning a natural birth in the hospital, it is important to consider [6]becoming
an informed birth consumer. I always tell my clients that an excellent foundation for a simple, effective,
evidence-based birth plan is to base it on [7]Lamaze’s Six Healthy Birth Practices. My own pdf handout
summarizing the practices is also available: [8]Six Healthy Birth Practices. Don’t forget there is also [9]a
great video series of the birth practices in action! You might also want to get a copy of the book [10]Homebirth
in the Hospital. And, check out this post from Giving Birth with Confidence: [11]Six Tips for Gentle
but Effective Hospital Negotiations.
Before you go in to the hospital to birth your baby, make sure you have some ideas about this very popular
question, [12]how do I know if I’m really in labor?
And, finally, be prepared for the hospital routines you may encounter by reading my post: [13]What to
Expect When You Go to the Hospital for a Natural Childbirth.
For some other general ideas about active birth, read my post about [14]Moving During Labor (written
for a blog carnival in 2009).
Best wishes for a beautiful, healthy, active hospital birth! You can do it!
1. http://www.icanofatlanta.com/?page_id=159
2. http://www.icanofatlanta.com/?page_id=159
3. http://talkbirth.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/usingabedwithoutlyingdown.pdf
4. file://localhost/mnt/ext/blogbooker/tmp/2010/10/28/centering-for-birth/
5. file://localhost/mnt/ext/blogbooker/tmp/2009/06/03/can-i-really-expect-to-have-a-great-birth/
6. file://localhost/mnt/ext/blogbooker/tmp/2010/03/26/becoming-an-informed-birth-consumer/
7. http:
//www.lamaze.org/ChildbirthProfessionals/ResourcesforProfessionals/CarePracticePapers/tabid/90/Default.aspx
8. http://talkbirth.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/six-healthy-birth-practices.pdf
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