Creating your ideal birth environment

 Ina May Gaskin said, “Wherever and whenever you intend to give birth, those experiences will impact your emotions, your mind, your body and your spirit for the rest of your life.”
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Giving birth in an environment that makes us feel calm and safe, helps us enter an altered state; allowing self - transformation on many levels.  It brings connects us to our baby in a place of surrender and love. Hard to imagine isn’t it when scenes from the Television Series, “One born every minute” are probably flashing through your mind?   
The type of environment we choose is more important than we think. Imagine for a moment if you will that crucial stage in your relationship where you and your partner made love for the first time. Were the lights dimmed or off? Perhaps you enjoyed a romantic dinner and a little wine beforehand? Were you gentle and careful with each other, considering the other’s feeling? Perhaps you were passionate, nervous or very excited?  Or did you do it on a hospital bed with people walking in and out of the room asking questions, the lights on and people watching you?
During childbirth there are four major hormonal systems (that are common to all mammals) that come into play. These are: 

• Oxytocin, the hormone of love
• Endorphins, hormones of transcendence, pleasure and natural pain killers
• Adrenaline and noradrenaline, hormones of excitement, fight or flight
• Prolactin, the hormone which produces milk

Each stage of childbirth highlights a different hormonal stage which allows the body and mind to meet the challenges, excitements, lows and highs in energy. But if the hormones are triggered out of sequence it can create a negative birth experience, or a medically assisted birth. Attending good antenatal classes with your partner can help you learn new skills and increase your knowledge as well as develop practical skills for birth and parenting.
Many hospitals now only do virtual tours, which can be an added stress if you don’t know what to expect when you are walking through the door. To help you feel safer and more aware you may want to consider preparing a list of key questions which can prepare you for the protocols of the hospital. For example:

• How do I know when to come to hospital? At what stage should my labour be? 
• When I first arrive where do I go, where do I park and what doors should I use?
• Will the team of professionals be respectful and follow my birth pan as much as is possible?
• What will happen to me when I first arrive? Do I have any checks? 
• If my care plan needs to change will we be part of the decision making?

Talk through your hopes and fears with your partner, midwife and antenatal teacher.       Be informed and be prepared. 

Here are some other ideas for you to consider making the room more homely  

• A sign for the door (so remember blue tack) asking for people to enter quietly and respectfully.
• A detailed birth plan – always good to have two copies, one for you and one for the midwife.
• Take some time to organise or manage the space to suit you. You may want your birth partner to organise or move furniture so you have the space you need to move from position to position.
• If you are in a hospital you may want to heighten or lower the bed to allow for different labour positions or put the bed mattress on the floor if it is comfortable for you.
• Unpack your hospital bag so you have your items to hand.
• Temperature- make sure you have an environment where you have control over the windows and heating systems so you change them when you need to.
• Lighting – can you dim the light? If you are at home you can have candles or a side light. Check with your birth place what lighting they have available and how you can adapt it.
• Sound – would you like music or would you like to be restful and quite. You may consider having an MP3 player especially if you are in a shared environment. 
• Comfies – what do you have that will make you more comfortable? Pillows, quilt, blanket, sheet? Items that smell of your home and environment will help you feel safe and more relaxed in a new environment.
• Feeling good – do you want to go rudie nudie? Or do you want a long T shirt or nightdress to cover your bits and pieces? Make sure it smells of you and home.
• Affirmation cards or affirmation playlist.
• Birth position reminder – a poster or download on your phone to jog your memory but remember practice makes perfect.
• Gym ball – to help you with different birth positions. Check if your place of birth has them or if you prefer your own then take your own in with you.
• Massage oil.
• Tens machine.
• Distractions – laptop, books, games, DVDs. Do remember however that these can keep you in your rationale brain and don’t help with you moving into an altered state. If things have slowed down and you need to learn to let go and relax again they can serve as a good distraction.
• Food snacks, energy bars, drinks. If you are at home ice cubes can help you keep hydrated and cool you down.
• Do you want student midwife or doctor in the room? Or do you want privacy?

 
Whatever you chose to do remember to be adaptable and flexible in your planning and try to think through all eventualities. If you would like to download this full article please look here.   
© Rachel Rafiefar 
​All rights reserved

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