Use Birthing Stool for Comfortable Squat

What you see here is a 16-century birth stool used for the final stages in childbirth labor. (I like the curtains on the sides!)

When the baby begins to crown, a mother needs to continue to use the gravity of the baby, whose weight helps the movement down the birth path without pushing.

Sometimes it is easier to sit on the stool than squat and concentrate all your attention on the final stages of baby coming out.

The idea of the birth stool has been in use in midwifery for centuries.
Until very recently, in Europe, particularly in Northern Europe, in Denmark, birthing stool was considered a family treasure, and was preserved in the family for generations. A bride brought to the new family the birth stool inherited from her mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. After all, the importance of procreation was emphasized and strengthened by the religious influences.

Today, we don't have to store such commodity for generations. Each mom can get her own. In fact, each one can get their own style.

You can have one with handles, which makes it quite comfortable to hold onto, while your husband is behind you whispering positive HypnoBirthing affirmations into your receptive ear.

Or you could have modern sterility in plastic, with a helping figure for its back to lean on, while your midwife talks you through your calm and comfortable J-breathing (Birth Breathing) in the final stages of your baby arrival.

So feel free to choose your style, as long as it is comfortable for you and fits your needs.

This and more, learn about childbirth in a complete childbirth education course in HypnoBirthing classes.
Click here for more information now http://newyorkawareness.com/HypnobirthingNewYork.asp#

HypnoBirthing Stages of Labor - Transition

Stage III

Transition-Active Birthing Mindful Breathing (dilating 8-10cm)

Physical Aspects

• Strong surges, 1-3 minutes apart, lasting 50-90 seconds.

• Frequent surges are double or triple peaking and feeling a premature urge to push – resist and breathe.

• Body temperature fluctuations - hot during surges, cold between surges.

• Hiccuping, vomiting, leg cramps and severe backache are common.

• Use relaxation to prevent those.

• This is the shortest part of labor, but it is the most intense.

• KEEP CALM BREATHE SLOWLY and DEEPLY

Social Aspects

• Complete self-focus.

• Wants constant companionship.

• Overwhelmed and needs encouragement to keep focus.

Emotional Aspects

• Irritability easily helped by relaxation.

• Difficulty concentrating.

• Needs reminders and support in keeping focus and perspective.

• Remain calm; this is the most important part

Role of Dad and/or Support Person

• Give counterpressure to sides of lower back. 

• Massage.

• Nipple stimulation.

• Active touching, sexual stimulation, kissing

• Keep focus on Birth breathing

• Responsible for the outside to let her remain focused

• Keep focused on the breathing

• Remain calm; help her by keeping calm, non-chalant, exhibit mature behavior.

• Use eye contact to keep her focused.

• Reassure her that the baby birth is near.

HypnoBirthing Affirmations for Stages of Labor

Between surges during thinning and opening phase

Assume relaxation, drift away into relaxation

Every muscle limp and at ease; feel the calm and peace

Body limp with total relaxation and peace

Turn your birthing over to your birthing body

Relax and trust your body to know what to do

So calm; so comfortable; so at peace

Mother and her body, working in total harmony

During surges—said softly but with more emphasis and direction

Body totally limp; go with your breathing

Trust your body; long, deep breaths

Fill the balloon; give it a color; fill it higher, higher

Breathe up, up, up; fill that balloon—SLOW breath up

See your soothing color and go deeper into relaxation

Body limp; arms limp; legs limp

Breathe up only from your birthing body

Opening with each new sensation

Body limp; shoulders limp; chest relaxed

Breathe one long breath; work with your baby

Baby and mother working together

Long, slow breath up

Release and relax downward now

During Birth Breathing—lovingly

Breathe love down to your baby

Breathe your loving energy down to the baby

Mother and baby working together to bring this miracle

Clear the path; make it smooth and easy

Follow the lead of your baby and body

Open the path for your baby

Nudge your baby gently down to birthing

See the petals of the blossom opening gently

Body following your baby’s lead

Gently, softly, breathe love down to your baby

Path now open and smooth

Baby slips down and out, easily, smoothly

Why Pushing Is Not Necessary…..

Why Pushing Is Not Necessary…..

Most experienced midwives know and wholeheartedly agree with Marie Mongan’s concept of HypnoBirthing and what Mongan is saying about pushing.

Pushing, not even excessive pushing, but just pushing, can be detrimental in labor, particularly in final stages of labor.

When a woman is taught to push, she is pushing the baby’s body against the opening that is not open yet enough to let the baby through. She is pushing, urging the baby to come out, and the baby’s body and the mother’s body are not yet synchronized in their readiness. While pushing the baby he mother  misunderstands the references she is working with.

What is implied in the HypnoBirthing philosophy is that a woman should listen to her body and wait for signals. For this ability to listen to her body and to “hear” what her body tells her is happening, a woman needs to prepare herself ahead of labor with exercises in relaxation so she can be attuned to her body. In the last stages of labor there will appear the “urge” to push.

In her book HypnoBirthing Marie Mongan suggests that the urge to push is a conditioned response, and midwives know this as reference to the rectal pressure that all women feel, and that many women translate as "an urge to push". They say they feel the pressure and then have an urge to push and then they DECIDE to push with that pressure.

On the contrary, rectal pressure is ONLY RECTAL PRESSURE and should not be interpreted as pushing urges.

We are so conditioned that when we feel pressure on our rectums we must sit down on the toilet. Pushing out the poop is a normal sequence to feeling that rectal pressure.

If you don’t sit on the toilet and push the poop back in, what happens?

Your poop would eventually COME OUT BY ITSELF!!

There is also an element of pleasure associated with doing your number 2. Freud referred to it since very early childhood experiences, when at the age of 3 all children experiment with holding their poop and then letting it out, experiencing a suggested secondary sexual pleasure.

Back to birth....so when a baby has moved very low into the moms pelvis she will feel rectal pressure from the baby’s head. First she begins to experience this pressure feeling it at the peak of every surge. Then she begins to feel it during the whole surge, intensifying at the peak. Eventually, the rectal pressure is constant, peaking higher with each surge and her muscles begin to propel the baby downward. It is a REFLEXIVE action. She cannot DECIDE to do it or not. Her body does it, and beautifully. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE WAITING FOR!!!

The trick to pleasure is while she is having those rectal pressure urges, she MUST BE BREATHING, utilizing the HypnoBirthing Birth Breathing.

During the final stage of labor, when experiencing the Urge Surge, mom’s job is to breathe!

Dads! READ THIS: Keep her focused on her breathing, otherwise she may shift her attention to her sensations and then her pleasure will escape.

The intensity of her muscles working may make her breath catch for a moment...this is ok...she should continue to listen to her body and breathe her baby DOWN. Some moms feel that bearing down during the peak of this surge is helpful and feels good (even orgasmic). Other moms feel better if they only allow their uterus to work and they breathe. The important thing is for her to listen to HER WISE BODY and to be given the space and respect to do so. AND BREATHE!

Happy Birthing!