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Sweet Pea ​Births
Sweet Pea ​Births
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
Blog
Natural Oxytocin Boosters
| Posted on October 23, 2015 at 9:27 AM |
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 I am going to direct you to THIS article about how oxytocin helps to reduce stress and
promote peace. It's no surprise that oxytocin is
the same hormone that is released when we make love, arguably a great stress
reliever and a promoter of peace for couples. A lovely consequence of making love when the timing is right: welcome, baby, some 36+ weeks later!
In addition to being the “love” hormome, oxytocin is also produced in great
quantity when a woman is in labor. The
hard contractions can only happen if the woman’s body is producing ample
oxytocin. I find it so ironic that the physical
pain and the emotion of love are happening at the same time. That must be the combination
that makes natural birth possible, that helps bond us to our Sweet Peas, and why people sign up for the experience
more than once. I can honestly say that
I am really going to miss being in labor. Call me crazy! Anyway.
I wanted to call out their suggestions for non-medical ways to boost oxytocin
production and talk about how they may be options to consider while you are in
labor since the article was not birth specific.  Breastfeeding: If you have an older sibling who is nursing, you can nurse them during
labor. Nursing stimulates the
production of oxytocin, so I encourage you to be mindful of any contractions it
stimulates. You do not want to trigger
an early labor, so pay attention if you feel a pattern developing and it’s not
time for baby to make an appearance just yet. Touch: one of the cornerstones of The Bradley Method® is relaxation. Among the 11 specific relaxation techniques
that we teach during the course, two of them are massage and stroking. Even if a mother does not want to be spoken
to, a Coach can use those techniques. If
she doesn’t want that either, the simple act of holding her hand is listed as a
way to boost oxytocin. Daydream: Another relaxation technique
we teach is related to daydreaming. We
ask coaches to recount a past experience or a future dream that makes mother
feel like she is in her “happy place”. It might be a trip, an experience, dreams you have about your life as a family together...anything that is calming, encouraging and would elicit a smile.Oxytocin production in labor suggestions offered by Sweet Pea Births, instructor in the Bradley Method® natural childbirth classes offered in Arizona: Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale, PaysonPet you furry friend: One of the many
benefits of laboring at home. Do you
have a four-legged friend that wants to cuddle? Go for it! Love on them, speak in
gentle tones…it will be calming for both of you.  Pleasant smells: This one has the added
benefit of paying dividends at your birthplace. One of the suggestions we make in Bradley™ class is to eat your favorite
meal when you think you might be in labor. The other one is baking some yummy treats to share with your care
providers. Hopefully both of those
things will generate smells that you welcome in labor. Either way: you are producing oxytocin, mama
is well fed if it’s the beginning to have energy for the duration of labor, and
your care providers get treats. We found
that feeding them kept them happy and that always made for positive birth
experiences for us. Music: Mamas or Coaches can take the
time to generate a play list to use in their birth space. I have seen couples use a music app to
choose the music for them in labor – it saved them from the planning/organizing time at
the outset while still providing the music that was soothing to mama. Find something that works for you and
remember to put it on your packing list so the music makes it to your birth
space.
As I leave you with these ideas, I want to remind mamas and coaches that even if you are doing all of these things, labor cannot progress by oxytocin levels alone. One of the key components of birth is surrender. Do the things that boost your oxytocin and then let go, give in, and open up to the whole experience of labor and the birth journey. The best gift is at the end when you meet your baby – it is SO worth it!
Best wishes for your upcoming birth – we hope some of these natural oxytocin
boosters will help you stay on course with your wish list! Which one of these do you like and/or have you used? Please leave us a comment - it will be moderated and posted. *I think* that the amount of traffic you so generously
generate has led to a lot of spam posting. In an effort to keep the spam
to a minimum, I am taking the time to moderate comments now.
Disclaimer:  The material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical
advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to
determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House,
LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences
of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog contains
information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is
not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or
the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
Q&A with SPB: Healthy Pregnancy How-to
| Posted on March 17, 2015 at 4:31 AM |
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 Today's VLOG is all about the things that you *can* control in the very unplannable process of pregnancy, labor, birth and the childbearing year. LINKS What can you control? 1. Pay attention to your nutrition This is just as important for the father as it is for the mother. A better diet creates higher quality sperm, and a well-nourished mother can feed her growing embryo-fetus-baby as it develops from zygote stage through pregnancy. A breastfeeding mother is also growing her infant's brain - mindful nutrition is just as important after the Birth-Day. HERE is the pregnancy nutrition program that we teach in The Bradley Method®. 2. Engage in an exercise program Your ability to give birth does not hinge on whether or not you are an exercise fanatic before you conceive. A mother who wants to prepare her belly, back and bottom to give birth can follow a pregnancy-specific exercise program. Even doing a few minutes a day of this low-impact, low-stress program can be a game-changer for mamas and their overall strength as they go into their labor. My favorite resource is Rhondda Hartman's "Natural Childbirth Exercises". What can you influence? 1. Your experience You have the responsibility to choose the right care provider and the right birth setting for you. If you have a nagging feeling that persists, or if you see/hear/feel red flags at your prenatal appointments that your provider is not right for you, GO WITH IT. Believe in yourself and your instinct. Ask people you respect and who felt supported in their births who they chose and why...and then, maybe take a risk! Go on some interviews to see if maybe you want to make a switch. 2. Relaxation and Pain Coping We do not know what kind of labor card you are going to draw. What we do know is that all labors and births can benefit from mindfulness. Whether you have a natural birth, a cesarean birth, or anything in between, there is a surrender. There is a point when you will have to dig deep and say YES to the journey that you are on. There are many ways to prepare for your journey - HERE is an info sheet that explores the variety of classes available to birthing families. What is part of the journey? The rest of your story is entirely up to your baby, your body, and The Fates. A story is about to unfold - and what a story it will be. However you birth, that day is one day in the rest of your lives as a family. Be open to the experience, look for the joys, and also watch for the surprises. It is in the unexpected and the trials that growth and transformation happen...a transformation that is necessary as we experience a rite of passage. Before children, you are you. After they are in your lives, you are now Mother, Father, or which ever name you choose for yourself. I wish you a childbearing year that surprises you, grows you, and leads you to discover more about yourself than you knew when you started. The material included on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |