So often, experienced mothers and health care professionals have compared childbirth to running a marathon—acknowledging that it is a very strenuous event that is best served by mental, emotional and physical preparation. In the coming weeks, earthmother.org will be addressing some of the many considerations women face and decisions to be made during pregnancy and childbirth. With growing resources of information available, we’ll focus on the more natural approaches and, hopefully, touch on options you may have wondered about or perhaps never even heard of—even from your medical team. We begin our foray into natural childbirth techniques with a list of five activities that have been proven to not only improve the quality of your experience of pregnancy and childbirth but will decrease your chances of complications.

Always consult your physician or medical team before beginning any new exercise or activity, especially if you have a high risk pregnancy. Information provided by earthmother.org is never intended to replace the advice or orders of your doctor/midwife.

1. Kegel exercises-
The easiest way to physically prepare for the actual “birth” part of childbirth. Kegel (or pelvic floor) exercises are simple muscle contractions that will strengthen and prepare for the stretching of birth and the “getting back to normal” afterward. Proven to increase your ability to control your pushing during birth while lessening the possibility of such unpleasantries as tearing and need for an episiotomy, hemorrhoids, and postpartum incontinence. Speaking of postpartum, doing your kegels will get you back in the sexual saddle much quicker and will likely improve your potential for pleasure much sooner than you thought possible.
To do Kegels:
Remember to breathe normally
*To find the correct muscles, practice stopping the flow of urine when urinating. This is called contracting the pelvic floor muscles.
*Hold for 10 seconds, then relax. Try not to contract legs, buttocks, or abdominal muscles.
You can do a series of “short holds” (5-10 seconds) then a series of “long holds” (10-20 seconds)
repeating 10-20 times for a full session of Kegels.
*It’s recommended to do a session two-to-three times a day.

2. Perineal Massage- An invaluable technique that prepares you for what the crowning will feel like and how to breathe through the discomfort of stretching. Yes, this will literally be a preview of what the birth will feel like (without the distraction and pain of contractions.) And, who knows?! You might become so prepared that when you do birth your little one, it may feel (dare I say) effortless. Should be done with a gentle touch and lots of love (and K-Y!) And, let’s not forget, that it gives you and your partner added intimacy and closeness during the last trimester of pregnancy. For instructions on proper method: Childbirth.org’s perineal massage reference

3. Find a Chiropractor you trust and have regular spinal adjustments-
As most Chiropractors are trained to treat pregnant women, the biggest concern is probably to find one with whom you are comfortable. Many DC’s carry advanced certifications in a variety of pregnancy related treatments from infertility to turning breech babies (the Webster technique.) Spinal adjustments will greatly reduce and relieve aches and pains of the changing pregnant body as it experiences shifts in weight distribution and added pressure placed on vertebrae, muscles and joints. More importantly, chiropractic has been proven to shorten the length of labor and delivery, ensure the baby will descend into the proper head-down position and prevent complications that lead to unnecessary cesarean sections. Go to icpa4kids.org to find a Chiropractor or read pregnancy, birth and childhood articles that focus on a natural lifestyle choices. For a personal story of how the Webster technique painlessly helped turn one mother’s baby, see our chiropractic adjustments ease pregnancy article in the natural childbirth section.

4. Walk, not necessarily run-
Walking has countless health benefits and this form of exercise can begin as soon as you get your doctor’s OK (as opposed to jogging or running which is generally approved during pregnancy only for those who have a history of these activities.) All you need is to acquire a comfortable pair of walking shoes and you’re ready to go. If you’re not used to walking for exercise, do ease into it. Once you’ve established a routine, you may feel you have more energy accompanied by a general feeling of wellness as the pregnancy progresses. Walking will prepare you for that marathon of birth by increasing endurance, building muscle tone, deepening breathing capacity, releasing tension —all priceless skills to have when your in the thick of hard contractions, bearing down and pushing.

5. Drink plenty of water. Lose the plastic bottle-
Being well hydrated during pregnancy has so many important benefits. Drinking enough water will make for healthy skin that will stretch easier (with a growing belly as well as the crowning of the head during birth) and return to it’s normal shape quicker. Adequate hydration will also prevent common pregnancy ailments such as bladder (urinary) infections, headaches, muscle cramping, constipation and hemorrhoids. Last, but certainly not least, it will ensure that your baby is getting all the necessary fluids, oxygen and nutrition needed to develop and thrive. While the jury is still out on how much of the plastic chemicals from water bottles leaches out into the liquid, be aware of your water sources. Many reports are now revealing that bottled water is nothing but tap water that’s occasionally fortified with added minerals. So, drink filtered tap water when you can. You’ll be erring on the side of caution not to mention saving money. And, you’ll be helping out the environment by reducing waste. A report recently published in Parents magazine cites research suggesting that up to 86% of plastic water bottles do not actually get recycled and end up in landfills.

Useful resources:

http://americanpregnancy.org

http://www.birthingnaturally.net