Laboring @ Home

I had a friend recently ask me for tips on laboring at home. Here's the short list I came up with for her. Of course, many of these could be adapted to a birth-center or hospital setting.

• Keep a box of snacks/drinks nearby.
• Practice all the positions/comfort measures before hand. Make a list of them all and keep it close by to look at.
• Write down/record affirmations for yourself/coach to repeat while laboring.
• Try the shower/bathtub.
• Pick a point (or mental image) to focus on while breathing through waves.
• waterproof pad/shower curtain under (old) sheets on bed
• waterproof pads under soft towels anywhere you like to lay down.
• lots of pillows.
• Practice squatting-excellent pushing position. As far down as you can go-heels flat.
• Do 'tail wag' every morning and night, and whenever you thing about it (same for kegels). Tail wag is to get on all fours and tip your pelvis up and down-focus on arched back and flex back up like a cat back and forth up to 100x.
• I liked apple juice best. Prob watered down so not too sweet.
• Use a bendy straw to keep drinking to keep energy up.
• Go to sleep during labor whenever possible. And DON"T apologize for it.
• When not sleepy, stay active, up and own stairs, walk, sweep kitchen, etc.
• Keep a garbage can close for puking/pooping.
• Don't scrunch up your face/hands/shoulders/muscles during waves/pain/fear. Focus energy in letting the waves do their work.
• Breath in and out while counting 1-1, 1 2 -1 2, etc as far up as you can go. I got to ten and that made the waves shorter/bearable.
• I borrowed my chiropractor's maternity massage pillow so I could rest on my stomach occasionally.
• Cheap/DI towels
• blankets if you get cold.
• wet washcloths kept warm in a crockpot/rice cooker. Use for compress on perinium during pushing.
• I labored in a short, short-sleeve, zippered robe I found at the DI. could lift for checks and unzip to nurse. felt very covered and comfortable.
• PH paper to test amniotic fluid leaking
• Babysitter for other children.
• Park your car facing out, full of gas, and ready to go with carseat installed and hosp bag in the trunk.
• keep one bag box handy inside for things you use everyday/during labor that you would also like at the hosp. Coach's job to grab that on way out of door. Or can come back later for it.

As for as my mental things:

• Prepare mentally/physically for anything you can think of. ambulance/unwanted guests/recussitaion/hemorrhaging etc. that way you will not get scared or be disappointed if any of those things happen.
• I had heard of painless birth but didn't expect that. But doing the breathing/comfort measures/affirmations etc I can say that my labor wasn't painful. Just pressure and intensity. I do believe I was very blessed. There was a little pain in my back since baby was posterior when I got on a birth stool to push but went away when I got off.

For Daddy:

• practice comfort measures to see how mom likes them
• discuss/memorize affirmations
• encourage eating/drinking
• practice areas to massage for comfort

The waterproof pads are these: http://www.amazon.com/Disposable-Blue-Underpad-Chux-23x36/dp/B000FA05Y6 We found them in the pharmacy area at Walmart. You can use them for stuff after so just get a pack or two. Our midwife had us pour red-tinted water in it so we could see what a hemorrhage looked like.
Snacks-
I unfortunately was dumb (and in la-la-labor land) and didn't eat or drink anything. I just know that milk and bread (toast is ok) are not good because they can ball up in your tummy and thus are easy to throw up. Coconut water is supposed to be great for labor, as well as smoothies and I know you like those.