Creating Your Birth Support Team
It takes a village……I know that parents can relate to this because it’s true. I’m blessed to have a great support system of family, friends, and neighbors who have become my village. They are the ones you call on when you need help getting your kids to multiple sporting events, or you’re running late and you need them to pick your kids up from after school, or they lend a listening ear because this parenting thing is hard. Throughout life we are building teams, creating our tribe, forming friendships, and finding those who support us. This concept is no different when thinking about who you want to surround and support you during your pregnancy, labor, and birth.
“creating a birth support team can play a big part in getting the outcomes you desire and want.”
Now don’t get me wrong, your friends and neighbors might not be the folks you want to surround you while you’re in active labor, but creating a birth support team can play a big part in getting the outcomes and desires you want. And from my own personal experience, and from working with lots of expectant moms, there are some key people to consider when creating your team because……..
“If you don’t know your options, you don’t have any”
1. PROVIDERS
Choosing the right provider to support you during your pregnancy and attend your labor and birth can make a world of difference in your thoughts and emotions during this transformational time. There are some key players when it comes to providers:
OBGYN’s – these providers are medical doctors and provide pregnancy related care and labor and birthing options in a hospital setting.
Certified Nurse Midwives – these providers are certified nurses with extended study in midwifery care, and typically work in a hospital setting alongside OBGYN’s.
Certified Professional Midwives – these providers are trained based on the Midwifery Model of Care, and can handle births outside of a hospital setting.
Within these provider differences, you will find those who support VBAC’s and those who don’t. You’ll find those who see lots of patients, and those who limit their client load. This is why it’s so important to do your research, ask your questions, and then get a feel for which birth setting and birth provider aligns with you. This list is not exhaustive in that there are different levels of training and certification within the midwifery model of care. However, this is a good place to start doing your research.
No matter which model of care you choose to go with you should:
Receive effective communication with explanations of the risks and benefits of all procedures
Feel supported, listened to, and valued
2. CHIROPRACTORS
Now a chiropractor may not be someone you want present at your birth (although sometimes we are!), but making sure making sure we have proper spinal alignment and nervous system function can do wonders for a pregnant woman. Webster Certified chiropractors can help with not only the aches and pains that can accompany pregnancy, but adjustments can also have a big impact on the emotional wellbeing of mom. The Webster technique is a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment used for pregnant women. The goal of the adjustment is to reduce the effects of sacral subluxation/joint dysfunction, and in doing so, neuro-biomechanical function in the pelvis is facilitated.
Check out my blog The Webster Technique: chiropractic care during pregnancy for more in-depth info on what exactly the Webster technique is. Also, the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association has lots of wonderful information about the Webster technique and how to find a Webster Certified chiropractor near you!
I can’t mention prenatal chiropractic care without noting that I know first-hand what it’s like to experience a pregnancy not being under chiropractic care, and then to experience one while under chiropractic care – let’s just say – big difference -big! Check out my blog series on why I’m a chiropractor to see what I mean!
3. DOULAS
A doula is defined as a person trained to provide advice, information, emotional support, and physical comfort to a mother before, during, and just after childbirth. Research shows that childbirth does go more smoothly with a doula: labor is 25 percent shorter, the need for epidural pain relief is 60 percent less and the Caesarean section rate is reduced by half.
I mention to my moms the importance of having someone there to attend your birth to help you focus on those coping mechanisms and to help you remember the classes you took and the desired birth you want.
From informational, to physical, to emotional support, doulas can also help support your partner. Check out these top 7 reasons to hire a doula to learn more!
4. EDUCATORS
Knowledge is key. And knowledge during pregnancy can go further than just childbirth education classes, to include postpartum information, lactation classes, and mental health services. Now, most of the providers mentioned above have recommendations on what classes to take, and some doulas even offer childbirth education classes. It’s still important to do some research on what aligns with you. Most hospitals will offer childbirth education classes too, but it can still be worthwhile to do some research on your own.
Some popular childbirth education classes are Hypnobirthing, Lamaze, Bradley, Birthing from Within, and Evidence Based Birth – just to name a few! There is no right class for everyone, but there is the right class for you!
I don’t think that we give enough credit to trusting our gut and our intuition. Interview your providers. Find the people who will listen to you. Go with the options that speak to your soul, not just what your mom or society thinks you should do.
Why is creating your birth support team so important? Why do I go over this with all of my moms? Why should you take some time and thoughtful consideration into analyzing who you want to surround you while you bring new life into this world?
Because we remember our birth. Because having support can help alleviate stress (which can negatively impact the progress of labor and birth). Because when a baby is born, so is a mom, and that should be honored, cherished, and respected. Because you are your best advocate. Because if you don’ t invest in the health and wellness of your family, no one else – and if you don’t invest in your labor and birth, no one else will.
And if you want even more information about creating your birth support team, check out Episode 3: Building Your Birth Support Team on the Aligned Birth Podcast.
~Dr. Shannon