Top 10 Doula tips when considering your birth preferences. By Jess Welsh, Doula.

There are many factors to consider when deciding your birth options. Here Jess Gives us your top ten tips that you might not have considered.

1. You are likely to have what could be hours or days of laboring at home before you go to your place of birth, even if you have chosen a hospital. Think about what food you may want in the house, where any pets or children will be and if there is anyone else around who can go for walks with you, or stay with you, when your partner (if you have one) rests.

2. Walking in early labour is good. Staying active will help your baby get into an optimal position, but likewise, if you can sleep then do. You will need your energy later. You can take paracetamol throughout labour just like with period pain, if this helps you get some rest.

3. The womb is a muscle which is designed to expel. Your body wants you to birth your baby and it knows what to do. During early labour the muscles are pulling up, therefore thinning and opening your cervix. Once it has done this, the bulk of muscle, now at the top, pushes down and tells you it’s time for baby to come out, 

4. Consider a homebirth. If only for the fact that your antenatal and postnatal appointments often take place in your own home. You’ll be surprised once you dig into the stats. Xx For straightforward physiological birth

5. Saying that, when you’re considering a place of birth, where you feel the most safe is the best place for you to be. But you can change your mind at any time. If you went into labour any UK hospital would welcome you in

6. Never underestimate the power of oxytocin. You want to create a similar birthing environment to what you may have created to make your baby. Dim lights, calming music, surrounded by people you love

7. No contraction is longer than 90 seconds - and that’s about the time it takes to read 2 text messages on a Nokia phone. That’s no time at all, right?

8. If you are lying on your back for labour, your sacrum is physically making the space for your baby to come out, smaller. If you can, try to think about UFO positions - Upright, Forward and open.They will help get baby where they need to be. If you have a epidural, ask for a peanut ball to help you change position

9. If you have an epidural, it is possible for the dose to be controlled around the pushing phase, to give you a higher chance of being able to feel when you are contracting

10. Floppy face, floppy fanny. This is the mantra you want to remember. Hypnobirthing isn’t a whole load of hippies chanting, it’s actually sports science for birth. It helps you understand your physiology and what is happening - including the connection between your jaw and vulva - and equips you with tools to allow you to be in control of your labour - and not to let it control you

If you are interested in a getting a doula for your birth check out Jess's videos

An amazing Doula is @thenakeddoula and she has great materials with lots of tips.

https://app.thenakeddoula.com/