Short summary of my labor and delivery experience:

I had an all natural vaginal delivery at 40 weeks +4 days.

No epidural or medical interventions.

I gave birth in a hospital under the care of a midwife. I also hired a doula.

I utilized hypnobirthing as my method of breathing, focus, and deep relaxation to allow my body to work how it is designed and to aid in increasing the hormones that allow for natural pain relief throughout every stage of labor and delivery. 

I labored for 20 hours.

I labored in a birthing tub for part of the time.

 I pushed for 20 minutes.

After giving birth, I received stitches for a 2nd degree tear (very common for women who give birth vaginally).

I loved the experience. It was amazing to be able to understand what my body was doing at each stage of labor.

Things I did during pregnancy:

🤍Chiropractor: Every other week starting July 7 to ease my lower back pain. This helped a lot! From 35 weeks on, I went every week.

🤍Listened to hypnobirthing audios throughout pregnancy and more toward the last couple weeks. I would listen whenever I felt tired and wanted to take a nap. I would drift off to sleep listening to them.

🤍Took the Mama Natural Birth Online Class.

🤍One prenatal massage at 37 weeks.

🤍I ate dates starting at 37 weeks (I prefer the medjool dates...they are so great with coconut butter).

🤍I drank Red Raspberry Leaf Tea starting at 38 weeks (I really enjoyed the taste of it and looked forward to it each night).

Mama Natural Online Birth Class

Cody and I took this birth class together and learned SO much. It truly helped me to know what to expect and to formulate my birth plan.

Hypnobirthing

I bought the $69 bundle with the hypnobirthing audios and the written course. I read the 300 page PDF Hypnobirthing Course Manual and I am so thankful I did. It was the most comprehensive and informative thing I did to educate myself on all things labor and delivery. I felt very prepared going into labor with this knowledge. During labor, I listened to the "Adrift" audio from this class and it helped me to deeply relax and created a really peaceful atmosphere in the delivery room. 

Taking Cara Babies: Online Sleep Classes

AMAZING. I think this should be a required online class for every new parent. 

Do your research on vaccines for children

Before you make a decision either way, please research.You want to be confident in your decision. This book was a great resource for raising children with a robust immune system. Rather than a one-size-fits-all vaccine strategy, the authors suggest thoughtful, individualized decisions based on research and collaboration between parents and clinicians—a plan to optimize a child’s immune system and minimize any risks. This book cuts through the rhetoric surrounding vaccines. It offers validation to those who avoid some or all vaccines, while offering those who do want to vaccinate help on how to do so safely. This book is about so much more than just vaccines—this book is a comprehensive guide to children’s health that gives you everything you need to know to keep your children safe and healthy to the best of your ability.

Feel free to make a copy of my birth plan and change any of the parts that you'd like to customize it to your preferences. In Google Docs, go to "File" --> "Make A Copy"

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