06/04/2020
HOME BIRTH IN HOSPITAL:
Many home birth teams are having to suspend their services at the moment as the ambulance services they rely on are too stretched to be able to safely support them.
This means many mums are having to rethink and pivot their birth plans, but with a bit of tweaking and prep can optimise their birth environment in hospital.
At any birth, the aim of the game is to keep adrenaline at bay and encourage the production of oxytocin (our birthing and bonding hormone) and endorphins (our natural pain relief hormones).
For a birth on the labour ward (planned or not) think about the following things to keep down your adrenaline:
⭐️ Breathing. Slow down your breath, particularly your exhale, and your brain stress receptors switch off. It gives your body time to produce oxytocin during the exhale and it allows your blood to become oxygenated and support your uterus muscles and your baby’s placenta.
⭐️ Think about your environment and what you can control. Calm music or relaxation tracks can be played on your headphone or portable speaker. The lighting in the room can de turned off or dimmed and you can bring battery powered tea lights and candles to pop around the room. Think about ways you can make the smell of your room more homely. Pack a relaxing room spray, and a few drops of lavender oil on a cold flannel placed on your forehead/ back of your neck can be transformative. It’s also worth bringing a pillow and pillowcase from home. Hospital pillows tend to be flat as a pancake and it will look and feel like home.
⭐️ Guided relaxations and visualisations. Use these as and when you need them to focus and help put yourself in a positive head space.
⭐️ All the snacks!! Hospital cafes may be closed/ operating on reduced hours at the moment so don’t forget to pack a selection of high energy/ slow release snacks and plenty of fluids (water, coconut water and Lucozade Sport are all fab).
📖 On a hypnobirthing course you will learn all about the above, what options are available to you and what choices you want to think about in advance. As always, knowledge is power 👊
