5 ways to support a physiological birth

If you're hoping for a physiological birth (that's a birth that unfolds without medical intervention, led by your body and baby), you might be wondering where to even begin?!

The good news is that there's plenty you can do in pregnancy to give yourself the best possible chance of a calm, confident birth.

Here are my five favourite places to start.

1. Think about your birth environment

Birth is a bit like sleep or going to the toilet: it works best when we feel safe, private and unobserved. When we feel safe, our bodies release oxytocin, the hormone that drives labour. When we feel watched, rushed or on edge, adrenaline can step in and get in the way of all the good birth hormones.

So think about what helps you feel safe. That might look like:

• Privacy: fewer people coming in and out, and knocking before they enter

• Dim lighting: switch off the big overhead lights, or bring battery candles or a small lamp

• Less disruption: keep chat and interruptions to a minimum, so you can stay in your own world

• Your own touches: a playlist, a scent you love, cosy blankets, your favourite pillow

Wherever you're planning to birth, home, birth centre or hospital, there's always something you can make the space feel like yours. It may even be as simpl

e as bringing and eye mask and some ear plugs or headphones to shut everything out.

2. Move, move, move

Your body was made to move in labour, and your baby needs room to wiggle and rotate down through your pelvis. Staying upright and mobile, and changing position often, can help baby find their way.

However, on a labour ward it's very easy to end up lying on your back on the bed which is why it's so important to have your birth partner on board with the birth prep so they can help with things like this. In the midst of contractions, you'll likely not be thinking logically and be easily guided to lie down but having someone there to gently suggest an alternative can change how your labour might progress.

Try practising things like:

• Rocking and swaying on a birth ball

• Leaning forwards over a bed, a chair or your partner

• Hands and knees, or kneeling with your chest supported

• Slow, circular hip movements

• Lunges and side-lying positions (great for resting!)

The more familiar these feel in pregnancy, the more naturally you'll reach for them in labour.

And if you're in a hospital setting, remember you can ask to move freely. Lying flat on your back isn't your only option.

3. Build your support team and know how to advocate

Who is in the room matters, and so does how prepared they are. Choose people who make you feel calm, who trust your body, and who will help you stay focused on what you want.

It also really helps to understand your options together before labour begins. Learn about the choices you'll be offered, ask questions, and get comfortable with the idea that you're allowed to take your time, ask for more information, and say no.

A handy tool is BRAIN:

• Benefits: what are the benefits?

• Risks: what are the risks?

• Alternatives: is there another option?

• Intuition: what does my gut say?

• Nothing: what if we wait, or do nothing for now?

A doula can be a brilliant part of this, offering continuous, non-judgemental support to you and your partner, and helping you feel heard.

4. Stay fuelled and hydrated

Labour is hard work. Your body is doing something pretty much like a marathon, and it needs energy to keep going. Eating and drinking in labour is often overlooked, but it can

make a real difference to how you feel, especially when you don't know how long it's going to last.

Pack a bag of easy, nourishing options that you can nibble on between surges:

• Slow release snacks like oat bars, toast, bananas or dates

• Honey sticks or jelly sweets for a quick boost

• Coconut water or an electrolyte drink

• Water with a straw (so you can sip without changing position)

Little and often is the key.

5. Prepare your mind with calm, confident birth education

The fifth piece is your mindset.

Fear and tension can make labour feel more intense, whereas feeling informed and relaxed can help your body do what it knows how to do.

Hypnobirthing is a fantastic way to build these skills. Through breathing techniques, relaxation, visualisation, hypnosis tracks and positive affirmations, you learn to stay calm and work with your body (and pain) rather than against it. It's also a great way for your birth partner to feel confident about how they can support you.

A final thought...

No one can promise how a birth will go, but preparing in these areas can help you feel calm, capable and ready for whatever unfolds. Whatever your birth looks like, you deserve to feel supported, informed and in control.

If you'd like to chat about birth preparation, whether that's hypnobirthing, doula support or both, I'd love to hear from you. You can book a free call here.

Emma x