I’m not a birth preparation expert, but I offer my Pregnancy Power-UP(r) clients two things that I have learned that are useful as they prepare for birth.
Firstly, squats are important. Strong legs and hips will give you more options for birthing positions. Stamina will be your friend. I’ve been told this from successive women who’ve thanked me for all the squats in class.
Secondly, don’t let anyone tell you what to do with your body.
Women come to my class for an exercise session that will build their strength. I’m there to create that and to offer solutions or alternatives if things feel bad. Don’t want to do split squats? Let’s find a modification that works. Just don’t want to do any squats? Don’t.
Instead, grab a massage ball and do some self-release work on sore muscles. Or stand and stare into space, that’s fine too.
I’ll want to know if you’re all right or if you need help, but if you don’t – it’s your choice.
I believe that this is the best birth preparation advice there is – you are in charge.
Sometimes it seems we’re a lot more accepting of bodily autonomy when it comes to abortion than when it comes to birth.
In birth, as in the whole of medicine, you cannot be treated unless you actively agree. Even if health professionals don’t agree with your decisions about your body, they must respect them. The power is yours to accept or refuse treatment, whether it’s having your blood pressure checked or being taken for an emergency c-section.
The least I can do is give women the space to practice this essential childbirth skill.
This needs to be said because there’s a prevailing culture of letting medical professionals take charge instead of being our partners in our health. And because we still know more about how our phones work than how our wombs work.
For more like this, have your mind blown by the bloody brilliant Milli Hills wonderful book Give Birth Like A Feminist