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S2E7: Birth Prep & Delivery: Essential Tips for a Smooth Experience (#42)
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Let’s talk birth prep—because labor might be unpredictable, but preparing for it doesn’t have to be. In this episode, I’m sharing the products, tools, and practices that have been game-changers in my third trimester. From childbirth education to creating a birth plan that actually reflects your values, we’re covering it all. I also break down why pelvic floor strength, core stability, and mobility are key for labor. Whether you’re weeks away from delivery or just starting to plan, this episode is packed with practical tips to help you feel informed, empowered, and ready.
In this episode, we talk about…
- Some products and tools I’ve loved using and recommend for birth preparation
- What preparation in terms of childbirth education might look like, including online courses, in-person courses and books I’ve learned a lot from
- Creating a birth plan
- Why Pelvic Floor, Core Strength & Mobility for Labor are important and how you can implement them into your routine
- And other useful tools to prepare for childbirth
Resources:
- Follow me at @taylorraeroman, everywhere
- Full episode transcription and citations: https://taylorraeroman.com/on-the-outside-podcast
Keep In Touch:
- Visit taylorraeroman.com
- Instagram @taylorraeroman
- TikTok @taylorraeroman
- YouTube @taylorraeroman
- ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/taylorraeroman
- Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/taylorraealmonte — includes my baby registry picks and postpartum favorites
Discount Codes:
Natural Cycles: Use code TAYLORRAE for 15% off an annual plan + free thermometer / natural-cycles.sjv.io/xLQLkx
Tinyhood: Use code TAYLORR20 for 20% off up to 12 months of membership / https://tinyhood.sjv.io/c/2688864/957205/12776.
Disclaimer: The information shared on On the Outside is for informational and educational purposes only. I am not a doctor, medical professional, or licensed healthcare provider. The content of this podcast is based on my personal experiences and research, but it should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult with your doctor or a qualified healthcare professional before making any decisions related to your pregnancy, health, or well-being. Every pregnancy is unique, and what works for one person may not be right for another.
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Overview
00:00:07
Speaker
Hello, hello. Welcome back. My name is Taylor Rae and this is On the Outside.
00:00:20
Speaker
In today's episode, we talk all about birth prep and delivery. This is what we get into.
Essential Birth Prep Tools and Education
00:00:27
Speaker
Some products and tools I've loved using and recommend for birth prep.
00:00:32
Speaker
What preparation in terms of childbirth education might look like, including online courses, in-person courses, and books that I've learned a lot from. Creating a birth plan.
00:00:44
Speaker
why pelvic floor, core strength, and mobility for labor are important, and how you can implement them into your routine, and other useful tools to prepare for childbirth.
Preferred Birth Experience and Mindset
00:00:58
Speaker
Now, I always knew i wanted an unmedicated birth. i always heard my mom talk about her birth story when, or her labor story, I guess, when I was born and she had an unmedicated birth.
00:01:14
Speaker
She did very minimal preparation and was always like, yeah, it was great. Yeah, it hurts, but like it's fine. And I think having that narrative in my mind made me never really fear childbirth.
00:01:28
Speaker
And then I think back to the fact that my one grandma had seven unmedicated births. My other grandma had five, no C-sections, obviously, because unmedicated C-section sounds insane.
00:01:42
Speaker
I think that goes without saying. um And I feel just like so empowered by that. And it's just been my reality my whole life. These are the stories I grew up hearing.
00:01:53
Speaker
These are the experiences that I grew up learning about. And it was never any pressure like, yeah, and you have to do that. But to me, I just always took that in and thought, yeah, that's going to be my story too. So with that being said, i definitely have put a lot of time into my own birth prep, knowing that I really want this to go as best as possible.
Consulting Professionals and Personal Control
00:02:13
Speaker
And as I've said probably so many times on this podcast, you can only control what you can control.
00:02:19
Speaker
You can only do the best that you can with what you have. You can only use the tools that you possess. And of course, I'm hoping for my birth to go one direction, but I am also fully aware that there are always surprises on this on this journey called life.
00:02:38
Speaker
And as always, I will just do it the best that I can. Before we dive in I wanna remind you, as I always do, that I'm not a doctor or a medical professional.
00:02:49
Speaker
Everything I share in this episode and all episodes is based on my personal experience and research. Always check in with your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health, pregnancy, or preconception journey.
00:03:05
Speaker
Let's get into it.
Recommended Products for Birth Preparation
00:03:09
Speaker
So first, these are some of my must-have products for birth prep. Now, only one of them is kind of expensive and crazy, but we already had it. The rest of them are very attainable and something that I really recommend.
00:03:23
Speaker
First thing is a pregnancy ball. These are like the giant, I think what are they called, Bosu balls or something? um These are like, some people call them yoga balls, some people call them exercise balls. I've heard them called a million things.
00:03:36
Speaker
but they're the giant rubbery balls. I always saw them in my gym and was like, I'm never going to use that. I've never used it. Some people use it for like core workouts or other things. I never used it as like a piece of gym equipment, but I did order one and you want to, there's kind of two different main sizes.
00:03:56
Speaker
One, if you're, I think like under five, six or five, seven, and one, if you're taller than that. So you want to make sure you get the right size so that when you sit on it, it is comfortable.
00:04:07
Speaker
And the pregnancy ball is just so, so great for your mobility in your pelvis, for your mobility in your hips. It really helps you sit up straighter, helps with your posture, your back pain.
00:04:20
Speaker
I love my pregnancy ball. I have it at my desk and that is where I sit when I take meetings or for a couple hours a day when I'm on my computer. And then I also do, you know, my hip circles, my figure eights, my forward and back pelvic tilts.
00:04:36
Speaker
on my pregnancy ball. And I feel like it is just such a great resource. And you can get into that early on in your pregnancy. I think I got mine...
00:04:47
Speaker
in week 20 something. um And honestly, I could have gotten it sooner because all it's really doing is just like loosening you up and helping you feel good. I haven't had tons of back pain, which I feel very lucky. i haven't really had much swelling.
00:05:01
Speaker
And I think some of it is because of these things. Some of it's also genetics. I mean, we gotta be honest. Some of these things are also genetics. It's like nothing I could have done would have changed this. It's just how my body is.
00:05:14
Speaker
But the pregnancy ball, we love. My doula loves it. Every doula I've ever spoken to loves the pregnancy ball. Next up, super simple, is just a yoga mat. Something that you can, a nice surface for daily stretching and movement practices. um We're going to get a little bit more into pelvic floor and mobility later in today's episode.
00:05:35
Speaker
But a yoga mat is great. I got rid of my yoga mat in my frantic nesting and cleaning because I was like, it's stained. I need a new one. So I don't even have a yoga mat right now. So I'm just like breaking my knees on the floor whenever I'm doing my mobility and stretching. I'm still getting it done, but it doesn't feel great. So I would recommend a yoga mat.
00:05:56
Speaker
This is the kind of expensive one that I told you was a little crazy, compression boots. We have the Hyperice compression boots and my husband got those as a little treat to himself when he started running marathons.
00:06:07
Speaker
And we paid for it with like, what is it? Our FSA or something. So you can, um you know, pay for it that way. So that's great because they are pricey, but compression boots are incredible to reduce swelling in the feet and the legs, which we know pregnant women really deal with a lot.
00:06:26
Speaker
So of course you want to check with your doctor if you have something like high blood pressure or you have something else going on. Compression boots might not be best for you. So you always want to check that out and double check that it is safe for you. But I've been loving the compression boots. After a long day on my feet, we went to a museum and I had the least supportive shoes on in my life.
00:06:47
Speaker
My legs were so, oh my gosh, in pain and the compression boots saved me. So love the compression boots. And with that, I didn't actually write this in my script originally, but I'll also say compression socks.
00:07:02
Speaker
Love me some compression socks and highly recommend that as well. um Next up is perineal massage oil.
00:07:13
Speaker
Now, the perineum is... I'm going to get a little sciencey and we get a little graphic, okay? So listen up. The perineum is the area between the anus and the vulva.
00:07:25
Speaker
Perineal massage can be formed in the weeks leading up to childbirth. Now, the goal of this is to increase the alert the ahla elasticity, oh my gosh, and flexibility in the tissues in that area.
00:07:40
Speaker
Potentially, this could reduce the risk of tearing um during a vaginal delivery. There is some good research on this. Of course, it's linked on the website as always, which you could find in the show notes.
00:07:52
Speaker
um I have not started doing any perineal massage. It's recommended to do a couple weeks before your due date. And there's, I've heard a couple different things on it.
00:08:02
Speaker
um I'm going to check in with my doula the next time I see her, see what her thoughts are on it. Really, there's no harm that I have read about that can occur from doing this type of massage. I'm also going to check in with my ob b ah my appointment tomorrow, actually.
00:08:21
Speaker
um But that is something that a lot of people, it's becoming more and more popular to do this massage. So having massage oil, some people use coconut oil. There's a tons of different things that you can use um as a lubricant while you do that so that you don't hurt yourself.
00:08:36
Speaker
And I would look into it more if it's something that you're interested in. Next thing would be supportive pillows, friends.
Comfort and Pain Relief Strategies
00:08:43
Speaker
you You know, I have a friend that did not use any pregnancy pillows, and I don't know how, because I have three, and I still am turning over like a rotisserie chicken in the night.
00:08:55
Speaker
with so much so much discomfort and sleeping is tough while you're pregnant so i have a giant like c-shaped pillow and i also have a wedge that goes underneath my belly and then it velcros onto an attached pillow that goes behind my back for some back support and then i'm sleeping with three pillows to basically sit up in my sleep because of my acid reflux So whatever you might need to try and get yourself together for sleep, that is another kind of must-have product for baby prep.
00:09:27
Speaker
And lastly, another thing that's super simple, I would say, is a foam roller. Foam roller is so great, going to really help release a lot of that, especially lower body pain and soreness and achiness.
00:09:39
Speaker
I also use my foam roller because I sit on it when I'm in a super deep squat. It just gives me an extra little boost of support. You can also do a yoga block for that same amount of support.
00:09:50
Speaker
um So a foam roller is also a really great tool. So that's my little list of some products for birth prep. Next up, let's talk a little bit about education and classes.
00:10:01
Speaker
So for online classes, I have opted for classes on Tinyhood, and I actually was able to get a code for you guys that I'll put in the show notes. Trust me, I paid full out-of-pocket price for Tinyhood, okay? So I really mean this. I did all the research, and this was just the platform that I chose.
00:10:20
Speaker
They have some really, really long, like two hour-ish videos that go super in-depth, but they're broken down into modules. So you don't have to watch all two hours at once. We didn't, we broke it down.
00:10:32
Speaker
And then they have a bunch of shorter videos for things like anything from how to change a diaper to infant CPR. So I really like Tiny Hood because it has tons and tons of videos, everything from labor and delivery, which of course is what we're talking about today,
00:10:48
Speaker
through kind of like toddlerhood, and that's really awesome. So those online classes, um any kind of online class, even free ones that are on YouTube, I think that's so useful just to give you some foundational knowledge.
00:11:02
Speaker
Like what are the stages of labor? How do I know if I'm progressing? How do you time contractions? What can I expect when I walk into the doors of the hospital? Like I'm in labor, I get to the hospital, what happens?
00:11:15
Speaker
After my baby's born, then what happens? How do I deliver the placenta? What kind of like medicine or interventions does my baby usually get after they're born?
00:11:27
Speaker
How long am I at the hospital? These questions are... They seem so basic, but I didn't know the answer to any of them. So an online class is a great way to kind of get that foundational knowledge so that you kind of have some understanding of what you should expect when you go into this situation. Another really great option is in-person birth classes.
00:11:52
Speaker
Now there's tons of different kind of schools of thought or methods based on what kind of birth experience you want to have. i did my birthing class at Carriage House in Brooklyn.
00:12:05
Speaker
I really loved it. It was their, I think it's called their express class maybe. It's just three hours, all the information. So it's not like an hour once a week for several weeks. It's just kind of all at once.
00:12:17
Speaker
And my doula recommended that knowing that I have the additional support of her, of course, and also knowing that I have read so many books about pregnancy, childbirth, delivery, breastfeeding, that at this point, I don't really think for me personally, along with having even like my tiny hood classes that I'm doing online, I knew that I didn't really need like a full course because I like to do a lot of learning on my own.
00:12:46
Speaker
But if you're the kind of person that you're like, oh, I really like someone to hold my hand, guide me, provide the information. I don't want to look up how reputable the source is. i don't want to read an entire book. Or maybe you don't have time for that.
00:13:02
Speaker
right Maybe you just want to dedicate an hour a week to a class and know that you just show up, you get the information, and then you keep it but keep it moving. um an in-person class that is several weeks long might be great for you if that is more your speed.
00:13:19
Speaker
I loved doing it, just like being around... other pregnant women and getting to like try the hands-on with my partner, like counterpressure and the massage and all of that stuff that we learned at the class. I was like, this is super cool. The breathing exercise is like, I really liked the in-person.
Resources for Childbirth Education
00:13:36
Speaker
Now let me just run you through um the top recommendations of books for birth prep that I've read. And of course, these will be in the show notes, so you don't got to memorize them. But Fertility Rules,
00:13:48
Speaker
Love that book. Very foundational knowledge. Talks a lot about preconception. Crib Sheet, a very awesome evidence-based decision-making book for birth and also for parenting.
00:13:59
Speaker
That one goes into toddlerhood a little bit. So if you feel like I don't really need that much information, you could just read the beginning of the book now and save the other half of the book for later down the road. The Doula's Guide to Empowering Birth. Friend, I loved this book.
00:14:15
Speaker
I felt like it was so good, so warm so warm, so welcoming, like for any kind of birth that you might want. I'm going for a natural and medicated birth, but if you're going for a planned scheduled C-section, if you're going for the epidural, whatever you're going for, this book was like very nonjudgmental and welcoming. And I love that because I feel like sometimes...
00:14:37
Speaker
It's either, oh you want an unmedicated birth? What, do you want an award? Like, what are you suffering for? Or it's, oh, I could never do a medicated birth. I want to be all natural.
00:14:48
Speaker
Like, just this judgment that is so unnecessary. And this book was like a breath of fresh air because I felt like it was so nice to me. And i learned so much about um birth.
00:15:00
Speaker
And Your Birth Plan, another great one, Very Great Vibes, understanding your choices and creating a plan for childbirth. Right now, I'm actually finishing this book called Hypnobirthing, Practical Ways to Make Your Birth Better. Now, hypnobirthing does not mean that you're getting hypnotized.
00:15:18
Speaker
That's what I thought. That is not true. it is really just getting information on anatomically what is going on in the body, hormonally what is going on in the body.
00:15:29
Speaker
How do we even get the baby out? Once you understand like what needs to happen in the body and why and what hormones are required and what kind of process is required to get the baby out,
00:15:44
Speaker
it's a lot easier to be able to kind of visualize and think about how you want to respond and react in that moment. And that's really what hypnobirthing is about. It's all like mindfulness techniques to really be in that positive head space, to have the oxytocin flowing, to really just have a positive pregnancy. And again,
00:16:04
Speaker
Very much like nonjudgmental vibes, basically saying, you know, this is to empower you and for you to have mindfulness techniques no matter what might happen um in your pregnancy. So loving that book, not done with it yet.
00:16:19
Speaker
And finally, Better Breastfeeding. This book was written by a doctor and talks all about nursing and breastfeeding from a doctor's perspective. Again, very not judgmental.
00:16:30
Speaker
very much like, hey, babe, not everyone can actually breastfeed. Not everyone um is a good fit for this. Not every baby is a good fit for this. And these are some of the reasons why. These are some of the things you can do. This is kind of the evidence on that. And you know I love an evidence-based book.
00:16:47
Speaker
So better breastfeeding. Got to be honest with you, I'm listening to that one on audiobook. Haven't read it with my eyeballs, but did read it with my ears. And I'm really loving that book right now. I'm almost done with that one as well.
00:17:01
Speaker
All of these books I also borrowed from my public library using my public library's app. So I would really recommend checking that out, especially if there's tons of books that you want to look into around these topics.
00:17:15
Speaker
It's going to save you a lot of money. Instead of buying them if you don't even know if you're gonna like them. I like them, but you don't know if you're going to, right? So borrowing them from the library, such a good option.
00:17:26
Speaker
And that's kind of my little spiel on education and that kind of prep.
Mental Preparation and Decision Making
00:17:32
Speaker
Now, I'll talk a little bit more about mental preparation as I get into this next section, which is creating your birth plan and using BRAIN, which is an acronym, B-R-A-I-N.
00:17:45
Speaker
And really a lot of this is about getting yourself in the right mental headspace to give birth. Before I had all the information that I now have, like I started this episode with, I felt pretty great about having an unmedicated vaginal delivery.
00:18:03
Speaker
I felt like that was my path. That felt right for me. i felt aligned with what I've been telling myself pretty much my entire life that I thought I would ever become a parent. And it just felt very true to me.
00:18:16
Speaker
So as I continued to learn more information I think staying true to myself and trying to figure out maybe what new information might change my mind and what new information continued to support what I initially wanted and really just being curious has allowed me to really stay in a positive headspace.
00:18:41
Speaker
I was terrified of something like a C-section. i thought that that would be so scary. And I spoke to one of my friends and she said, Oh, really? I would definitely do a scheduled C-section. That would actually bring me so much less anxiety.
00:18:53
Speaker
And I kind of realized that there, it really depends on how you look at every single situation that could happen in birth. And the way she saw that as such a positive thing, when I saw it as such a terrifying thing,
00:19:06
Speaker
made me kind of reframe my thoughts and really encouraged me to find the positive in anything. Because overall, I don't want my birth to happen to me.
00:19:18
Speaker
i want to be an active and present participant in my labor and delivery experience. I want to understand what is going on and be able to weigh in and make choices of course, with the doctor's guidance, right? I'm having a baby in a hospital.
00:19:36
Speaker
I'm not having a home birth. I'm not having it at a birthing center because I felt like a hospital was the right place for me. So of course I trust my doctors. I trust my team, but I wanted to be an active participant in my childbirth story.
00:19:51
Speaker
And so this is where my head is at at this point. So as we go into talking a little bit more about birth plans, I just want you to know um where my head is at because it has made me feel a lot more confident, comfortable, and honestly excited for childbirth.
00:20:11
Speaker
So a birth plan is a written summary of your preferences for when you're in labor and giving birth. It includes things like what position you might want to give birth in, what pain relief you might prefer, and who you would you would like to have with you at your birth.
00:20:27
Speaker
I just did my full birth plan. actually just made a TikTok about it. So if you want to read it in depth, you can see it on there. What I will say about my birth plan is one, there are so many templates online so you can get a very clear understanding of what a birth plan might look like.
00:20:43
Speaker
My doctor actually sent me um through the app that we use, um kind of a questionnaire that was a birth plan. Like, are you planning on using any medication?
00:20:54
Speaker
Do you want your child to be circumcised? Do you want your child to receive these vaccines or this medication after they're born? Do you intend to use any of these items at the hospital, like a birthing ball or a squatting bar?
00:21:06
Speaker
um Just all these questions. Do you want to be connected to your IV or do you want to have a hep lock, which is basically they can quickly connect you to an IV, but you don't need to be attached to the machine?
00:21:20
Speaker
Do you want your baby to have continuous monitoring or Bluetooth monitoring or intermittent monitoring? And that's also decided based on if you're low risk, high risk. um If they need to do constant monitoring, for example.
00:21:34
Speaker
But all of these questions, the reason I'm not going super in-depth with every single thing that could be on your birth plan is because it's going to be so different based on if you are wanting a birth that is Similar to mine, an unmedicated vaginal birth, if you're wanting a planned C-section, if you're wanting to use an epidural.
00:21:52
Speaker
All of these things will change so much about your birth plan. I also have a section in mind that's if a emergency C-section is needed, these are my preferences.
00:22:03
Speaker
Things like my husband getting to do skin-to-skin with the baby if I'm not able to right away. Things like my husband staying with the baby um and you know going off with him if necessary if I...
00:22:16
Speaker
can't go with the baby wherever he might be wherever they might need to take him um for extra care. And so having your birth plan is really just getting to manifest, okay, if everything was perfect, if everything went the best way possible, what would my birth look like?
00:22:35
Speaker
And I think that's such an amazing exercise to do because then you get to have that moment of, and anything is possible. What would I want if anything was possible and I could have the perfect birth experience?
00:22:48
Speaker
And I personally loved writing my birth plan. Of course, you have to be flexible. You have to be willing to be flexible. And I think that's where hypnobirthing has really, really inspired and helped me.
00:23:02
Speaker
um But you also have to advocate for yourself.
Advocacy and Informed Choices
00:23:05
Speaker
A lot of people feel like, again, that their birth experience is something that happens to them. They're told what is happening and they feel like they have no say in it.
00:23:16
Speaker
Trust me, if there is an emergency at the you know at the hospital that you're giving birth at, if that's where you're choosing to give birth, if there's an emergency,
00:23:28
Speaker
they're going to just come in and go for it They're going to tell you this is what's happening. It's an emergency. But if they're saying, hey, you're not really progressing that much. Do you think you want to do this?
00:23:39
Speaker
Or hey, your baby is, you know, this is your due date and this is where we are. do you think you want to schedule an induction? Or hey, it's close to this holiday. Do you want to just have a C-section so you can be done before the holiday comes?
00:23:52
Speaker
All of those things, you do have choices. And so this is where the BRAIN acronym comes in. My doula has said it to me, my birthing class has said it to me, tiny hood has said it to me, my hypnobirthing book has said it to me.
00:24:07
Speaker
Everyone's using this acronym. So BRAIN stands for, basically, if you're in the situation that a medical professional comes in and tells you,
00:24:19
Speaker
we want XYZ to happen, or we recommend XYZ to happen, or this is the next step in your labor experience.
00:24:30
Speaker
This is when you want to use your brain. B stands for benefits. What are the advantages of doing whatever is being recommended to me? R stands for risks.
00:24:42
Speaker
What are the possible downsides of doing whatever is recommended? A is for i alternatives. What other options exist? i is for intuition.
00:24:56
Speaker
What is your gut feeling? N is for nothing. What happens if we do nothing or wait? So brain, benefits, risks, alternatives, intuition, and nothing.
00:25:11
Speaker
These are some things that you can you can take your time and consider if your doctor says, for example, hey, we think that you should do this intervention, you can always say, i need a couple minutes. And then you can go down this list, use your brain, and be able to check in with your doctor, your medical team, whoever it might be, to find an answer.
00:25:36
Speaker
So I think having this kind of information, being able to know that you can advocate for yourself is a huge part of preparing for birth.
00:25:47
Speaker
Now let's take a second to get into pelvic floor, core strength, and mobility for labor.
Pelvic and Core Strengthening Exercises
00:25:53
Speaker
I'm gonna talk about this a little bit more briefly because I feel that it's kind of difficult to explain without having the visual.
00:26:02
Speaker
And your girl, even though I have a kajillion fitness and sports certifications. I'm actually not pre-postnatal certified. What I will say is that my background in sports and all my certifications have allowed me to really understand what's going on for my body.
00:26:21
Speaker
And within myself, I've had a lot of success in using some of these tools. Like for example, all my pregnant friends have said, oh, I peed on myself all the time. Every time I sneezed, every time I coughed.
00:26:34
Speaker
Friends, I've only peed on myself once. It was when I sneezed and I am so proud that in 32 weeks of pregnancy, i have only had a little tiny pee one time.
00:26:48
Speaker
That is pretty awesome and pretty rare. Everyone else is peeing on themselves all day and that's okay. And if you're someone that's peeing on yourself all day, That's okay.
00:26:59
Speaker
But I knew before I got pregnant, the pelvic floor was not strong. So I actually started doing pelvic floor exercises about six months before even getting pregnant. And I'm so glad I did because otherwise this pelvic floor was not strong. I'm telling you, would jumped on a trampoline with a friends a couple years ago and I peed every single time I jumped. Like every single time I jumped, I peed a little.
00:27:21
Speaker
And I was like, hmm, that's not a good sign. So trust me, I've been on the other side. But having my background has allowed me to have a lot of success in some of the things I'm gonna talk to you about.
00:27:31
Speaker
But of course, there are specialists that focus on things like pelvic floor therapy. You're gonna see a lot of YouTube videos, a lot of TikToks about core strength and mobility and pelvic floor support for pregnant women.
00:27:45
Speaker
You want to make sure that you're always checking in with yourself. Ideally, you're checking in with a certified trainer that's pre-postnatal certified. And you are making sure that nothing is making you feel uncomfortable in your body and that you can always reach out to your doctor if something just isn't sitting right with you because not everyone truly has the background and expertise to advise on these things, right?
00:28:10
Speaker
So what I do want to say is that pelvic floor health matters so much for birth and postpartum recovery. Public floor muscles support the uterus, the bladder, and the rectum. They can definitely be weakened or injured during pregnancy and childbirth and lead to issues like incontinence, incontinence AKA pee-peeing yourself, prolapse.
00:28:30
Speaker
Peeing on yourself while in you know the way I was talking about it in a more lighthearted way, ha ha he he, it is not something that we want, friends. It is not something that we want. And anyone that deals with incontinence knows that it is not a joking matter. it can be really, really tough.
00:28:48
Speaker
So again, there's only so much we can control, right? Every childbirth is different. um every Every single person's pelvic floor is gonna be affected a little bit differently.
00:28:59
Speaker
But what can we do? We can do some exercises to both strengthen and relax the pelvic floor. We wanna strengthen it so that it can support the the growing baby in our belly. We also want to learn how to relax it so that when we're in labor, we can actually push the baby out through a relaxed pelvic floor.
00:29:20
Speaker
So some exercises that I love to engage the pelvic floor, some of these are to strengthen, some of them are to relax. This is not like a prescriptive workout plan or anything like that. This is just a shout out to some of my favorites, are cat cows, pelvic tilts, figure eights, and various stretches on the birthing ball. So we've been lunges on the birthing ball.
00:29:41
Speaker
Diaphragmatic breathing or deep core breathing, 360 breathing, I love. 360 breathing has saved me from all the times that I felt I couldn't breathe during this pregnancy because I've learned how to really breathe it deeply into almost my back, almost like my lats is kind of where you visually see it when you do 360 breathing.
00:30:05
Speaker
tabletop core holds, bird dogs, and of course, kegels, which everyone talks about when we talk about the pelvic floor. So these are just some shout outs of my favorites. Again, definitely check in with a professional for a very specific plan if you want to do some more pelvic floor exercises or check out a pelvic floor therapist.
00:30:29
Speaker
In terms of core strength, there are some pregnancy-friendly core exercises. My favorite are anti-rotational exercises. So you can't do things like um twists, any sort of twists, any sort of crunches. You can't really do those while you're pregnant.
00:30:45
Speaker
So an anti-rotational exercise, you keep your body straight. You keep your trunk straight. And the goal is to resist against the rotation. So this would be things like cable wood chops, a powloff press, those kinds of movements. And I love doing them. Most them I do with the cable machine.
00:31:04
Speaker
And then you can also do some modified planks like bear planks, at least for the beginning of your pregnancy. And what's really important is that if you were never, ever, ever doing core exercises, if you've never used the cable machine in your life, if you've never done a plank in your life, during pregnancy isn't the time to start.
00:31:22
Speaker
Most recommendations from doctors and experts are that you can continue doing what you've done before pregnancy. So if you want to be able to really support your core during your pregnancy, you gotta start working on the core before your pregnancy.
00:31:38
Speaker
I was doing all these exercises before, so I felt comfortable continuing with it. But you want to make sure you're not just throwing your body into something brand new. um But core strength is definitely something that is going to help because it supports the pelvic floor. And that is going to help with childbirth, labor, and postpartum recovery.
00:31:58
Speaker
Lastly, and wanna talk about mobility. Hip mobility can prepare you for different birthing positions. And honestly, i love doing my hip mobility.
00:32:10
Speaker
Things like child pose with internal and external rotations, 90-90s with the knees or windshield wipers, and deep squats. I try to do deep squats for a few minutes every day, and I was the kind of person that could never squat really deeply without lifting my heels off the ground. And now my squats have gotten so good because it's something I've practiced throughout my pregnancy.
00:32:35
Speaker
So that mobility, that stretching, it is going to really help just open up the pelvis. And of course, does this guarantee that you're gonna have, you know, the baby's just gonna slatter it out? Nothing guarantees that, but one, it feels good, especially when you're feeling super achy.
00:32:53
Speaker
And it is a great way to get baby into a good position. What I would love for you to take away from this episode are some other useful tips and tools for birth prep.
Visualization, Fear Addressing, and Empowerment
00:33:03
Speaker
Things like practicing labor positions and breathing techniques, even if you are getting an epidural, which is different than my experience and what I'm necessarily preparing for, you are still going to feel a little something something. It depends how much you're getting of your epidural.
00:33:19
Speaker
Some hospitals have like a little button where you can crank it up. Some hospitals do not have that. Sometimes you can request to have you know, not as strong of an epidural so that you can feel when your surges are happening and be able to tap into that feeling a little bit more.
00:33:35
Speaker
That's definitely something you want to discuss with your doctor beforehand. But even if you are getting an epidural and you're kind of, um you know, you have to stay on your hospital bed, there are still different labor positions that you can use.
00:33:49
Speaker
There are things like a peanut ball that you can use while you're you know waiting before labor has begun. So working on those things, thinking about them, thinking about breathing techniques, because even if you're using an epidural, we still got to breathe. Even if you are getting a C-section, we still need to breathe.
00:34:06
Speaker
Breathing really can help us stay calm in the zone, in the moment, for any type of labor and delivery. building a support team. If you have doula, a duula partner, a midwife, your OBGYN, whoever that is whatever that looks like.
00:34:24
Speaker
And I can't wait to talk more about experiencing having a doula myself in next week's episode. um Of course, you want to make sure that you're prepared to pack your hospital and your or your birth center bag.
00:34:38
Speaker
We also really want to prep for postpartum, which is what comes after labor and delivery very quickly and swiftly. um i will have an episode on postpartum preparation. That is something I am really thinking about to set myself up for success.
00:34:55
Speaker
And lastly, it's really just the mental and emotional prep that I touched on a little bit earlier. but really just visualizing and manifesting the birth that you want to have. Really, you know, for me, it was diving headfirst into the things I was scared of.
00:35:09
Speaker
Really thinking about, okay, if I did have to get a C-section, what would that be like for me? How can I reframe this for myself? How can I find positivity in here? If I did have to get these interventions that I don't necessarily want, what might that be like?
00:35:22
Speaker
What would I tell myself? How can I calm myself? Thinking these things through has been super empowering for me and allowed me to have a lot less fear around childbirth.
00:35:33
Speaker
Honestly, I can't say I'm scared to give birth. I can say that i feel like i have all the information I can and I feel as empowered as I could possibly be. that's what I want for you. it really, really is for me.
Conclusion and Next Episode Tease
00:35:50
Speaker
Now on next week's episode, I'll be discussing my experience having a doula, how to find one, and why I personally think that you need one. ah so excited to talk about this topic.
00:36:02
Speaker
You can follow me at Taylor Real Monte as always. There's a full transcription of the episode along with citations on my website and all those links are available in the show notes.
00:36:13
Speaker
See you out there.