How to have a positive and natural birthing experience

Pregnancy and labor can be a very overwhelming time filled with many emotions such as excitement and fear. While pregnancy is generally reflected in a positive light, the same cannot be said about labor, and this is all before the potential for postpartum pajamas and depression and everything that comes after the labor. There is a general sense of negativity that surrounds the labor experience. That’s particularly true when we talk about natural birthing. We hear of very few positive examples of natural, drug-free childbirths.

“The truth is that with the right preparation one can achieve a successful drug-free childbirth…”

And, there is a lot of fear behind this type of experience and it is seen as un-normal.

With so little natural birth education passed along to mothers-to-be, it is no wonder that many women are not confident in their body’s innate ability to birth naturally without narcotics and why medical births are the new norm.

With C-sections up 53% since 1996, these procedures are being used on women with little or no complications. Common medical interventions include Pitocin, Epidurals and Cesarean section surgeries. The truth is that with the right preparation one can achieve successful drug-free childbirth. This article will discuss how to practice for childbirth and take control of the birthing experience.

“We have a secret in our culture, and it’s not that birth is painful; it’s that women are strong.” -Laura Stavoe Harm

How to prepare for natural labor:

Over the years there has become less and less of a focus on enhancing women’s confidence in the ability of the body during labor. Simply spending more time educating women on how to handle the birthing process, as well as fostering an environment to help make the mother as comfortable as possible, are healthier and less expensive alternatives to the interventions. These following methods may reduce labor pain naturally and help women to birth without interferences.

1. Surround yourself with a positive concept of birth

With so much negative energy regarding birth, it is not surprising that many women fear birthing the way it was originally intended. Hollywood has dramatized the event with depictions of women screaming at their husbands while begging the doctors to eliminate the pain. In addition to the negative portrayals, very few women themselves have positive birth stories to share and take it upon themselves to share these adverse encounters with other pregnant women.

“…many women who take a proactive role in their labor and make the effort to make it enjoyable have had very positive experiences…”

]One of the best things an expecting mother can do is create their own perception of the birthing experience by avoiding any and all negativity. Labor does not need to be a dreadful experience and in fact, many women who take a proactive role in their labor and make the effort to make it enjoyable have had very positive experiences. Seek out these women and listen to their empowering birth stories.

2. Plan and Visualize

Many mothers feel like patients rather than participants in their labor, by having a strong understanding about how birth and the body work a woman can take an active role in making the right decisions for her body. Creating a birth plan can ensure that the birthing environment is a positive one. Imagery and visualization are other powerful tools for women to practice prior to labor. Envisioning successful labor can help build confidence in the woman’s ability to birth naturally without medical interventions coming into play. Tight and tense muscles can prevent the body from opening, which is essential in order for labor to progress. Practicing imagery and visualization towards the end of your pregnancy and during labor helps to condition the mind and reduce stress and anxiety.

3. Increase knowledge & trust intuition

Read books, attend classes and become as up to date as you can on birth in general. By learning as much as you can about the process and how the body works the woman can be inspired to let nature run its course while trusting in the wondrous ability of the human body to do what it was made to do. Birthing is a very natural experience. In fact, women birthed without medical interventions for millions of years before modern medicine brainwashed us. Now, we believe that medical involvements were a better alternative than letting the body act naturally. By educating oneself on the natural progression of labor you are reinforcing confidence in the body’s innate power.

4. Be mindful of fears and emotions

Birth is such a life-changing event it would be impossible to not have fears and emotions associated with the experience. Ignoring these fears does no service. You must encounter your fears and work on releasing them through meditation and visualization. By acknowledging worries the woman is able to work towards overcoming those reservations throughout pregnancy to ensure a blissful birth.

5. Connect with Body, Mind, and Spirit

Yoga is one of the most popular forms of exercise during pregnancy and combines gentle stretching, relaxation and breathing techniques. This ancient practice increases internal awareness and focus that helps create confidence and trust in your body while also bonding with your baby. It can lower blood pressure and prevents and relieves aches and pains that impinge on the body during pregnancy.

Yoga builds stamina, relaxes the pelvis, and helps the baby transition into an optimal birthing position. The relaxation response can significantly improve your overall health and well-being. Research shows that when people engage the relaxation response daily it can reduce feelings of depression, anxiety, and chronic pain. And, it can also improve blood pressure, immunity, and self-esteem. Relaxation helps to create endorphins, which help to decrease pain during labor, whereas fear causes the release of stress hormones and catecholamine that can increase pain and duration of labor.

Meditation helps to create melatonin, which is released into the bloodstream during stress-inducing times. It also produces endorphins that have very powerful pain-relieving effects, similar to morphine. The more dedicated the woman is to her prenatal meditation, the less afraid she will be of preconceived pain prior to the onset of labor.

`This allows the woman to be less disturbed by any actual pain. Therefore, it creates feelings of joy. Frequent practice results in higher levels of endorphins during labor. Regular practice of yoga and meditation is essential to prepare the mind and body for labor.

6. Supportive Network

Making sure to have people around who support your decisions is extremely important.

Without health care providers, friends and family members to support your decision it can be very difficult. Create a strong support system for the positive birthing environment. This enables the mother to be the love and encouragement she needs.

Making the effort to practice regularly, becoming educated as much as possible and keeping a positive attitude are essential to empower the mother-to-be and ensure she can birth with freedom and joy. Just as one would prepare for a marathon, the same provision should apply to the biggest life-changing event that a woman will experience. In addition to helping make pregnancy and labor easier, these modalities also help the post-partum body recover quicker.

These techniques prevent and treat postpartum depression and anxiety by allowing the mother some time to herself to nurture her mind-body connection. With so many physical and hormonal changes going on during this time, it is beneficial for the mother to take some time to decompress and build awareness with her changing body to adapt to each new stage of motherhood.

Thoughts about life and personal growth welled up as I replaced our daughter’s car seat with one that would be more comfortable for her as she grew.  Our little girl was growing up fast and it seemed like only yesterday I had put that original car seat in.

As I completed the new installation, thoughts of the snake that sheds its old skin, or the butterfly that breaks free from its cocoon quickly bubbled to the surface. A reflection on life had been staring me right in the eyes the whole time.

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” ~ Viktor E. Frankl

How does a car seat connect with personal growth?

As children get older, many things (car seats included) need to grow right along with them in order to help facilitate that growth. To watch a child grow and expand (which happens very quickly, by the way), makes you think about your own personal growth as well.

As a parent, there are moments that give you a glimpse into the future or a memory from the past. Parenthood also gives you the ultimate perspective that our physical lives are absolutely limited, and we have to do what we can with the time we’ve got.  You see, the car seat was a perfect representation that growth happens, and sometimes it happens like it or not.

Maybe you’re comfortably nestled in and happy with where you are in life. You’ve released your full potential, but that’s ok, as long as you’re happy. True happiness is true wealth and the key to living the life YOU desire.

But what if you’re not comfortable?

What if you feel a tension inside that’s holding you back from where you want to be? If you feel it (and we’ve all felt it at some point), it’s time to grow, and release what’s prohibited you from reaching your peak. But you’ve got to be willing to get uncomfortable and start letting go of your current reality. If you’re really ready to grow, you’ve got to accept and look forward to what could be, not what is.

“…Even the mightiest of redwoods would be but a bonsai if never freed from its restrictive planter.”

When growth happens from the inside, the outside becomes unstable. Not because we’re acting in an unstable manner from our desire to change, but because the outside cannot stay as it is if the inside is changing. It will eventually change with us or be released from our experience, this is law. The world around us is simply a reflection of the world within us.

Sometimes, you’ve got to shed that old skin if you want growth to happen. You’ve got to break out of that comfortable cocoon that’s housed you all this time. Even the mightiest of redwoods would be but a bonsai if never freed from its restrictive planter.

So ask yourself, “Is there something still out there that calls me? What in the world do I still want to experience?” and if an answer comes to mind, congratulations! You’re still alive and have time to do it. Start today. Start now. You’ve got one go-around in this body and you might as well continue to grow until the sun stops shining!

I loved to read when I was a child. I would spend hours upon hours reading the Oz books, Dr. Dolittle books, Paddington books, Little House series, and Wrinkle in Time series, to name just a few. I got lost in the worlds that the authors created, and it was easy to imagine myself alongside the characters enjoying the happy stories and the journey with them.

“What’s fascinated me from the time I was a little kid was the way we construct our lives through stories.”
~ Henry Louis Gates

The best part was always the ending. Even though I usually didn’t want the books to end, it made me feel good to know that the characters resolved their differences, moved through their challenges, and came to a place of greater awareness and peace.

Did you ever notice that? In children’s books, the main characters are allowed to learn and mature through their adventures. They encounter obstacles and learn their lessons, then come to a place of resolution. They are “allowed” to be happy.

For some reason, as adults, we look for more complicated storylines. Adult books and movies are filled with infinite twists and turns, and lots of darkness. Often when movies are tested on audiences, it’s the ending with an unresolved situation that tests strongest. It’s almost as if we want characters to feel lost, hurt, sad, and alone.

Why do we like to make things more complicated as adults? Why are we attracted to drama?

Some of you may say that the books and movies merely reflect life the way it “really” is.

But is that true?

What if life is one big story and we are the authors? Or, what if life is far easier than we make it? What if life challenges really can be smoothed out quickly and with little effort? What if we are making it all far more complicated than it needs to be?

For me, it’s simple. I prefer living a happy story where people smile and treat each other kindly. Occasionally we even break out in a song and dance. There is little drama, and at night everyone sleeps safely and soundly. That may be boring to some, but it suits me just fine.

So, when we come to that fork in the road and one path has a character holding a hatchet and wearing a bloody hockey mask while the other path has a fun-loving group of characters laughing and skipping along the way, you know which one I’ll pick!

Happily ever after,

Katrina

Spring cleaning your home is a chore. Spring cleaning your life is a calling.

A new spring brings with it the beautiful song of nature’s awakening. Budding vegetation sprouts from the earth, the sun prolongs its daily visit, and nature shares a small preview of the infinite source of abundance available.

As the Earth begins a new cycle, we as humans also share this ritual of renewal. But to make room for new growth, the collection of seasons past must be released. “Spring cleaning”, as we’ve come to know it, can be a positive and truly cleansing experience – not only for the home but the soul.

“Keep your own house and its surroundings pure and clean. This hygiene will keep you healthy and benefit your worldly life.” – Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Cleansing the home

Have you ever felt overwhelmed with material items in your home?

If so, it’s time to cleanse. The release of clutter at home will also relieve clutter in the mind. Possessions are nice to have, but if they’re not being used functionally, they have the power to possess you and ultimately, control your life. Less is more; renewal in the home rejuvenates the mind and brings a new, clearer visualization into view.

While spring cleaning the home – declare that you’re not only cleaning your home, but also clearing your mind. Think of each area of the home being cleaned as a step toward fresh beginnings – one step closer to attaining a laser-sharp focus that creates unhindered success. You can raise your own level of positive energy when cleaning as well; turn on your favorite music, sing, smile, and dance around to make these tasks far more tolerable. Chances are, you won’t even realize how much you’ve completed while doing your own cleaning cha-cha!

What if clutter isn’t ready for the trash?

There’s surely no need to add to the landfills – to follow the adage of “One person’s trash is another’s treasure” is a valuable mantra to memorize while spring cleaning. Pack up items you’d like to keep but aren’t using. If you haven’t used them in 6 months, get rid of it. Give to people you know, The Salvation Army, Goodwill, or even Freecycle. You may not realize it, but the possessions you’re giving away will come back to you as a blessing in some form. Clean the mess to surely be blessed.

Cleansing the mind

“The state of your home is a reflection of the state of your mind.”

The home isn’t the only thing that could use a good spring cleaning. There’s plenty of thoughts taking up precious real estate in the thriving metropolis of your mind. Think about how you can create that laser sharp focus to achieve your dreams. What negative relationships are hindering you from being your best self? What negative thoughts and beliefs could be replaced with more enlightening, positive ones? Make a declaration for positivity to fill your life and reaffirm that declaration daily. Your willpower will prove to be the judge, jury and executioner of the negative energy cluttering that cortex of yours.

Once finished, celebrate and pamper the new YOU! You’re lighter in the home as well as the mind (and probably a few dollars richer from the things you didn’t need.), so why not turn that clutter into comfort? Celebrate who you are, how far you’ve come, and where you are going. Treat yourself to a pedicure, massage, or whatever else makes you feel good – you deserve it!

New home, new habits, new YOU!

From here on out, continue to love yourself fully – keep the dust bunnies of negativity at bay and get ready for new beginnings and opportunities to come. Give yourself the time YOU need to clear your mind, whether it be through yoga, taking a walk, exercising, painting, or just reading a book – you deserve to take as much care of yourself as everything and everyone around you. Without serving yourself, you can not truly serve others.

Shine on!

Have you ever really thought about the power of the words “I am”? Even deeper, do you consciously realize the subconscious “I am” statements that you are holding about yourself? Think about this affirmation a moment and, hey, be honest with yourself. What do YOU think of YOURSELF? What are you saying about who you are on a daily basis?

“You have unlimited power and creativity. Your inner spirit knows this.”

You are your own biggest critic and the co-creator of your own life.  With that freedom, you have the immense power to decide who you are and who you’d like to become.  The current truth however, is that most of us are very critical and don’t have the most positive beliefs about ourselves.  At the same time, many of our own beliefs have actually stemmed from the beliefs of others.  We have allowed others’ thoughts about us to have so much power over our own influence that we believe that is who we are.

“Success is a process, a quality of mind and way of being, an outgoing affirmation of life.” ~ Alex Noble

Our thoughts and words have crafted our present and are currently crafting our future – they are not in a  secret lock box hidden from the world, they affect us and others directly and publicly.  If we’d like to see real change in our life as well as success in our endeavors, we must learn to re-program our thoughts and keep them positive – especially the thoughts about ourselves!

“I am” is one of the most powerful statements we can make. Whatever follows “I am” starts the creation of it. Yes it’s true – “I am” is a 100% pure statement of creation.

The Power of Choice

The good news is that we have the power of choice. Once aware of this power, we can take action to break the cycle and replace those limiting beliefs once and for all.

We get to choose what to think about ourselves.  Naturally, we all want to improve our current situation, achieve our dream and have more freedom. One of the single most important aspects in individuals that have achieved their goal is their positive attitude and strong “I am” statements.  Yes, action matters; but action is not enough.

As the co-creator of your reality, you’ve got to believe it to see it – that’s why an “I am” statement is so important. If we put our attention to it, we’ll find that our society can be overflowing with negative energy. At the same time, when we direct our attention to the positive we will find that it too is overflowing and growing!  It simply depends on the direction of our attention.

As a person who has ventured “down the rabbit hole” of negativity and transformed my life in all areas, I speak from experience.  Hey, I’ve been there and I know it can be tough if you let it.  As Aristotle said, “Excellence is a habit.” Change is about implementing daily habits. Sure, I went over speed bumps and hit roadblocks but, I’ve also consciously trained myself through HABIT to redirect my thoughts to the positive and find solutions. I also created very POWERFUL “I AM” statements for myself and my future.

Redefining your “I AM”

When you begin to consciously utilize the power of “I AM” statements, your life will transform. This isn’t something that works for some and won’t work for you; it works when you WORK IT! But, you have to consistently work it. The good news is, once you make this a conscious habit for some time, it becomes an unconscious habit – you have re-trained your brain. You must make it a habit, everyday, to repeat your affirmation.

Your goal must be to dig deep and find those nasty, icky, yucky negative words you may hold over yourself – words that no longer serve you – and transform them.  The negative words are usually those statements that you think “define” who you are; also known as the “you are what you think people think you are” mentality. You are who you create yourself to be. You are who you WANT to be. There is nothing holding you back because of the society you live in, genetics, family, past experiences, childhood, etc.

As Joel Osteen said, “What follows the “I am” will always come looking for you… .  Many times, we are using the power of ‘I am’ against us.” What are you looking to create in your life?  You get a free preview of that creation by discovering your current “I am” beliefs.

So, let’s figure this out together, right now, and make some changes. Take a few minutes out of your day to write down some limiting beliefs of yourself that come to mind.  It’s time to replace them with the beliefs that you would like to have about yourself.

Example “I am” transformations:

• “I AM STUPID” becomes “I AM SMART”.
• “I AM NOT ABLE” becomes “I AM FULLY ABLE”.
• “I AM TOO OLD” becomes “I AM YOUNG.”
• “I AM NOT GOOD ENOUGH” becomes “I AM ALWAYS GOOD ENOUGH”.
• “I AM LAZY” becomes “I AM RESPONSIBLE”.
• “I AM FAT” becomes “I AM FIT”.
• “I AM ALWAYS LATE” becomes “I AM ALWAYS ON TIME”.

You can take these affirmative statements, write them down on sticky notes and place them around your house. You can also get affirmation cards from Louise Hay or other Hay House authors and place the ones that MOST resonate with you throughout your home.  You can put them anywhere – on your mirror, refrigerator, at your desk, etc. It’s time to write the ending to your own story!

Our family refrigerator is loaded with inspiring thoughts and affirmations from our favorite leading-thought teachers.

Your ultimate goal is to retrain your brain and subconscious, re-programming your mind to accept better, more positive beliefs. You have unlimited power and creativity – your inner spirit knows this. “I am” statements just affirm the truth of your nature. We are all truly powerful beings at heart. Remember that you are capable of doing anything – just try it!

My Challenge to You!

If you’ve done exercises like these, I’d love to hear about it. Have you had success from it? If so, I’d love to feature your story in an upcoming article.

If this is your first trying this, please tell me how it went. I’d love to answer any questions for you or help you create better, more powerful “I AM” affirmation statements that will transform your life and propel you to the life that was once just in your imagination.

All is well. Love and Light!

Asking me to choose my favorite style of yoga is like trying to pick out my favorite ice cream. It depends on the day, season, and what kind of mood I’m in. I’ve tried my fair share of yoga “flavors”; Iyengar, Para, Ashtanga, Restorative, Vinyasa, Aerial, Kundalini, Yin, Nidra, and even Stand up Paddle Board yoga.

“The most important purpose of Yoga is to bring about a deep transformation of the individual–an awakening of intelligence that is free of dependencies and romantic beliefs and ready to meet the accelerating challanges of the 21st century.” ~ Ganga White

I continue to research different styles to expand my yoga encyclopedia and keep my practice fresh. But there is one style that had my heart from the beginning. Vinyasa gets the prize for my “go-to” flavor, and it never disappoints.

Whether I’m engaging in a vigorous practice or a slow flow, I feel like I’m in a graceful dance with my body and breathe. I can become fully absorbed in my inhale and exhale, and let the breath take over and guide my movements. It is one of the rare moments where I am so firmly rooted in the present that outside thoughts stand little chance of distracting me. The practice allows me to get creative and find my own “flow.” I am able to explore different asanas and really feel into my own body.

ABOUT VINYASA YOGA

Before diving into my yoga teacher training, I would have simply defined vinyasa as a flow class, a good workout where you’re in constant motion. It wasn’t until I started deepening my studies that I learned vinyasa means, “to place in a special way.” (Vi- in a special way, Nyasa- to place) It’s not just about coming up with a wonderful sequence that will leave you glowing with sweat and prana pulsing in your veins.

Vinyasa is the step by step approach, that systematically takes you from one point, and transitions you to the next. It is a dynamic and ever-developing sequence that unfolds with an internal harmony and intelligence when we honor where we are.

When I practice vinyasa, I begin where I am, modify when I need, and remember that today is not like yesterday. Maybe I don’t take chaturanga this practice. Maybe I choose childs pose instead. Perhaps I skip a vinyasa all together and reconnect to my breath in down dog.[quote_right]”Vinyasa gets the prize for my “go-to” flavor, and it never disappoints.”[/quote_right]

The approach is the same for life off the mat. I can self reflect and see where I am and ask where I want to be. What are my goals? How am I going to get there? Sometimes I have to modify my path. Some days I get frustrated, am forced to practice self-compassion, and remind myself to simply breathe. There are moments when I can charge full speed ahead, and others when I need to step back and restore.

Life on and off the mat is truly about going with the flow, and honoring your own personal journey. All life is yoga, its styles merely flavor to choose from. Vinyasa is still my favorite flavor and always leaves me wanting more.