The Breaking Light

Honestly, you can prepare as much or as little as you want for when you go into labor! Me personally? I didn’t! I didn’t want to go into labor with any expectations. My husband and I had base knowledge of how to handle contractions, but honestly? That was it. So, from my experience, this is the 10 things I think you should know about when you go into labor!

1) You are in charge

This is the most important thing to know in my opinion. You determine the things that happen during your labor. You have say on every cervical check, if you want medicine or not, or any other decision. You call the shots. Your medical team is here to help you and give you their best options, but you have the right to say no! I denied a cervical check during my labor. I was definitely in the thick of it and didn’t want to be bothered!

2) Have a medical team you trust

The nurses, midwives, and OBs are all there to help you! As I said in the point before, you ultimately have the final say, but it’s SO important to have a medical team you trust. In case there’s a scenario where it’s a decision that is critical, you need to be able to trust the people around you 100%.

3) Relaxing is so important

Now, this is a LOT easier said than done, but it is super important! Every contraction you have, try and find your happy place. Labor is a mind over matter thing. The more you relax, the more you can get your way through it. When/if you make any noises, like moaning and groaning, keep them low pitched. It’ll help your body to stay loose. I panicked during one of my contractions and it was easily the most painful one of my entire birthing experience! Keep your body relaxed!

4) Make the experience yours

Don’t be afraid to do whatever you have to do to help you get in the right mindset. Wither it’s a playlist of your favorite songs, putting a diffuser in the room with your favorite essential oils, or keeping the lights dim… whatever you have to do to feel the most comfortable! It is so important that you get in the right mindset wherever you are, home birth or hospital birth.

5) Birth is messy

Honestly? The people around you don’t care!! I didn’t realize how messy birth really was and I felt embarrassed for a little bit of it. I kept apologizing to my husband and he just looked at me and said, “This is all normal! It’s not anything to be sorry about.” Wear things you don’t mind getting dirty and don’t worry about your appearance. All people see when they look at you in labor is your strength!

6) Comfortability is a MUST

When I was in labor, I wore my favorite pair of fuzzy socks and a hospital gown. That was what I truly felt the most comfortable in. But you can make it your own! If you have your own gown you feel the most comfortable with or if you’re comfortable wearing nothing other than a nursing bra then that’s totally fine!! Like I said before, you need to make this experience yours and that’s including the things you wear during your labor.

7) There will be things you can’t control

This one was a hard one. I think this reason was a huge part in why I didn’t take birthing classes. Everyone’s labor and delivery experiences are so much different than the next. I didn’t want to go in expecting everything to be a “text book” kind of birth. Ultimately there were things out of my control, and that’s ok! What you can control is how you react to the situation. Labor is so different for everyone.

8) You can do this

When I hit transition, I was done. I didn’t want to do it anymore. The pain seemed unbearable and I didn’t think I had any fight left in me. But when you feel like you can’t do it anymore is when you need to fight harder. I promise you, you have it in you to do it. No matter how it ends, you were built to do this! Your body is incredible!

9) The end is like nothing you will ever go through

I can never forget the feeling that ran through my body when I finally finished pushing and delivered my daughter. The rush of emotions, hormones, and overall experience is a lot. It’s ok if you feel disconnected. I’ve seen a lot of moms almost “zone out” right after they give birth. Please be patient with yourself. Labor and delivery isn’t easy by any means. Give yourself time, and utilize any help you have. Resting, as much or as little as you can get, is so important.

10) A truly vulnerable experience

Going through labor and delivering my daughter was the most vulnerable I’ve ever felt in my life, if I’m being honest. You go through so much to bring your baby earth-side. That’s why it’s so important to have people surrounding you that you not only trust, but you’re ok being completely vulnerable with. These people are going to see you go through so much. Having my husband by my side and us going through it all together really allowed us to grow closer together and have a new level of vulnerability.

Allow yourself to feel and experience everything. All the good and the bad, labor is a lot and very different for everyone.

You can do this!

10 Things About Labor