Secrets to an Easy Birth

Oh really? Yeah really!

For soon-to-be new moms out there, I'm sure you're having your turn in the roller coaster of emotions women go through during pregnancy.

As your due date approaches, you may find yourself getting anxious about what your labor and delivery will be like. Unfortunately, there's no way to predict exactly how it will go. And with all the birth stories you've heard, you may start growing more and more anxious (even terrified!).

But have no fear! In two features from momversation.com and newparent.com clue you in on the steps that you can take (now and in the birthing room) to ensure that things go as smoothly as possible.

Here's an excerpt:

Keep up your strength.

We all know that the couch can be a pregnant girl’s best friend. But staying active could give you an advantage when it comes time to deliver, says Amy Downey, RN, a labor and delivery nurse at St. Luke’s Wood River Hospital in Ketchum, Idaho.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), regular exercise during pregnancy can improve your ability to cope with the pain of labor, as well as speed your recovery afterward. As long as your doctor approves, you should try to do 30 minutes of activity (such as walking, swimming or prenatal yoga) on most, if not all, days of the week. Since childbirth can be a real test of endurance, it’s also important to eat right and stay hydrated, especially during the last trimester, so you have enough energy to go the distance, Downey adds.

Don’t blow off birth class.

Childbirth education classes teach you what to expect during labor and delivery as well as techniques for easing the pain-information that could help you make good choices and possibly even avoid a C-section.

From Lamaze to the Bradley Method to HypnoBirthing, a variety of classes with unique approaches may be available in your area. So before signing up, research the options and be sure the instructor will support you in the kind of birth you want to have, says Lisa Klein, RNC-OB, LRN, MSN, CNS, a clinical nurse specialist in the Women, Children’s and Perinatal Services at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax, Va.

Be open-minded.

While it’s good to have an idea of the kind of birth you want, you never know how labor and delivery will go. So know your options and go with the flow.

“Flexibility is the name of the game,” says Jill Janke, PhD, RN, WHNP, a professor at the School of Nursing at the University of Alaska, Anchorage. “If what you’re doing isn’t working to manage your pain or facilitate your labor, keep trying different things until you find something that does.”

Likewise, if you want an unmedicated delivery and you end up getting an epidural, don’t beat yourself up. “I’ve seen many women get discouraged when they don’t stick to their birth plan,” Downey says. “But each labor is different, and what worked for your friend may not work for you.” Remember: It doesn’t really matter how you get there as long as you have a healthy baby in your arms at the end.

Stay vertical.

Research has found that women who spend labor in upright positions tend to have less pain and shorter labors, Janke says. That’s why she suggests staying out of bed as much as possible and letting gravity assist. “It’s the best way to avoid complications,” she explains.

During the first stage of labor, walking around and sitting in a Jacuzzi or on a birthing ball are great ideas. Then, when you’re ready to push, she recommends squatting, which can open up your pelvic outlet and reduce the likelihood that a forceps or vacuum extraction will be necessary. It also can protect your perineum so you’re less likely to tear. Since holding yourself in a squat position can be tiring, you can start preparing your leg muscles now by practicing it a few times a day, Klein says.

Click on the links above to read the rest of the tips!

It's a... Clippy!

Of course, if you've given birth and it's a darling baby girl, you know what to do: indulge in clippys to prettify her fine, wispy hair! *wink!*

As you welcome the newest member of your family, we also welcome the newest member of ours! Here's a sneak peek at our newest line of mini hair clips that we'll be launching soon!

CLIPETTES BY NO SLIPPY HAIR CLIPPY

Coming soon to our website and to your local stores! Watch out for it :o)

Cheerios!
Rach

Image from www.sxc.hu and www.hairclippy.com