Your Birth Space Vibe

Image via Instagram: @mintandcocoaphoto

The environment of your birth space truly sets the tone for your birthing experience. First, you should ask yourself, how do I want to feel during birth? Do you want the vibe to be spa-like or a more energetic celebration? There is not a wrong answer to this question. It is totally dependent on your personal preference!

Research shows that “Creating an environment that helps women to feel safe and secure during birth can improve women's experiences and likelihood of normal birth.” (Royal College of Midwives, 2014). A “private, undisturbed and dark environment, where women feel calm and safe can promote the release of oxytocin, the hormone responsible for uterine contractions and thought to promote the release of the pain relieving hormones endorphins” (Uvnas Moberg, 2003). When this environment is “not achieved, women can experience fear-tension-pain syndrome, impending labour progress and causing increased levels of pain” (Dick-Read, 2013).

Here are some tips for creating a calm, spa-like environment in a hospital:

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During labor and birth, focus and composure are both very important. You may not think of things like beeping, talking, or a subtle hum of a machine as distracting until you are trying to coax a tiny human out of your body 🙂

The 615 Doula Co Approach
Little things such as the vibe of your birthing environment might seem tiny in the overall birth plan, but trust me, these details are so significant in the moment. As your doula, I help walk you and/or your family through your birth space desires. We create a step-by-step plan on how we are going to achieve the vibe you want and uphold it in the actual labor space.

Sources // Royal College of Midwives, Uvnas Moberg, Dick-Read, National Library of Medicine