Roots Birth & Women’s Health
Birth Preferences (Birth Plans)
It is important to know your beliefs about birth and medical intervention when forming a birth plan and when talking with your provider about your desires. I recommend checking out the resources/handouts in the “Self/Partner Reflection” section before trying to create a birth preferences document
Example Birth Preference Documents: Multiple Samples Planned Cesarean
Birth Stories and Videos
After watching/listening/reading, take some time to reflect on these stories: What if your labor unfolded in a similar way? How might you feel? How might you cope? Partners, what are some support techniques that you could use?
Podcast: The Birth Hour This is a favorite of mine, lots of stories told by women with a wide variety of experiences. Seriously, this is one of the BEST ways to prepare for labor.
Cesarean Birth Story (Family Centered)
Birth Video This is a beautiful video that shows how supportive and loving a partner can be during labor and birth
Birth with an Epidural: This video does a good job explaining epidurals and showing one mom’s journey from getting her epidural through pushing, delivery, and postpartum.
Epidural Birth Video: This gives a great example of provider directed pushing
Evidence Based Birth YouTube Channel– great short videos on a variety of important topics
Cesarean Birth
VBAC : A great resource for women who are planning to have a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC)
Cesarean Birth: This document has some great suggestions for ways to approach and prepare for a planned cesarean
Childbirth Connection: A great overview of cesarean birth- the facts, and your options
Cesarean Birth Video (not at CMC)
Cesarean Scar Tissue- how to massage your scar to prevent pain and complications in the future
Delayed Cord Clamping
Delayed Cord Clamping (video by Penny Simpkin)
Epidurals
Birth with an Epidural: This video does a good job explaining epidurals and showing one mom’s journey from getting her epidural through pushing, delivery, and postpartum.
General Resources (Good, Evidence Based Information)
Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn (lots of great PDFs and links)
Group B Strep
Induction
Informed Decision Making
Mindfulness
Optimal Fetal Positioning
Pain Management (Non Medication)
Comfort In Labor (Penny Simpkin) : Includes some great drawings of various labor positions
Pain Relief (Medication)
Perineal Massage
Perineal Massage (instruction sheet)
Self/Partner Reflection
What do you believe about birth? Groopman Spectrums Birth Values Beliefs about Birth Beliefs about Labor Pain
Pain Medication Preference Scale: Review this scale and its descriptions of a variety of different preferences and approaches to pain medications. Determine where you fall on this scale, and have your partner identify where he/she would like you to fall on this scale. Then discuss! This is something that we can also discuss further in our prenatal groups.
Understanding Your Coping Style: Reflecting on how to cope with pain, anxiety, and stress in your life can be a helpful tool in identifying coping strategies that may be helpful during labor.
Fear Identification Worksheet– really helpful tool to identify and work through fears that could come up in labor
Strategies for Specific Anxiety Triggers during Childbirth
Birth Preferences Card Sort. This is an activity where you can print out cards with various birth preferences on one side and their alternatives on the other(ie labor without pain medications vs get an epidural). Print them out, and then sort them based on your ideal birth. Then practice flipping over the cards- what if you had to have an induction, pitocin, cesarean birth, etc. Discuss this with your partner. If these cards don’t fit your preferences/options, make your own!
Stages of Labor
Cliff Notes for Partners– The quick and dirty on labor support, FYI Early labor is now 0-6cm, not 0-4
Vaginal Childbirth Video: This animation does a great job demonstrating cervical change and baby’s cardinal movements during vaginal delivery. (not an actual birth video, just an animation of the process)