In the many years I’ve been teaching prenatal yoga and childbirth preparation workshops discussions around fear arise from time to time. It may be fear of the unknown, inability to cope with contractions, losing control, or worries about something happening to the baby. Women find it difficult to reveal their fears as it goes against the narrative of the radiant, happy, pregnant mother. One way to ease an expectant mother’s concerns would be to provide information and tools around comfort in birth.
Here are a few practical suggestions that may be considered during pregnancy and birth:
BREATH
Breathing practices can help de-stress and help us re-centre when we feel unsteady. When the body is in fight or flight mode, it goes through several changes which may affect labour: heart rate increases, body/muscles tense, mind becomes unsteady. However, breathing exercises provide a relatively...
