Labor is a complicated, beautiful and often traumatic process. We're committed to preventing traumatic births by helping you identify if you're at risk and get you the tools to feel empowered.

You’re at a higher risk for a traumatic birth if: 

  • You had a previous traumatic birth

  • You are a survivor of sexual assault

  • You are a survivor of childhood sexual abuse

  • You have trauma from medical procedures

  • You’re scared to give birth

If you said yes to any of those, you can still have an empowered birth, it just may take some extra body-mind work. Keep in mind, as humans, most of us have experienced trauma of some kind, so even if you did not experience these traumas, it’s still important to do the body-mind work and work through potential triggers like: 

  • A provider standing over you

  • Getting an IV

  • Getting an epidural

  • Anesthesia for a c-section

  • The pain of contractions

Begin your body-mind work with the following exercises: 

Exercise #1:

  • Work through the triggers above by imagining the trigger and seeing what happens in your body. 

  • For example, imagine a provider standing above you. What happens your body? Write it down. Identifying triggers can be empowering. If you inform your care team, they can make changes and you can start to work on how your body responds to triggers. This can help prevent stalls in labor, prevent perineal tearing, and help you feel strong. 

Exercise #2:

  • Get still: Place your hands on your belly and take 5 deep belly breaths. 

  • Then: Do a body scan. Start with your feet and work your way up to your knees, thighs, hips, belly, arms, neck, and head. Spend 5 breaths on each part. 

  • Notice: Do you feel any tension in any of these areas? Or, do you have memories or feelings that arise when you focus on a certain area? 

  • Grab a journal: Write down if anything came up for you and let the thoughts flow. Writing is a great tool to dive into your subconscious and see if there are any memories or emotions holding you back. 

If you want to do everything in your power to prevent a traumatic birth, book a free consult to learn more about how we can help you have an empowered birth.