Though most people think of natural childbirth as something to be suffered through, or at the very least, tolerated, that’s not the reason you build up skills for giving birth. Your virtual (and literal) labor toolbox is there to help you work with your birth, your body, your baby. It’s an important asset to working with labor, not avoiding pain.

Of course a pleasant side effect of having an effective toolbox is that it makes the job easier 😉

Taking the time to develop skills while you’re still pregnant not only enhances your comfort during labor, it can help you labor to move more quickly, efficiently, and safely.

An Assortment of Tools

I’ve been working through the Pink Kit (affiliate link) as we prepare for Riceball’s birth, and I appreciate the practical skills the most. They translate directly into tools you can use while you’re having your baby.

The Pink Kit Package (PKP) doesn’t cover things like the pros and cons of interventions, choosing where to give birth, etc., which is why I recommend using it along with another course, like MamaBaby Birthing (NBBC’s own childbirth course) — it enhances all other natural birth courses in an amazing way.

The core tools are breath, touch, and language.

You study breathing in any childbirth course, but I love the way the Pink Kit takes it to a new level. You cover the common types of breathing that we, as mammals, use, and evaluate each of those for yourself. Then you observe yourself throughout the days (and weeks) and see when you use different types of breathing. And you practice the breathing that will help you most during labor.

The benefit of working through this section with your birth coach (all the sections of the PKP) is that he also discovers the different types of breath and practices with you. If you feel like you’re “losing it” during labor, one of the fastest ways to get back in control is to have your coach breath effectively — you don’t have to think, you just breath along with them.

Even if it takes a few minutes, this almost always works, and you can use a cleansing breath to fully regroup between contractions.

The other core sections – touch and language are also very effective. Touch helps you experiment with what feels good to you, and you and your partner have a variety of techniques to try during your birthing time. Language is essential – it gets you on the same page. When he says “soften around the pelvic clock” you know what that means. When he says “release the tension where I touch” that makes sense! Don’t underestimate the importance of having terminology you both understand 🙂

Growing Awareness

PKP tools go beyond just these fundamentals, though. There’s a lot of information on the pelvis, and that’s important.

It’s not just that you learn about the pelvis and how your baby comes through a pelvis (you do) – you learn about your pelvis. This is empowering.

You build on that as you watch the video on positions. Experiment with each position and figure out which ones open your pelvis.

I’ve done that a lot this pregnancy, paying careful attention to how I feel when I sit certain ways. I’ve experimented some with different positions, figuring out what makes me feel open in the chair, on the birth ball, during a bath, etc. I really appreciate this awareness because when I go into labor I want to just get down into it.

I want to get into positions that move my baby down effectively right from the start. A smooth, straightforward labor is best for me and my baby, and the PKP helps that become a reality.

If It Gets Tough

Sometimes you start labor with baby in challenging position (such as posterior), or sometimes you just get tired. The PKP has skills for this too.

There are many different techniques that help you literally create more room in your pelvis so your baby can move into a better position and you can get your labor going again.

There are also plenty of practical ways to calm down and rest if you need to.

Feeling Ready

At this point I feel very ready to have our baby. I’ve done a lot of preparation, both mentally and physically. I’m so grateful for the Pink Kit and the skills it has given me to have truly awesome, aware births. I’m looking forward to welcoming our next little “Pink Kit baby!”

Click here for more information in the Pink Kit (affiliate link).

Photo by veryuseful