Should I watch birth videos when I am pregnant?

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You certainly do not have to watch birthing videos when you're pregnant and some women prefer not to. As I often say - do what feels right. Do what gives you peace.

However, if you don't want to watch the videos because you're convinced that labour is going to be super difficult if not downright traumatic and you don't want to frighten yourself then I definitely invite you to watch the birth video links on my website <HERE>.

 

And here's why:

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So often our perception of labour is overwhelmingly (and yet unconsciously) dictated by all the high drama images from TV and film that we have absorbed over the years. This is for almost all of us in today's society the only exposure we have had to childbirth. I was a midwife for 22 years and have been present at more than 1,200 births. Every birth is different for sure but I assure you that it is a very unusual sight to see a woman who is having a natural labour and being supported to labour in her own way to be screaming (or abusing her partner) in the way that is so often portrayed in the media. To make it worse, pregnant women often fall prey to other women that have already given birth that may not have had the easiest birth that want to offload or debrief and in the process unwittingly (perhaps) frighten said pregnant woman. And the whole cycle of fear starts. Thanks to TV and Media the pregnant woman already believes giving birth is probably going to be really tough and wonders if she can even do it. Then another mum that has already "done it" comes along and talks like an expert (pregnant women are often in awe of women that have already given birth and believe that they know everything) and so postnatal mum confirms all-knowingly that it is indeed tough and you might not be able to do it.   

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I have written another blog  <HERE> about the self-fulfilling and self-perpetuating Fear - Tension - Pain (FTP) cycle. In the FTP blog I describe all the dangers and problems with getting stuck in this FTP cycle and how it deeply and detrimentally affects your birth experience. If women know about this cycle and what creates this cycle then they have the power to break the cycle. We can then create and get stuck in another way more positive, enjoyable, helpful cycle which is what I call the  "Oxytocin - Endorphins - Feel Good loop".

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There are lots of really positive things that can be done to help break the FTP cycle such as pregnancy yoga and hypnobirthing.  It can also be really helpful to smash all the TV and film myths to pieces by watching some of the birth videos I have posted links to <HERE>. 

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The reality is that the majority of labours and births would make TERRIBLE TV or film as there are long, repetitive times of nothing! During the active stage of labour (from about 4cm dilated) each surge/contraction lasts for about 60 seconds and then there are between 2 and 4 minutes of.......nothing.......!!! Just waiting/resting/sleeping/relaxing. And this pattern goes on until the baby is born. 

In early labour (before 4cm dilated) the surges or contractions can be even shorter and the resting/relaxing times can be a lot longer. 

The surge takes time to build up to the peak then takes time to go completely but the build up, peak and dying away is all completed within 60 seconds.

And so long as a woman is not locked into the FTP cycle then during each surge/contraction she will focus on her breathing and hopefully be lovingly and competently supported by her birth partner/s and midwife. And then she will take a few minutes rest until the next one. 

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The truth is that a normal labour and birth would be seen as rather boring for an onlooker that is not involved in the experience. The majority of the time is spent resting and simply waiting.

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And so the videos <HERE> will help you to perhaps reset your perception of the reality of labour and birth really. You  will see in the videos that there is lots of peace and enjoyment with labour and birth.

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I hope you enjoy watching them. And if you choose not to watch them I hope this blog has helped you to let go of any fear that you may have had. You can read the FTP blog <HERE>. 

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Come to Pregnancy Yoga or Positive Pregnancy Support to learn the valuable tools you can use during your birth or book a whole day Hypnobirthing and Birth Preparation workshop for you and your birth partner/s where I will teach you both everything you need to know and do.

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Wishing you a beautiful, gentle birth.

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Alison xx