Connecting with your baby during labor

Today I want to suggest an idea I don’t know if you’ve thought a lot about before: Connecting with your baby during labor.

Labor is really hard work (news flash). So it’s natural to simply focus on what you need to do to get through each contraction. And of course there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that!

Of course it’s not like you forget that there’s a baby involved here. But sometimes we lose our connection with our baby as our focus is consumed by our sensations.

What can you do to keep a meaningful connection with your baby during labor?

I’ve got some ideas about that!

1. Again, talk to your baby. Let them hear your voice. Tell them what a good job they are doing!

2. Communicate with your baby. Let them know what is happening. Sometimes it even helps to encourage them to work with you in a specific way.

3. Keep your baby in mind through the intensity of the contractions. Remember who you’re doing this for. Your partner can be a great help with reminding you about this as they talk you through contractions.

4. Visualize your baby. Think about how they are positioned and what they are experiencing

5. Enjoy the sound of your baby’s heartbeat when you get to hear it.

6. Use your baby’s name as you talk to them.

7. Set out your baby’s first outfit in the room. You can look at it and think about how they will wear it soon. (And how cuuuuute that will be!)

8. Make or print out some cards that remind you of your connection with your baby and what you are doing together. I’ve got some nice ideas saved on Pinterest, but I bet you can come up with some personal ones that will feel significant to you.

9. Sing a lullaby to your baby. Ideally one you’ve been singing to them during your pregnancy. When you think about it, your baby is having a strange experience too, and hearing a calm, familiar tune must feel reassuring. I’d bet it would help you relax too.

10. When your baby is crowning, if you are comfortable with it, reach down and touch their head. You can also ask for a mirror so you can see them emerging.

Your birth can be amazing. You can even enjoy it! You can see that connecting with your baby during labor is a powerful part of that experience.

P.S. If you want a ton more info to make your birth amazing and meaningful, take a childbirth class with me!