- Julia Weis
In birth literature we often read about making a birth plan. While I advocate for getting yourself as informed as possible to make informed choices and laying the foundation for a birth which is tailored to your preferences I also advocate for being open to life's plan. Sometimes the bigger plan doesn't necessarily match our plan. So we also have to be open to let go of our plan.
However: Intention setting, visualisation, clarification of preferences and communicating our preferences to our birthing team is crucial to own our birth experience. Mostly to realise that we have choice. A lot of choice.
Take a peak into my birth-wish-list. And I hope you get inspired to add some small and / or big and / or crazy things to your birth-wish-list.
To give you the bigger picture: I have planed a home birth with my husband and my midwife in our apartment and this is how I wanted it. It was the most powerful thing to communicate it to my partner.
What you see on this list, any time!
What you don’t see on this list, DON’T OFFER IT!!!
Prior to birth:
-
Help make a shelf in the bedroom to store baby items such as
- self made blanket for the baby
- knit a hat
- towels
- welcome flowers - shop CHOCQBARS
- Have frozen spinach in the freezer
- Be prepped for Lotus birth: Make a clay pot, get salt and herbs.
- Music station loaded and set up
- Sofa freshly dressed and lights installed in all of the apartment
- Fridge, Freezer, Drawers: Full of good fresh food and super foods: Hemp seeds, Blueberries, Raspberries, Mango, Almond Butter,
- Read: The birth Partner. It’s on my iPad.
For Delivery:
- Inform circle of sisters (what’s app group): Light a candle and send prayers!
- Create the what's app group: list of my core sisters,
- space
- self determination
- candles - a lot!
- flowers - a lot!
- Aromatherapy: Frankincense in Diffusor and Lavender at hand for eventual use
- leave me alone, so I can connect to my wisdom
- call midwife when contractions are 3min apart and as intense that speaking is very tricky
- Water, feed me through a straw, offer me… often!
- Carry on with your joyful being, it helps me so much!
- I don’t progress? Ask me what’s going on inside.
- Listen, don’t fix!
- Follow, don’t discuss!
- I might take A LOT OF TIME. Please be patient.
- When in doubt: Call my Doula through Skype!
- Old Towels and Blankets place them all around!
- Check Gail Tully: Spinning babies for: Side lying release and forward leaning inversion. You might need to instruct me and remind me to use it!
- Make sure Lea is 100% taken care of, I need you at my side.
- a safe and secure pool in which I can float
- a structure from which we can hang a sling to hang in and hang a baby swing
- let me walk, sleep, roll on a peanut ball
- Play my prepped playlist on Spotify: Labour day
For after birth:
- allow me to rest
- Make me a big can of hot chocolate with: Hot rice milk, sweetened with my mum’s honey, cinnamon, cardamom
- Aromatherapy: rosemary in the diffusor
- support when I like to move
- fresh juices
- soups
- fresh salads
- simple and organic food with lots of warming herbs
- change the bed sheets every 4 days for the first 12 days and wash with Lavender
- chinese herbs to restore kidneys and blood
- give A LOT of attention to Lea and include her big time
- take extra space and time to allow Lea to throw tantrums if she needs to adapt to the new situation. No blame, just hold space, everyone needs to adapt to the new situation!
- I want sun, I love it so much!!!
- encourage me to take care of my pelvic floor: oils, exercise, rest, swim
- forest, lakes and outdoor time are super important for me, please help me organise it
- help me with: laundry, cooking, cleaning
- please keep the flat clean
- wrap my belly and help me make space and time so I can care for my core:
- when warm weather, make me loads of virgin mojito: lemon, mint, sparkling water, crushed ice and put my bamboo straw in it
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