0:29

This year , I want to explore topics that

0:31

support positive and empowering birth

0:33

experiences . Today I'm

0:35

diving deep into a fascinating topic the

0:37

influence of stress on labor . Did

0:40

you know that stress can actually slow

0:42

or even stop your labor ? It

0:44

sounds incredible , right ? Well , let's explore

0:46

this further and learn some practical

0:49

tips on how to emotionally prepare for

0:51

your birth to ensure a smooth

0:53

labor process . But before we

0:55

delve into that , I want to remind you to

0:57

hit that subscribe button so that you won't

1:00

miss any of my future episodes . Now

1:02

let's get started . Many

1:04

of us don't realize just how much stress can affect

1:07

the process of labor . When we feel unsafe

1:09

or stressed , our bodies go into

1:11

fight or flight mode , redirecting

1:14

the blood flow away from the non-essential

1:16

organs such as the uterus . This

1:19

redirection of blood flow can potentially

1:21

stop labor , as the body prioritizes

1:23

stress response over the birthing

1:25

process . To explain this further

1:27

, think about it this way Can you imagine

1:30

trying to flee from a tiger while simultaneously

1:32

trying to push out a baby ? It's simply

1:35

not possible . Stress hormones

1:37

such as cortisol and adrenaline

1:39

interfere with the production of oxytocin

1:41

, the hormone responsible for triggering

1:43

uterine contractions . So if

1:46

you walk into the hospital

1:48

feeling stressed or fearful , it's

1:50

not difficult to understand how this can impact

1:52

your labor process . Emotional

1:55

preparation for labor becomes a crucial step

1:57

in ensuring a positive birth

1:59

experience . Jody Lynn Owens

2:01

, lm , cpm , says it perfectly

2:04

.

2:04

When you've spent nine months preparing

2:06

for birth and you go into

2:08

birth confident . You walk in like a boss

2:11

.

2:12

Additionally , it is well known that during

2:14

times of stress or anxiety , the body's

2:16

natural fight or flight response can

2:18

lead to increased muscle tension throughout the body

2:20

, including the pelvic floor muscles . When

2:23

the pelvic floor muscles are tense , they

2:25

may not be able to relax and stretch adequately

2:28

, which can hinder the descent and

2:30

passage of the baby through the birth canal

2:32

. Additionally , increased muscle tension

2:34

in the pelvic floor can contribute to increased

2:37

pain and discomfort during

2:39

labor . It may also lead to

2:41

ineffective pushing efforts as

2:43

the tension may prevent the pelvic floor muscles

2:45

from effectively coordinating the pushing

2:47

motion . It's important to manage stress

2:50

and tension during labor to promote

2:52

optimal relaxation and flexibility of

2:54

the pelvic floor muscles . Techniques

2:56

such as deep breathing exercises , relaxation

2:59

exercises , massage and

3:02

labor support can all help to promote

3:04

relaxation and reduce muscle

3:06

tension , facilitating a smoother

3:09

and more comfortable labor experience . Emotionally

3:12

preparing for the birthing process can also

3:14

provide guidance and support in managing

3:17

stress and promoting relaxation

3:19

during labor . Stress hormones such

3:21

as cortisol and adrenaline , can

3:23

also interfere with the production of endorphins

3:26

, which are crucial for pain relief

3:28

and promoting a sense of well-being during

3:30

labor . This disruption in

3:32

labor hormones can lead to increased pain

3:34

perception and further impede

3:36

the progress of labor . This heightened

3:38

sensation of pain can lead to increased

3:41

muscle tension and further impede

3:43

the progress of labor . All of that

3:45

can lead to stress and it's just this feedback

3:47

loop that goes from decreasing

3:50

oxytocin or tensing

3:52

the muscles or decreasing

3:55

the release of these endorphins , and

3:57

they all just kind of intertwine

3:59

and make it so that labor just

4:02

gets so completely dysregulated . To

4:04

mitigate these effects , it is important

4:07

to manage stress during labor . Promoting

4:09

relaxation , providing emotional support

4:11

and utilizing pain management techniques

4:13

can help to mitigate the impact

4:16

of stress on hormonal balance , optimize

4:18

endorphin production and ultimately

4:20

facilitate a smoother and more comfortable

4:23

labor experience . Here again

4:25

, jody Lynn Owens reiterates this effect

4:27

.

4:27

Birthing without fear , which

4:29

is the name of a book , of course . But birthing

4:31

without fear is a really

4:34

different experience when you are allowed

4:36

to like this exquisite cocktail

4:39

of hormones that is in your body and that

4:41

cocktail is allowed to do what it does

4:43

. It protects us and it

4:45

moves us through laboring

4:47

and birthing in a totally different way

4:49

. The pain is different , the process

4:52

is different , the timing is different . It's

4:54

different when you've spent nine months

4:56

preparing for birth .

4:58

The physiological impact of stress and

5:00

anxiety on labor is closely intertwined

5:02

with the complex mind-body connection

5:05

During labor . A woman's ability

5:07

to relax , trust the process

5:09

and surrender to a natural rhythm of

5:11

contractions is important for the progression

5:14

and management of labor . Again , oxytocin

5:16

plays a crucial role in initiating and

5:19

sustaining labor contractions

5:21

. Oxytocin is also referred

5:24

to as the love hormone , as

5:26

it is involved in promoting feelings of well-being

5:28

and relaxation and the emotional bond

5:30

between mother and child . Psychologically

5:32

, stress and anxiety can create a sense

5:34

of fear or lack of control , which

5:37

can further hinder relaxation

5:39

and impede the labor progress . When

5:42

you're in pain and feeling out of control

5:44

and giving in to the stress response

5:46

and fear , and unable to

5:48

relax , it is very , very , very

5:51

hard to be in tune

5:53

with your body and to be able to

5:55

emotionally allow physiological

5:58

experiences as intense as

6:00

labor to occur naturally . To

6:02

address these challenges , it is crucial

6:04

to create a supportive and calming environment

6:06

during labor . Providing emotional support

6:08

, reassurance and utilizing

6:11

relaxation techniques can help reduce

6:13

stress and anxiety . Techniques

6:15

such as deep breathing , visualization , massage

6:18

and continuous labor support can

6:20

all contribute to creating a positive

6:22

psychological state , enabling

6:25

the woman to relax , trust the process

6:27

and surrender to the natural

6:29

rhythm of labor . Here are two stories

6:32

of how decreasing stress and increasing

6:34

a feeling of safety and labor can

6:36

positively affect the labor process

6:38

. Sabrina Fletcher , tfmr

6:41

Dula , shares her experience .

6:44

There was a part in my labor where

6:46

it wasn't progressing and

6:48

then , when I got to the pushing part , something

6:51

switched because my husband

6:54

took out his flute . So

6:56

he's Mexican and

6:59

there's

7:02

a lineage through his grandmother , corandero

7:04

healers . He does sweat

7:07

lodge and massage and other

7:09

sorts of ceremonies . He

7:12

took out his flute and he started

7:14

playing and singing and

7:16

saying we're waiting for you , we're waiting for you

7:18

. We had actually

7:21

conceived that baby . It was a surprise

7:23

. We were only dating like six

7:25

months . I didn't know

7:27

where do we stand , me

7:29

and him . I didn't know how strong

7:31

our relationship was , if we would be able

7:34

to continue , if we would

7:36

make it through becoming parents

7:38

. But in that moment I

7:40

fully felt his commitment and I

7:42

was able to then give birth .

7:45

So there's a scientific

7:47

reason for that . So studies

7:49

have shown that the internal oxytocin

7:51

is released when a woman feels safe and also

7:54

when you feel loved , and

7:56

so in that moment , when you felt safe and

7:58

loved , your body was able to release that hormone

8:00

that helped you give birth . Aria Pretlow

8:02

describes a similar experience .

8:05

So at some point I was like I have

8:07

been awake for a very long time it

8:09

was probably like two in the afternoon or something . I was like I'm

8:11

going to go lie down , I just needed a little downtime

8:14

. So I remember I went

8:16

and laid down on . We had a futon , like in a sunny

8:18

office room , and I laid down on

8:20

the futon just to like rest , and

8:23

then Rob came in and he spooned

8:25

up behind me and like gave

8:27

me a snuggle and I had

8:29

this surge of oxytocin

8:31

. I felt the huge contraction

8:34

, I heard a pop and was like my

8:36

water broke and I love that story

8:39

snuggle with your , you know , sweet

8:41

, supportive person . I just it

8:43

was like so amazing to actually experience

8:45

that process . It was like feeling

8:48

loved , held , safe , bonded

8:50

, and then , bam , water

8:52

broke . Yeah , like okay .

8:54

Yeah . So I bet you're

8:57

wondering how to go about emotionally preparing

8:59

for labor . Here are some ways

9:01

that you can prepare and minimize

9:03

stress in the hospital . First

9:06

, focus on education . Knowing

9:09

what is going to happen is key to

9:11

being able to visualize and trust

9:13

and surrender to the process . And

9:16

a childbirth education class or

9:18

workshop to learn about the labor process

9:20

, to learn about different pain management

9:23

techniques and the common

9:25

interventions . A deeper understanding

9:27

of what to expect during labor can

9:29

alleviate anxiety and help you feel more

9:31

in control . Second , begin

9:34

to reflect on your birth preferences

9:36

. Take the time to create a birth

9:38

preferences document to communicate

9:40

your desires and preferences to the healthcare

9:43

team . This can help you feel more empowered

9:45

and confident in making informed decisions

9:47

during labor . This does not guarantee

9:50

that everything will happen as planned

9:52

in your birth . It is important

9:54

to maintain a flexible mindset . This

9:57

goes back to the importance of educating yourself

9:59

. Having a thorough working

10:01

knowledge of interventions and options

10:04

in the labor space and what

10:06

they are meant for is highly important

10:08

to consider , as things can change

10:10

from moment to moment in labor

10:12

and delivery . It is also important to

10:14

understand that your baby's reaction

10:16

to the labor process will determine

10:19

a lot of what interventions are recommended

10:21

in the hospital birth space and

10:23

what interventions may be taken

10:26

off the table because they are no longer

10:28

safe or appropriate . Third

10:31

, set up an emotional support

10:33

system . Surround yourself with

10:35

a supportive birth team that may

10:37

include your partner , your family members

10:39

, close friends or

10:42

a doula . Having someone who understands

10:44

and respects your wishes can provide emotional

10:46

support and advocacy and reduce

10:48

stress and isolation during your labor

10:51

. People who cause you stress should

10:53

not be in the birth area , nor

10:55

should people who aren't going to respect the

10:57

environment that you set up for yourself

10:59

. For instance , people

11:01

who tend to talk too much aren't a good

11:03

fit if you are hoping for a quiet environment

11:06

. People who ask too many questions , for

11:08

example , or require a lot of attention

11:10

, will draw you away from your

11:12

focus during the labor process . Be

11:15

very selective about who you want in the

11:17

labor room with you and kindly set

11:19

your boundaries early If you're unsure

11:21

how to set boundaries respectfully

11:23

. Birth coaches and doulas are great advocates

11:26

and can help you work to set

11:28

the boundaries and work through any tension

11:30

they may cause . Megan

11:32

Kastanian shares about how she wishes

11:34

she had done this in her first birth .

11:38

My first birth . There

11:40

was someone at my birth who

11:42

I was uncomfortable with . She was a

11:45

nurse midwife , so she was kind of in training

11:47

and I had had her in an appointment

11:50

a couple weeks prior and I was uncomfortable

11:52

with her there and I was uncomfortable

11:54

with her being at my birth . But

11:56

I didn't speak up . So like in my

11:58

gut I knew I wasn't comfortable with her

12:01

and part of me feels like if I

12:03

would have spoke up before I even went into

12:05

labor and said like , hey , I'm not

12:07

real comfortable with her . I feel like sometimes

12:09

our bodies clench up and can't do

12:11

what they're supposed to do if they're

12:13

protecting us from something else and

12:15

sometimes I feel like maybe that

12:18

would have been something for me to feel empowered

12:20

enough to say I love this

12:22

midwife , but this nurse , I'd

12:24

rather have someone else there because she makes

12:26

me uncomfortable . So I guess my advice

12:29

is to , if you

12:31

feel a certain way , to advocate

12:34

for yourself and really

12:36

just follow your gut instincts

12:39

. If something feels off , it probably

12:41

is .

12:42

Fourth , learn and practice relaxation

12:45

techniques , such as deep breathing

12:47

, mindfulness , visualization and guided

12:49

imagery . These techniques can help

12:52

calm your mind , reduce tension

12:54

and promote a sense of relaxation

12:56

during labor . Hypno-birthing

12:58

and lemmas are examples of great labor-specific

13:01

tools . Fifth

13:04

, create and practice positive

13:06

affirmations related to childbirth . Repeat

13:09

affirmations that resonate with you to

13:11

instill confidence , reduce fear

13:13

and maintain a positive mindset during labor

13:15

. Positive labor affirmations

13:18

can be found all over the internet . Find

13:21

the ones that speak to you and print them off and

13:23

bring them to your birth . I also

13:25

like to create a birth vision with my

13:27

clients so that in moments of stress

13:29

, they have a calming vision and audio

13:32

to focus on to help ground them

13:34

. Six , pack comfort

13:36

items that may help create a familiar

13:38

and comforting environment in the hospital , such

13:41

as your own pillow , favorite music or playlist

13:43

, a roma therapy sense , items

13:46

that remind you of home and a fun item

13:48

that can serve as a conversation starter to

13:50

break the ice for you and the hospital staff . This

13:53

really helps to get to know the people

13:55

and to help them see

13:57

you as an individual instead

13:59

of another patient . Jody Lynn

14:01

Owens explains .

14:03

So when you're in the hospital I'll tell

14:05

people , bring one thing that's so bizarre that

14:07

it makes everybody stop and ask you what's

14:09

that ? You know a picture , a family

14:12

photo ? That's just crazy . Or put

14:14

a picture of your cat or some stuffed

14:16

animal that you lost . Something that humanizes

14:19

you and stops people and say , well , what

14:21

is that on your

14:23

table there and you get to tell a little story

14:25

about your home . It brings people into

14:28

your worldview .

14:29

Seven , once you have done all the prep work

14:31

that I just spoke about , begin to foster

14:34

open and clear communication with your

14:36

healthcare providers . Discuss your preferences

14:38

, fears and concerns well in advance

14:41

. This builds a trusting relationship

14:43

with your healthcare team and it can alleviate

14:46

anxiety and ensure that your needs are met

14:48

. Remember it's important to be flexible

14:50

and open-minded , as labor can unfold

14:52

differently than expected . By

14:54

emotionally preparing and cultivating a

14:56

positive mindset , you can navigate

14:58

the journey of labor with more confidence

15:00

and reduced stress . Don't

15:03

take my word for it . Ellie Goldstein

15:05

, Aran and Mother of Two , shares how she

15:07

wishes she had prepared .

15:09

Yeah , it was really interesting to compare both births

15:12

. I really think that if I had done

15:14

anything before , it

15:16

honestly would have been like mindset work

15:18

, like meditation , breathing

15:21

, even like positive

15:23

affirmations , just things that you can

15:26

do to help a

15:28

positive mindset . You know , because

15:30

I really did spend my

15:32

entire first pregnancy just so nervous

15:35

that something would happen that I don't think I

15:37

really enjoyed it . I wasn't

15:39

prepared for postpartum anxiety

15:41

and depression at all . I was super

15:43

anxious postpartum and then

15:45

with the second baby too , it was

15:47

hard , it was so hard .

15:50

In another episode I explained it this way

15:52

, so I just can't stress enough

15:54

the importance of preparation

15:56

for the birthing process for

15:59

parents . I think there are a lot

16:01

of resources for preparation

16:03

. Some are better than others . A

16:05

lot of parents want the quick

16:07

one day class , and then what I hear

16:09

afterwards was there wasn't enough information

16:12

. It was all condensed into , you

16:14

know , a six hour period . But when

16:17

you sign up for that you're like , oh my gosh , six

16:19

hours , are you kidding me ? So I

16:21

think people would do better to

16:23

look at this as I mean , it's

16:26

not just birth , it's the marathon , it's the pregnancy

16:28

, it's the birth , it's the

16:31

parenthood , it's all this whole new

16:33

thing that you are preparing for . I mean , you don't just jump

16:35

into a new career after a six hour

16:37

class . Most of the time you know your new career

16:40

is going to be parenthood , and getting into that

16:42

process is going to take some preparation

16:44

, even the birthing process . So I

16:46

just want to encourage parents to spend a little bit more

16:49

time understanding what's going to happen

16:51

, no matter what kind of birth you're having , whether you're having a home

16:53

birth , a hospital birth , birth center

16:55

no matter what you're doing , understand

16:57

what the options are and why and what

17:00

might be coming up for you with all of those options

17:02

. If you don't know where

17:04

to begin and feel overwhelmed by the birth

17:06

prep process , don't worry

17:08

, I've got you covered . To

17:10

help you prepare emotionally for your hospital

17:13

birth , I've created the Empowered Hospital

17:15

Birth Program . This program is specifically

17:18

designed to help you become comfortable

17:20

with various birthing options

17:22

within the hospital setting and

17:24

, most importantly , teach you how

17:27

to calm your nervous system so

17:29

that you and your baby can continue the

17:31

dance of birth , even if you get

17:33

a little out of sync . In this program

17:35

, together we will gain clarity on

17:37

your top three birthing must-haves , we

17:40

will work through your top three fears

17:42

or obstacles , and we will connect

17:44

you with your own physiology so that

17:46

you can feel calm and fully present during

17:48

your birth . When I help you with your hospital

17:50

birth process , your pregnancy will

17:52

no longer be a source of anxiety or

17:55

stress , but rather an opportunity

17:57

for you to focus on connecting with your baby

17:59

and enjoying your journey . Additionally , I

18:01

will help you identify knowledge gaps to make

18:03

sure that you are fully informed , learn

18:05

key phrases so that you can better communicate

18:08

with your medical team and emotionally process

18:10

the fears so that they don't hold power

18:12

over you anymore . While practices such

18:14

as yoga , meditation and birth classes

18:16

are undeniably valuable and

18:18

important , they often don't address

18:20

the root cause of stress that may arise

18:23

during the hospital birth . They also may

18:25

not fully answer the questions you have

18:27

, as many of these classes are fire

18:30

hoses of information that just scratch

18:32

the surface of everything that you need to

18:34

know in a hospital birth . My

18:37

program goes beyond these practices and

18:39

provides you with personalized strategies

18:41

, customized to you , to be able to empower

18:43

you during your hospital birth experience . Are

18:46

you ready to start ? Go to kellyhoffcom

18:49

backslash empowered to learn

18:51

more about the empowered hospital birth program

18:53

. That's K-E-L-L-Y-H-O-Fcom

18:57

backslash empowered . Remember

18:59

, preparing yourself emotionally for

19:01

labor is just as important as

19:03

any physical preparation you might undertake

19:06

. As you navigate through the hospital

19:08

birth process , you deserve to feel

19:10

confident , calm and fully connected

19:13

to your body and your baby . I will

19:15

help you do that . Finally , I

19:17

will leave you with a sneak preview from

19:19

my upcoming episode with Tricia Plett

19:21

. In Tricia's episode , we talk

19:23

about how important it was for her

19:25

to recognize and work through the anger she

19:27

felt about being unable to

19:29

have a home birth . She shares with

19:31

me how much it helped her to work through that

19:33

anger and resentment before her delivery

19:36

so that she didn't bring it with her into

19:38

the birth space and into postpartum

19:40

Life isn't straightforward all

19:42

the time , especially if there's medical complications

19:45

. It is so easy

19:47

to begin to feel out of control and to have

19:49

anger and resentment because of that . I

19:52

really want to help moms focus

19:55

on how to I don't

19:57

want to say regain control , because what do we really

19:59

have control over in life that have a

20:01

sense of to regain autonomy

20:03

and continuing to be a part

20:05

of the decision-making process , even

20:08

though things aren't going the exact way that

20:10

you pictured . Because

20:12

it's not like if you go in for a routine

20:14

procedure , if you're going to get out your tonsils

20:17

, it's pretty straightforward . They

20:19

can tell you exactly how it's going to go With

20:21

labor and delivery . We really have no idea . There

20:23

are so many things that could happen . It's

20:26

really easy to feel out of control . The

20:29

overarching feeling that I get from

20:31

moms is anger and resentment

20:33

. It's really hard to work through that . I'm

20:35

really glad that you had the opportunity to work through that

20:37

before your delivery , because otherwise

20:40

I feel like that's what leads to trauma .

20:42

Yeah , I've thought about that too

20:44

. This is totally the end of the story

20:46

, but I have to say it . A doctor

20:48

told me at my six weeks appointment . She

20:51

said your birth was the most peaceful

20:53

birth I ever attended . I

20:56

just know that that is a testimony

20:58

to dealing with my anger

21:00

and my resentment before

21:02

that .

21:05

You were able to grave the birth that you wanted . Yeah

21:08

, you were able to move forward with the birth

21:10

that you were presented .