Childbirth magic Ebook

Childbirth magic

PREPARE FOR CHILDBIRTH

DISCOVER in just MINUTES your CHOICES in childbirth, how to PREPARE for any birth experience, how to PREVENT intervention, and how to work through your FEARS.

FOUR AMAZING EXPERTS, with MARA DOWER Show You Multiple Methods to a Magical Birth and Help You Prevent Unnecessary Intervention

Dear Mums/Moms, Partners, Family and Friends,

You may already be or soon will be at the point where I was, and that is you are either pregnant or know someone that is; or considering having children. You want the best outcome during your pregnancy and want a fairly easy labour.

You are frightened, challenged and perhaps confused with all the information out there.

You've had enough, listening to everyone else's horror stories about long labours, drugs, intervention, things going wrong and the way these women felt after the birth. You understand that sometimes things don't go the way you intended, but the thought of a c-section is not the ideal option, so if that can be prevented then that would make you happy.

You believe going into hospital to labour is safe, but don't realise that this could be the start to a challenging birth, that can cascade into one intervention after another. Where do you think these 'horror stories' come from and why? Haven't you ever questioned this?

You're not really aware of all your birth options - you're just doing what you've been told by your mother, family, friends, doctor and/or obstetrician - and that is, to birth in a hospital.

You feel stressed and confused, and haven't been able find the answers, until now!

Everything you need to birth is within you. Birthing is an opportunity to tap into your power and spiritual insight, the core of who you are. It's a moment where you can experience love, pleasure, personal empowerment and growth, bodily sensations you never knew existed, sacred space, spiritual enlightenment and miracles beyond belief.

Recent Study Shows 76% of Pregnant Women in Hospital Have an Epidural, 50% Take Synthetic Oxytocin to speed up Labour, 32% Have a Caesarean with 79% Still Experiencing Problems Two Months Later.

Childbirth Magic: How to create a positive birth experience show you some ways to a safer and easier pregnancy/labour

I Felt Scared and Confused During My Pregnancy

I have been in your position... big belly, about to give birth in 4 months time and people telling me what to do, where to birth and to make sure that "nothing happens to my baby" - ie. instilling fear into me. I felt scared and challenged with the amount of information out there. Of course I had our baby's best interests in mind; and a home birth was not out of the question.

I was introduced to home birthing back in 1997, but when I discovered I was pregnant in 2004, I went into autopilot and booked myself into hospital after being advised by my doctor. As I was healthy and no prior illnesses, I booked into a birthing unit/centre at a hospital in Melbourne and started moving through the system.

When both my husband and I visited the birthing unit, we found it similar to a hospital ward but with a few extra creature comforts and flexibility to assist with the birth. We found it clinical, sterile and had the perception that a hospital (regardless it being called a 'birthing unit') was a place where only sick people attended. We believed giving birth was not a "sickness".

Water Birth Message, But Fear Gets in the Way

Now interestingly, 3 months pregnant, on my honey-moon, sitting in a spa bath, and rubbing my belly, I got this inner knowing or "message" from our daughter that she wanted a water birth. It may have been my own wishes whilst sitting in a spa; regardless, I now had a strong intention and purpose. My own daughter was telling me what she wanted so I had to find a way...

Despite this inner knowing, I stuck within the hospital system due to my fears and what I had later discovered with my first ultrasound - a fibroid about 7cm big which was apparently obstructing the passageway to the birth canal. I was beginning to be told that birth would be difficult and that a c-section was more than likely. Suddenly, I was being kept in the system.

Water for Pain Relief... Used in Hospital Demo

At our very first pre-natal class conducted at the hospital, we watched a short video showing the labour process; and guess what? It was pretty outdated (70s I think), and the woman was birthing in a pool at home. When I asked about birthing in a pool or bath in hospital, the teacher (who mind you, hadn't even had children, and was teaching); said, that due to litigation the hospital wouldn't allow birthing in a pool or bath. The video was a short demonstration to show the stages of labour only. She went on to say, that I was most welcome to sit in a bath to help manage the pain and contractions, but as soon as I was in full labour, I had to move back into the birthing unit. I was feeling resistance, and this was further evidence that a hospital was not where I wanted to labour.

With the years of experience doing lifestyle coaching, around 36 weeks into the pregnancy I reconnected to our higher purpose, got into action and said enough! I knew within my heart that a home water birth was the best choice for us, so my husband and I focused on granting our wishes.

Home, Water Birth Decided for Me and My Baby

We went on a quest, connecting with friends who'd had home births and gathered as much information as possible. My friend Jacinta (and mentor), lent me a book called 'Birthing From Within' by Pamela England and Rob Horowitz. This book became my birthing bible, which I read from start to finish and did many of the activities within the book. I wanted to give our baby the best welcome to the world and so I was now on a mission.

In short, we found our midwives, an appropriate pool and we were all set to go within a brief time.
And what happened to the fibroid you may ask? Well you may not believe this but, at 38 weeks, I went back to the hospital and had a scan to see what the fibroid was doing. The nurse couldn't find it. I thought, "Yes! The power of the mind has ridden it." After half an hour scanning, a vaginal examination and more scanning, she finally found it - under my left breast! How it moved to there, who knows... and who really cares? I was completely ready to birth at home in a pool - much to my delight.

I'm Repeating the Same, Easy Pregnancy NOW!

Yes, I'm pregnant again - currently 5 months pregnant (March, 09). It was an unplanned pregnancy, so I wasn't physically and mentally totally ready for another baby, but this little spirit obviously didn't want to wait any longer.

Call it double luck, coincidence or maybe I just know what I'm talking about, as so far I've had the easiest pregnancy! I don't believe in morning sickness (so I didn't get it), I was pretty healthy and fit leading up to the pregnancy, and so now, 5 months on, I wouldn't know I was having a baby except for the massive bump, the awkwardness and this wriggling inside me.

My intention is to get the word out. Have women, like yourselves, see a world of possibilities for your childbirth. With these experts, we're sharing this information so you can make an informed and empowered choice.

Some Facts About Hospital Births and Caesareans

Whilst gathering information during my pregnancy, I read a lot of information about the cascade of interventions in hospital, the dangers and effects of epidurals and other drugs - not only to myself, but to my unborn baby; and other external factors that could prevent a mother to birth naturally in hospital. Other external factors included: the pressure to labour within a specific time, the interference from strangers walking in and out of the room, various personal agendas of obstetricians and doctors, and being shuffled out of the hospital like cattle to get the next 'number' in. This was not my ideal birthing scenario!

A study by 'Childbirth Connection' - Listening to Mothers II (2006), provided some interesting intervention statistics, based on the experiences of 1,573 American pregnant women who were surveyed. Amongst mothers who'd either had a vaginal birth or caesarean in hospital, 83% of mothers reported having an IV, 76% had an epidural, 75% having one or more vaginal examinations, 56% catheterised, 47% having their membranes broken after labour began, and 47% were given synthetic oxytocin to speed up labor.

Other shocking statistics included: 22% of women in hospital reported they were given narcotics such as Demerol or Stadol, while a small proportion underwent general anesthesia (3% overall - 7% of cesareans). Three percent used nitrous oxide gas or had pudendal or other local block injections (1%), a small proportion of mothers (8%) indicated they used pain medications but weren't sure what they were. One in six mothers (17%) reported receiving both a narcotic and epidural or spinal analgesia.

The recommended caesarean rate for any country advised by the World Health Organization is
10 to 15 percent, yet we're seeing rates of up to 32% in Australia and the United States, with other countries following closely behind.

What's All The Fuss Using Drugs for Pain Relief?

So what's all the fuss about? What's wrong with using drugs during labour, especially when women are white knuckling through contractions? Any drug used during labour can potentially harm the baby and compromise the child's health later in life. It's also known that drugs either used to induce a woman or to relieve pain, can affect her hormones, her contractions and the urge to push, the woman's awareness and focus, and her ability to birth naturally. In fact, drugs can lead to a caesarean that have their own set of dangers. Using drugs during birth, can also affect the connection and bonding between the mother and baby post-birth, breastfeeding difficulties may arise, the mother may experience post-natal depression, as well other adverse effects on parenting.

Action Versus Inaction

So what makes me different from other pregnant women who have great intentions to birth naturally, but then find themselves in a situation of serious decision making, long labours, intervention or then having a caesarean?
Why is it easy for some and not for others?

There are 3 answers to this question that I discovered.

• One - I was very ready to make it happen. I was open to possibilities and opportunities, rather than following the crowd. I did my research around hospital vs home births and they were both as safe as each other (in terms of mother and baby surviving). So then the choice came down to whether I wanted to be in a clinical, sterile environment with people I didn't know and the possibility of intervention occurring being quite high; or to be in my own home with my husband and family (and our germs), and a midwife who was going to support and assist me all the way? The choice was easy and clear.
• Two - I prepared myself for the pregnancy and labour. I ate well, walked regularly, did a meditation course, received massage and kinesiology treatments, communicated to my husband and daughter regularly, and worked from home (minimising stress).
• Three - I hired a midwife who assisted and supported my family through the last stages of pregnancy, labour and post natal care that included breastfeeding support and advice.

Now before you panic, and think I'm trying to force home births onto you - it's not like that (although I would strongly recommend it), I'm demonstrating there is a different, safe, more powerful way to birthing, than what you've been told - whether it be in a hospital or at home. YOU DO HAVE CHOICES!

I Stayed Focussed on My Birth and Laboured at Home

I was someone like you, ready to birth in a hospital as I believed that was the way to go based on the knowledge from my past, from my peers, family and doctors. And don't get me wrong... I was concerned about the fibroid and went for all the tests at the hospital. But again, what made me different from so many other mothers out there, I didn't panic or connect to the doctor's "story".
I stayed centered and focused on our higher purpose, and that's where our energy went. I WAS THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF MY BIRTH, using the assistance of others (midwives, specialists etc) when I felt it was necessary.

Despite the small number of challenges, in 2005 I gave birth to our beautiful daughter in a pool at home - which was one of the most amazing and special experiences I have ever encountered. I had a wonderful labour of approximately 6 hours that was assisted by two midwives - Clare Lane and Joy Johnston, my darling husband, my gorgeous sister and of course the star of the show - my daughter, Kiannah. It couldn't have been more perfect. We were in our own surroundings; and after the birth experience, we made yummy fruit salad with yoghurt, snuggled into bed together, and felt the love. It was blissful.

My Experience is Your Gain to a Magical Birth

Since my birth, a few people have challenged me saying it was just "luck". However, I feel I implemented a lot of the techniques that the experts in my ebook talk about that promoted a healthy, natural and easy labour. I am living proof and have reaffirmed through this ebook that it wasn't just "luck" that got me through the entire birthing journey. It was preparation, positive thinking and sticking with what I believed and wanted.

And Now I'm Doing It Again with My Second Birth!

You have all the information at hand that you would ever need to make the right decision for the birth of your child. Just prepare, prepare, prepare!

Childbirth Magic is Born

I needed to find a path on how to get the message to pregnant women world-wide and show them how they too could reclaim their power around birthing.

I wanted to remind women that they too could potentially have the same birth as I did. Perhaps not a home birth - but one where preparation was the difference between an easier pregnancy and labour with minimal drugs and/or intervention, and a long, complicated labour.

There are choices for pregnant women, and Childbirth Magic: How to create a positive birth experience can show you quickly and easily.

What Will Childbirth Magic Do For You?

• Demonstrate that you have choices in birthing, and you have the power to make whatever choice feels right for you and your baby.
• Give you 140 pages of information and ways to prepare for a magical birth.
• Provide you with the confidence to trust yourself with birthing.
• Instigate powerful communication.
• Give you skills that will leave you feeling empowered, whatever birthing outcome.
• Reintroduce you to your body and your ability to birth naturally.
• Demonstrate how positive beliefs will bring different results during your pregnancy and labour.
• Give you the power to control your birth, whatever the birthing outcome.
• Enable to connect to your baby, even before it is born.
• Create a magical and positive birth that will assist with bonding and mothering.

What Else Can You Expect to Read in Childbirth Magic?

• Uncover the truth behind many caesarean births. Avoid being in the 32% of cases, and the risks associated with major abdominal surgery.
• Discover 8 tips to assist with your birth regardless of where or how you labour - in a birthing unit, labour ward, at home, or even a caesarean - that can maximise your overall birthing experience.
• The No 1. Tip that can reduce the instance of caesarean surgery by 50 to 60%.
• The little known way to get over any fears during your labour, so you feel free, can let go and open up (literally).
• 13 tips and tricks to prepare for an easier labour; so you feel empowered, at ease, and confident.
• How just a few minutes a day doing one simple exercise, a month before your due, can help prevent tearing and an episiotomy. Your partner can assist with this one, which you'll love!
• IMPORTANT! Ensure doctors don't clamp your baby's cord straight after the birth! Discover why.
• 10 suggestions in creating a magical birth experience.
• AMAZING! Utilise 9 other natural pain relief methods, one which includes Belly Dancing!
• 6 simple ways to slow down and reduce stress. Stress can impede a pregnancy and labour; therefore, the less stress, the better.
• That there's no "right" or "wrong" choice with labour - it will just give you a different outcome. Learn how to make powerful choices during your birthing journey.
• Find out what a Lotus Birth is.
• 10 things your partner can do to assist you in labour, that will help you feel supported and confident that you can get through the tough times (as well as letting your partner know not to take offence if you scream, yell and swear during the birth).
• Look at ways to save money and get the best for your pregnancy and labour.
• A handful of resources, contacts, courses, birthing options and choices that will be at your fingertips.

More...