After my last oxytocin post, I got some lovely emails in return. So I thought I would write another one!

And if you are so inclined, please do write back!  
Maybe it is just a quick note. 
Or maybe you have been meaning to write your birth story and seeing me pop into your in box has been the reminder that you need.  
Or maybe you have come across something cheerful that you want to share.
Whatever it is, I would love to read it!

Here are five things that might help to boost your oxytocin.
I hope one or two bring inspiration, calm, and maybe even some cheer into your home.
Take care.

1. For those of you preparing to birth, this is an encouraging COVID-19 birth story.

2. If someone makes this Thai Chicken Meatball Soup can you please bring me some?

3. Tiramisu is that dessert for me. If it is on the menu, I am going to order it. I have never made it though. And I think that needs to change!

4. When my kids were younger, I found reading actual books hard. And I missed that escape. But then I discovered audiobooks. And I was soon hooked. I just finished The Tattooist of Auschwitz and I loved it. Lale’s determination, his love for Gita, and the narrator’s voice make this one to add to your audio library.

5. If an audio book feels like a step too far, this is one of my favourite podcasts. The COVID episode with Mo Gawdat is obviously timely and it helped recalibrate my emotions. I also loved her interview with Marian Keyes.

If you would like to get oxytocin boosters and other updates delivered directly to your inbox, you can sign up to my weekly-ish newsletter here.
I will only ever send you information about upcoming free Zoom events and links to things that I think will make you happy.
And to be honest, before this pandemic the last time I sent an email was probably 2018, so don’t worry about me clogging up your inbox!

Tonight I hosted a Zoom chat about how to have a positive birth despite the corona virus pandemic.
I created this PDF to go along with the talk and I thought I would post it here as well in case it is helpful to anyone.

This PDF doesn’t address the positive birth part though!

I think it is important to to recognise the power in birth is always the woman’s. It is ours to use. It is ours to give away.
Women have given birth in every conceivable situation, both good and bad. And some have been very, very bad. Through wars, famines, refugee camps, alone, with someone who has caused them harm…women birth.
They have done it. And we can do it.
Yes, these circumstances were forced upon us.
But that doesn’t mean that we can’t harness that power that we all instinctively know we have and use it to have a positive birth!

And in terms of continuing to prepare for a positive birth, here are some suggestions.

Focus on what you can control, let go of what you can’t (if you don’t learn this now, motherhood will force this lesson upon you).
Feel into what is actually making you feel anxious (is it becoming sick with the corona virus, is it not having support of grandparents after birth), flip that into a positive, and use that affirmation daily.
Find what settles your mind.
Look at the intentions behind your actions…choose actions that put self preservation and self care first.
Use any extra self isolation time to do more preparation!
If you feel well prepared for birth, prepare for breastfeeding, prepare for postpartum (the Peanut app and Gather My Crew are great). Ask mothers around you how they prepared for breastfeeding and postpartum…or what aspects of preparation they missed and wished they had focused more on. Staying at home and slowing down is going to help you honour that transition to motherhood. Shelter in place is a postpartum doula’s dream come true…except for the part where we can’t be there with you! A bit of forward thinking always helps ease evolution, so consider stocking your pantry, pop some meals in the freezer, create a breastfeeding basket, and create a list of family, friends, and practitioners you can turn to if you need help.

This pandemic should not prevent you from having a positive birth!

The Zoom session and the clickable PDF are available over in my FB group.

And I should add the usual disclaimer here.
This not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health.

International Confederation of Midwives Official Statement: Women’s Rights in Childbirth Must be Upheld During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Australian College of Midwives: Women Should Have Access to a Known Birth Partner in Labour
RANZCOG COVID-19 Advice and Information
QLD Health Clinical Guidelines COVID-19 for Maternity Services
Evidence Based Birth COVID-19 Resource Page
COVID-19 and Water Birth
Australian Breastfeeding Association COVID-19 Resource Page
La Leche League COVID-19 and Breastfeeding
Dealing with COVID-19 Anxiety
Beyond Blue COVID-19 Mental Health Support Service
Peach Tree Perinatal Wellness COVID-19 Support
Peanut App
Gather My Crew

My friend and fav osteo, Dr Bron kicked off my Zoom series with some information and advice about pregnancy and postpartum posture.

The main takeaways in terms of pregnancy were that every part of your body is connected, pregnancy changes your body, moving your body in beneficial ways can aid alignment, and good alignment is good for birth!

And when it comes to postpartum and to breastfeeding, a travel neck pillow is your new best friend!

The full video of her Zoom session is in my FB group and on YouTube.

I am aiming to host a different practitioner every week so if there is someone you want to hear from, let me know and I will see what I can do!

And to keep updated, please follow me on IG, join my FB group, or, if social media isn’t your thing, email me and I will keep you posted that way!

‘Birth trauma’ is distress experienced by a mother during or after childbirth and more women are starting to talk about their traumatic experiences during and after birth.

The trauma can be because of your experience, or how the birth didn’t go to plan. A difficult and painful labour, complications, interventions, you or your baby suffering a birth injury.

The trauma can be physical, but it can also be emotional or psychological. Birth trauma is not just about what happened during labour and the birth. It can also refer to how you, as the mother, feel afterwards.

In preparing for birth we try to pick the right doctor the right hospital and follow the right advice. And yet like everything we’ve never done before it can be hard to work out what’s going to be right for you and your birth.

In this week’s Babytalk Podcast you will meet Caitlin Dyer from Mother Down Under, she’s a Registered Nurse, Hypnobirthing Australia Childbirth Educator and Postnatal Specialist who believes that preparing for birth can help women have the birth experience they want.
In this podcast Caitlin will explain how women can avoid potential birth trauma by understanding the physiology of birth, medical interventions, and by choosing caregivers who will support your individual needs.

You can listen below or you can download the episode here.