Five Favorites: Labor and Delivery Style

Linking up with the amazing, hilarious, and insightful Heather for five favorites.

So it is over a month (what!? how did that happen?) since Sebastian made his grand entrance, and though I've already written (ad nauseum, I'm sure) about the whole story and how finally holding him was really a miracle, I am going to write one more post. JUST ONE! I promise!

So, over the past few weeks, I have thought a lot about what really helped me during his labor. Every mom and every pregnancy is so different, and who knows if these same five things will be helpful (to anyone else or even to me). BUT, after having a ton of ideas for the labor and dealing with the pain, these are the five things that we actually tried and what worked for me! (*Other ideas we just didn't get to trying.)

~Five Favorites~

1. This Exercise Ball:


This thing was great. And there is sand in the bottom. Sand in the bottom. and you know what that means?! It STAYS! The ball stays in one place, and doesn't go rolling around in all the hospital grossness. This is huge. After working in a hospital for three years, I know that the amount of super bugs and germs on the floor is astronomical (not to mention, any remnants of blood and other body fluids that happen to be left behind, yum, yum yum, yum). So, the LAST thing I would ever want to do is lean on a ball, and possibly put my face against, a ball that had rolled around that nastiness. Incredibly gross. And, though generally not a germophobe, being in a hospital makes me otherwise!

So this ball is perfect! The sand in the ball makes it stay in one place. I still asked Pat to give it a good wipe down before I actually leaned on it, though (thanks, Babe!). So if you are a germophobe as far as hospitals go, this is the ball for you!

I bought mine at Walmart, and it was about $18. Not bad!

This ball made a big difference for me towards the end of labor, though I know a lot of people like them earlier. Great to bounce on or lean on! And I definitely did a lot of leaning towards the end , which brings me to my second favorite:

2. Gardening Pads

 These serve two GREAT purposes!

(a) When I was kneeling down and leaning against the ball, I knelt on these. Awesome because not touching the hospital floor (score) but also so much more comfortable! My knees were so sore (SO SORE) because I did the whole scrub-your-kitchen-floor-on-you-hands-and-knees-to-get-this-baby-moving the night before. But, despite that, the knees didn't bother me a bit since I had these garden pads!

(b) Not sure how many people experience hot flashes in labor, but I sure did. I would suddenly feel like it was a sweltering desert. Pat would grab one of these gardening pads and use it as a fan. It was A-mazing. Highly recommend it.

3. Ice (or whatever your beverage of choice is)

I thought I was drinking plenty, but noooooo way. Ice chips were somehow more palatable then anything else (??why? I don't know). I was so thirsty and dehydrated by the end. As in, ravenous, for water. So ice chips, or water, or whatever is the easiest.  Next time, I plan to drink a bunch more. I brought coconut water, but that stuff is just gross. I wish I liked it because everyone raves about it, but nope, can't stand the stuff.

4. Comfortable flip flops

These are the ones I had (and love~ especially because I got them on sale!). You already know my aversion for nasty hospital floors (and, for the record, dirt, mud, rainwater etc don't bother me at all. But hospitals. different story). So flip flops are essential so that you can walk around, sit on the bed, slip them back on, whatever.

5. Weleda Arnica Massage Oil

This stuff is great! I really think it made a huge difference in the tearing department. Despite only pushing a few times, and with a baby that was posterior AND over a pound heavier then my last, only first degree tears. It also smells really nice! I found it at Target, should you be interested at all.


So those are my five favorites for L&D! But I should really include an awesome husband/coach (really makes all the difference) and all the prayers which are tangible and so appreciated. Also a big thank you to Amy Bookwalter who is a great doula and teaches fantastic childbirth classes, and recommended all these items (and many more! these were just my favorites!).

Anyway, be sure to check out Mama Knows, Honeychild for some other favorites.