The Challenge of Childbirth

Surrender and willpower are not opposites.

They are partners.

What if I told you that laboring through contractions is neither passive nor aggressive? That it’s neither losing control nor fighting against something? Birth is an opportunity to practice the self control needed to yield control.

This is the true challenge of childbirth. It isn't the pain tolerance you believe you do or do not have. It's not whether your body is capable or not. Like so many challenges we face in life, getting through labor is about the mental dynamic of perseverance and confidence.

Each contraction is an invitation to lean in and at the same time let go, welcoming the intensity and willing yourself to allow the waves to freely wash over you. The amount of self-discipline it takes to surrender to a contraction is immense. Effective laboring demonstrates both power and release simultaneously, resistance giving way to allow your body to continue the process it was created for.

Breathe deeply.

Bring your sounds low.

Find your rhythm.

Move with your instincts.

We talk about relaxation methods like this and so much more in all of my birth classes! Pregnant and unsure where to begin? Check out my Comprehensive Birth Class in Northern Colorado. Not from Colorado? Take a look at my private, online childbirth classes.