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Breastfeeding is a great partnership between the mother and her baby and requires practice, perseverance, commitment and coordination. The mother when nursing her baby, must make sure she is comfortably in a chair or bed and is well supported by pillows.

There are 4 popular breastfeeding positions which can be adopted. Some are more favorable for the mother than others.

1) CRADLE HOLD – this is frequently used, and the baby lies on the mother’s lap and the baby’s head is held in the crook of the arm. It is a natural ‘cuddling position’. This position may be unsuitable initially for a mother who had a caesarian section, as the weight of the baby will be resting on the scar. It is important to remember that the baby should be facing the mother with its ear, shoulder, and hip lying in a straight line. It is often helpful to tuck the baby’s lower arm under the mothers. For a baby that has difficulty ‘latching on’, it may be harder at first in this position to guide the nipple in to the mouth.

2) TRANSITION / CROSS-CRADLE HOLD – This is a good position to use in the early days when the mother and baby are learning, as it means you can hold the baby’s head with more control and guide the nipple easier for latching on. It is a reverse cradle position as the baby is laying in the opposite direction. If the baby is feeding from the left breast, then the baby is placed on the lap and held with its head in the mothers right hand.

3) CLUTCH / FOOTBALL HOLD. This is a brilliant hold if nursing twins, the mother has large breasts or post caesarian section. The baby is tucked under the arm with its feet to the back and its nose facing the nipple. The baby’s head is held in the mothers hand with the neck, shoulders and back being supported by her forearm. Her arm is best rested on a pillow. The breast is held with the other hand to navigate the nipple in to the mouth. I have often recommended that mothers alternate from cradle position to this one as it helps to prevent sore nipples. If the baby sucks in different positions on the breast it can also help when nipples are sensitive, sore or cracked.

4) LAYING DOWN. This position is ideal if the mother has had a caesarian section, has difficulty sitting down after birth, or needs to rest in bed. The mother lays on her side (with pillows supporting her back) and the baby lays on its side with its nose level with the breast. This position can be restful for mother and baby and can be adopted for night feeds.

THE SUCCESS OF ANY OF THESE POSITIONS IS HAVING PATIENCE AND TIME TO MASTER THE TECHNIQUES IN A RELAXED AND COMFORTABLE PLACE

Author: Rosemary Buchan

I am a Qualified Midwife, and Paediatric Nurse – having trained at the world renowned Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond St., London, U.K. I have over 35 yrs experience of working with mothers and babies and have successfully breastfed and raised 3 children of my own.

I have witnessed first hand the struggle many mothers have in breastfeeding their babies through lack of confidence, information, and encouragement. They are very tired, vulnerable, and emotional, in the early days, and often become discouraged and discontinue breastfeeding through lack of support.

I created BestBreastfeeding.com after my daughter gave birth to her son. I was shocked and saddened to see how much she was left to cope on her own, with minimal professional time and assistance.

My goal is to give you access to excellent, comprehensive information and advice through these resources, to make breastfeeding a relaxed and pleasurable experience for you and your baby.

My aim is that every mother will have the confidence and enjoyment in breastfeeding their baby so I distribute these exceptional products that will enable you to achieve this at http://www.BestBreastfeeding.com

Warm wishes Rosemary Buchan RGN, RSCN, RM, B.Ed (Hons) http://www.BestBreastfeeding.com

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Hypnosis for natural childbirth is making a come back. Future parents are interested in this tool but may have a lot of unanswered questions. Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions on hypnosis for childbirth and their answers.

Is natural child birth using hypnosis a new trend? Will we be guinea pigs if we use this method for the birth of our baby?

Hypnosis has been used for natural child birth ever since the first baby was born (or almost). It was frequently used in the nineteenth century before Ether was introduced in obstetrics and surgery. Long before the nineteenth century, men and women instinctively went into a deep focused and relaxed state whenever they needed their bodies to perform certain tasks. They just did not call this phenomenon hypnosis.

With all the potent drugs medicine has to offer, why would anyone consider child birth without using all the technology available?

Pregnancy and birthing are very special times and we always have to keep in mind that there is a precious and vulnerable being involved: THE BABY. The placenta transmits all the nutrients and oxygen the baby requires but although it acts as a filter, most drugs can cross its barrier and are passed on to the baby. The book Medications and Mothers’ Milk rates medications with their potential risks to the unborn. In summary, we can say that the classification goes from A to X, an “A” being a drug that has no harmful effect on the baby whatsoever. Counting the over-the-counter common drugs offered like Tylenol, Advil, Gravol, Maalox, can you guess how many medications are perfectly safe to use during pregnancy and childbirth and are classified class “A”? The answer is “0″! In short, besides water, a breath of fresh air and love, a mother has to be careful what she exposes her unborn baby to. This is one of the reasons so many expectant couples consider avoiding taking drugs during pregnancy and especially the birth of their baby and opt for a natural child birth.

I am scared to be a “zombie” during the birth of my baby. If I choose a natural child birth using hypnosis, will I remember all that happened or will I miss out on such a special event?

Hypnosis is only a state of deep physical and mental relaxation. Many famous athletes such as Tiger Woods use hypnosis regularly (if you look at him when he plays, he just seems deeply focused, not in a spaced-out state). The state of mind that hypnosis brings laboring mothers into has been described as being ‘in the zone” by many athletes; that is to say that you are deeply focused and living the experience to its fullest. Isn’t this exactly what everyone wants for that special day when their baby is born?

Programs of hypnosis for child birth also allow future parents to achieve, by practicing and mastering self-hypnosis, eyes-opened hypnosis. Laboring mothers are also able to talk and move around during their labor and use all the other important tools to obtain a peaceful and natural child birth using hypnosis. These tools include: using the tub or Jacuzzi, massages, changing positions frequently and using gravity to aid the baby’s descent.

Experience has showed that hypnosis for childbirth answers a profound need of future parents to have a natural and comfortable childbirth.

Author: Nathalie Fiset

For more complete information on hypnosis for childbirth please go to: http://www.hypno-beginning.com/products.htm http://www.hypno-beginning.com http://www.drnathaliefiset.com

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If you know you are planning to use an epidural to help you manage pain during childbirth, you may not be thinking about natural childbirth techniques. In contrast with an epidural which almost always provides good pain relief with no effort from the mother, natural childbirth techniques take time to learn, time to practice and you don’t know which ones will help you most until your labor begins. But as is so often true in life, there is great value in the things you have to work harder for.

1. Your labor may move faster than you expect – the typical labor may start slow, and slowly build to active labor, but not all do. About 2% of women experience a precipitate labor, one in which the early stages pass so easily they are unnoticed and the mother suddenly finds herself dealing with a fast active labor. If your labor starts fast, the natural childbirth techniques you learn will not only keep you comfortable, but also help you stay calm and as relaxed as possible until you get to your birth place.
2. It can take 20 minutes to an hour or more from the time you request an epidural to the time you get pain relief. Instead of being a specific medication, epidural and spinal are advanced anesthetic techniques. This means you need an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist to administer one. Unlike simpler, less effective pain relief methods which your midwife, doctor or nurse could administer, when you choose an epidural you need to wait for the anesthesiologist to be available.You could have pain relief in as fast as 20 minutes if everything was already set up and the staff ready, or you could be waiting for another woman to have an epidural administered first, or waiting for an anesthesiologist to finish assisting a cesarean surgery or come to the hospital. In some smaller hospitals, epidurals are not available ‘after hours,’ the staff relying instead on simpler methods of pain relief which are not as effective. Natural childbirth techniques will be your only choice for pain management until things are ready for an epidural to be administered, and can be helpful if you receive a less effective pain medication.
3. Holding off on an epidural allows you to use positioning to move the labor along as quickly as possible. Once you receive an epidural your mobility is greatly reduced, if your baby is not in a good birth position at that point, it becomes harder to get him to move. Epidurals inhibit fetal rotation for a posterior baby (commonly known as back labor). Henci Goer reports in The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth that one study found a 450% increase in persistent posterior (the baby never turned) with epidural use.Ms. Goer also reports that first time mothers with an epidural are more likely to have a cesarean surgery for failure to progress. One study showed women with a slow labor who had an epidural were five times more likely to have a cesarean surgery than women with a slow labor who did not have an epidural. Delaying an epidural gives you the best chances of getting your baby into a good position and labor progressing normally.
4. The longer you can wait to receive pain medications, the less medication you and your baby will receive. This means you lower the potential risks during and after childbirth. Even with lower dose epidurals to reduce the side effects, there are still some. Minimizing the time you have an epidural minimizes some of these side effects, such as risk of maternal fever. Minimizing the time you have an epidural also minimizes the amount of medication you and your baby are exposed to, further reducing risks of side effects.Using natural childbirth techniques can give you the ability to manage pain and discomfort well into active labor. You may find you labor so well with them, you do not need to add the risks of medications. This can mean a faster recovery from the birth, since your body does not have to spend time removing the medication.
5. Natural Childbirth Techniques are helpful for all stages of life, not just giving birth. Comfort skills such as massage and relaxation, can help you relieve tension or stress on a day to day basis. Good positions for childbirth can be helpful for relieving backaches and other discomforts during pregnancy. Women who practice relaxation techniques use them to sleep better before and after their baby is born. The good nutrition and exercise habits learned through most natural childbirth programs can help keep your whole family healthier.Many women find the coping mechanisms they develop using natural childbirth techniques in labor increase their self confidence which helps them manage other parts of their lives. Other women express that even though labor hurt, they were glad they did it because it challenged them in new ways and showed just how strong they were. There is no link to satisfaction with labor and the use of pain medication, which means you are no more likely to look back at labor favorably whether you use medications or not.

Natural childbirth techniques are useful in unexpected labor situations, when you can’t get what you want and when things are not going quite the way you planned. Knowing the medications have risks, and there are benefits to using natural childbirth techniques beyond labor, it can make a lot of sense to try for a natural childbirth with the understanding an epidural is available if you decide you want it.

Author: Jennifer Vanderlaan

You may know the health benefits of breastfeeding, but did you know that breastfeeding can save you money as well?

Think about it for a minute. Take a look at the price of a single can of formula. It may not appear to be too much, but if you calculate how much it cost over the period of one year, the average family can save approximately $1,500. It sure adds up fast!

Even if you are a mom who needs to return to work, invest in a good quality breast pump. It will pay for itself in no time at all and of course, when it’s no longer required, you can store it away for when you have another baby.

But this is not the only cost savings to you. Statistics show that parents of formula fed babies spend an average of $1,400 more per year when compared to parents of breast fed babies on healthcare costs! A recent study also estimated that if an additional one million more babies were breastfeed for at least six months, the total savings within the USA would be close to one and a half billion dollars!

Infant illness also costs new families. If your baby is sick, one parent will need to stay home from work or take the child to the doctor causing even further expense in the form of lost income.

You have heard that breastfed babies are healthier and are at less risk to certain diseases… which is already a good enough reason for many moms to breastfeed. Once you add the cost savings, isn’t it at least worth it for new moms to try?

Author: Sheri Lynn

Sheri Lynn is an editor for Breastfeeding Magazine a great online source for breastfeeding support and encouragement. For more information on breastfeeding issues, visit http://www.breastfeeding-magazine.com

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What Do Labor Contraction And Labor Pains Feel Like?

Labor pains are part of giving birth to a baby. Mostly these are bearable and there are a lot that can be done to prevent suffering. By understanding where the pains in labor come from and what can be done about it, you are most likely to have a satisfying childbirth experience and wonderful birth memories.

Labor and birth of the baby is the effect of dilatation of the cervix, and contractions of the uterus and abdominal muscles. Dilation is the first stage of labor. In the second stage, strong expulsive efforts cause the advance and birth of the baby.

During your pregnancy, changes happen in your body to prepare for these events. The ligaments of your pelvis loosen to permit your pelvis to relax and allow your baby to come out. Other changes occur to adapt your body to accommodate childbirth. Despite these changes and modern medicine, it is unrealistic to aim for a childbirth without any discomforts.

Labor is said to begin when your uterus starts to contract regularly. In the days before the onset of labor, you may experience minor contractions that feel like tightening, and cause discomfort rather than pain. These contractions are important in aligning and positioning the baby for birth.

The first labor pains are grinding, scattered and irregular. Many women describe it as bad menstrual pains. The first labor pains are usually felt in the front site of the pelvis and groin. Pain is mainly caused by pressure on the abdominal and pelvic area due to powerful uterine contractions and stretching of the cervix, vagina and perineum. During labor, contractions increase in frequency and intensity and can become painful.

As labor proceeds, the pains start to appear in the abdomen. The cervix has to stretch to allow your baby to eventually pass through your birth canal. When the opening to the cervix is fully dilated, the second stage of labor – during which your baby is born – starts. As the baby’s head advances further, pains are commonly felt at the back, hip and groin area. When the baby’s birth is near, stretching of the perineum causes burning sensations. At this stage many women feel like they are going to burst. Majority of them, however, suffer only minor tears, if any, especially if good laboring positions and movement have been used to help the baby to rotate and find the easiest way out.

The baby passes through your birth canal and is born by a combination of the continuing contractions of your uterus, and your conscious effort to push your baby out by using the abdominal muscles. The physical and mental relief after vigorous laboring, and the ecstasy of getting your baby in your arms, are such a victory and pleasure that the last stage of labor – which is the birth of the placenta – is often unnoticed by the mother. As the placenta is much smaller than the baby is, and the birth canal is open, the uterine contractions push the placenta out easily.

We are so conditioned to expect pains in labor that its significance as part of the birth process is discounted. There is no need to automatically opt for epidural or — on the other hand — to give birth in severe pains without any labor pain relief. Unmanageable pain during labor and delivery is not normal or needed. Labor pains, when they are correctly managed, have an important part in assisting and guiding your body to give birth to a baby.

By: Lena Leino

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Lena Leino, author of Easier, Shorter and Safer Birth, created an At-Home Labor Contraction Follow-up Chart so that you could easily document and see the progress of your labor. Now you can get this useful tool at MaternityAcupressure.com/labor-contraction-chart.html

*Note from Brenda: Go here to see the San Antonio website for Bradley method teachers. I can personally recommend Julie Walker, but I’m sure that all of the teachers in the San Antonio are wonderful!

Bradley Childbirth – What Is The Bradley Natural Childbirth Method?

Dr. Robert A. Bradley created a method of natural childbirth called Bradley Childbirth. Sometimes called husband coached childbirth, the Bradley method became popular as more and more people read his book on the subject, entitled Husband Coached Childbirth. Essentially, proponents of the Bradley method believe that most women can give birth naturally and without drugs or surgery as long as certain elements are in play. For example, as long as the mother has adequately prepared and educated herself it should be no problem.

Another main rule of Bradley Childbirth is that the husband should be there as a loving and supportive coach. The Bradley method also emphasizes that the expecting mother should take measures to make sure that the pregnancy is as low risk as possible, thus avoiding the kinds of complications that could potentially lead to medical intervention. The main goal of Bradley Childbirth is keeping the mothers and babies healthy. According to the method, a drug free childbirth is one of the ways to ensure the health of all involved. In fact, more than 86 percent of Bradley mothers who have given birth vaginally have done so without the aid of drugs.

Dr. Bradley created his Bradley Childbirth method during a time when general anesthesia and twilight sleep were common in hospital deliveries. Having been raised on a farm and witnessed many animal births, Dr. Bradley’s method teaches women how to do the things that animal mothers do instinctively during the birthing process. He used pregnant nurses during the trial period, and discovered that when the fathers of the babies were present the mothers had a greater chance of success in terms of natural childbirth. Although Dr. Bradley died in 1998, his Bradley Childbirth method lives on today. Now, Bradley method instructors have to go through a certification process by the American Academy of Husband Coached Childbirth (AACC).

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If you’re an expecting mother, visit the Pregnancy Forum at www.ThePregnancyForum.com/ today. Registration is FREE, and you’ll have the chance to get all of your pregnancy related questions answered!

Adventures In Childbirth Inspire My New Birth Plan

This is not your run-of-the-mill birth plan. It was inspired from a repetition of events in my life, namely the births of my children. Here is a summary of those events:

Birth One was a relatively uneventful first labor lasting only six hours and requiring only about six pushes. It would have been perfect if only the doctor had not had the time to do the episiotomy.

Birth Two was an induced labor that took only three hours from first contraction to last. The last five minutes the nurses were shouting ‘don’t push, don’t push ‘as they were wheeling me down the hall to the delivery room. The doctor gloved his hands without washing them first. Baby delivered in one push.

Birth Three was another induced labor where I was a bit slow getting moved to the delivery room because the nurse did not believe me when I told her I was feeling inclined to push during contractions. I overheard one nurse say to another, ‘tell the doctor not to scrub,’ but it was too late. A nurse caught the baby.

Birth Four I had my baby in my first LDR (labor-delivery-recovery) room so there was no moving before the big show. The doctor was slipping on his gown and turned around just in time to catch the baby in his sleeve, since he had neither washed nor gloved. It is a wonder I never got an infection.

On Birth Five either I was lucky or I finally got a doctor that listened to me. He sat on the edge of my bed for the last forty-five minutes of my labor watching a championship football game on TV with my husband. Fortuitously, the baby arrived ten minutes after the game ended. Vikings 28, Bears 27.

Birth Six was fourteen years after the Birth Five so it was supposed to be like having a first baby again. I hear the midwife bantering with the nurse about needing change for the drink machine. Although I am preoccupied I manage to say I have a whole roll of quarters in my bag. I am thinking, ‘Just get your can of soda quick and get back here in time!’ She cuts it close, but she does get back in time. Baby delivered in two pushes.

Birth Seven is another induced labor and this time I try to prepare the midwife with a written birth plan. The major gist of my birth plan is ‘midwife to be present for the birth.’ The attending nurse makes a poor judgment call, and no one is aware they need to catch my baby’s head while he is being born under the sheet. I wish I could have seen her face when she pulled the sheet down, but I was trying to catch my first glimpse of my baby.

It is time for a new birth plan. I need to take a page from births Five and Six and provide incentives for people to be there. Here is my new birth plan: ‘Patient will play midwife’s favorite movie in the VCR and provide unlimited quantities of popcorn, soda and candy.’
Then again, maybe I should hold a raffle for all the doctors and midwives in the hospital. ‘The winning number will be drawn when the cord is cut.’

By: Matia Bryson

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Matia Bryson writes for her website "Baby Loves Your Milk," independent breast pump comparison information that covers all major brands and types. She also maintains an RSS news feed: Breastfeeding Daily Tip and News.

Kegel Exercises And You

Kegel exercises are unheard of by many women and yet they may benefit women’s health in a variety of ways. What are they? Kegel exercises are designed to strengthen all the muscles that support your urethra, bladder, uterus and rectum.

In the 1940’s, Dr. Arnold Kegel, a gynecologist, recommended these exercises for his patients to avoid stress incontinence after childbirth. Thus, the name, Kegel exercises persists today.

It is not just after childbirth, but lifelong, that women often have problems with stress incontinence.

There are other reasons for doing Kegel exercises as they increase circulation to your vaginal and rectal areas. For women who are pregnant, Kegel exercises can speed healing from an episiotomy done during childbirth. Also, Kegel exercises can reduce the chance of developing hemorrhoids from childbirth.

A Kegel exercise consists of a squeezing and lifting action of your vaginal wall muscles. While doing a Kegel exercise, do not tighten your tummy, buttocks or leg muscles. Hold the Kegel exercise for about 10 seconds then relax for a few seconds.

Kegel exercises should be done in sets of ten, three or four times during the day. When you first start, just do a few at a time, several times a day, then work your way up to sets of ten.

Kegel exercises will assist a pregnant woman to have an easier delivery as the pelvic floor muscles will be more toned. The likelihood of tearing during delivery will be reduced.

While sitting on the toilet, try to stop the flow of your urine in midstream. This is a variation of the Kegel exercise that is very powerful, and can really be a convenient way to do the exercise, completely privately. If you can do this, these muscles are in good condition. If not, try doing Kegel exercises, and you will see a difference.

Here’s another way to think of and visualize the Kegel exercise, envision it as "winking" your vagina, if you will"winking" your vagina. Positioning in various ways while doing Kegel exercises can further tone your pelvic floor. Try doing Kegel exercises while lying down, sitting up, squatting and on all fours.

Kegel exercises can help women at other times in life than just while they are pregnant. They can make sex with your partner more enjoyable at any time, not just during the postpartum phase.

Kegel exercises can help women of all ages reduce the risk of prolapsed uterus, stress incontinence, overactive bladder and unsatisfactory orgasm. If you perform these simple, discreet exercises, you, like other women who do kegel exercises regularly, may come to report better and stronger orgasms as well and be one of the "lucky ones" who can more easily achieve orgasm, a somewhat elusive creature for some women.

Later in life, after menopause, Kegel exercises done as a routine from midlife on, can increase vaginal wall thickness and lubrication. Think the urinary benefit is good enough alone to start Kegels? Well, Kegels also are known to help prevent rectal incontinence, which can be an even worse and more embarrassing problem than urinary incontinence.

It will usually take about 3 or 4 weeks to see an improvement in stress incontinence from a routine of Kegel exercises.

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Danna Schneider is the founder of

Aromatherapy In Labor And Delivery

The time has come. After nine months of anticipation you are standing at the door, suitcase at the ready, stopwatch in hand. You’ve timed the contractions at every two to five minutes on the dot, and as the drama of birth opens its curtains before your very eyes, you wonder if all your preparations will have been enough.

Childbirth is definitely one of, if not the most difficult labors a woman faces in her lifetime. Today, much is written about gentle, natural birthing options, which are healthier for mother and child. By providing a proper state of mind and natural analgesic, aromatherapy can be used to create a memorable, magical birthing atmosphere. This article will explain some of the best ways to prepare for childbirth using essential oils.

One of women’s greatest fears when approaching childbirth is that of damaging the delicate perineal tissue. Doctors and midwives ask whether you would prefer to have an episiotomy or risk a tear. Why not prepare the perineum beforehand with soothing massage? Studies have shown that women who perform daily perineal massages in preparation for childbirth are 30% more likely to deliver over an intact perineum. Besides making the tissue soft and supple, the massage can mentally prepare the woman to relax these muscles and open outward in response to pressure, a skill that will no doubt come in handy when the baby is making his way into the world.

Ideally, you should begin daily 5-10 minute massages at six to eight weeks prior to term. First, empty your bladder. Soaking for 5-15 minutes in warm water and lavender oil can relax the vaginal wall, making the perineal massage more comfortable. If you are doing the massage yourself, place one foot on the seat of a chair or the side of the bathtub; otherwise, a partner can perform the massage while you sit back comfortably with your back resting against pillows.

Mix 1 ounce wheat germ oil with 3 drops lavender and 1 drop geranium. (Sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, and cold-pressed olive oil are good substitutes for wheat germ oil. You can also use a blend of the oils.) After dipping into the massage oil, insert your thumb or middle fingers into the vagina just enough to stretch the perineal tissue, approximately two to three inches. Press the vaginal wall back toward the rectum, massaging in a U-shaped motion. Gently stretch the vagina open for 20-60 seconds, or until you feel a tingling or slight burning sensation. Stretch both the inner portions as well as the outer rim of the perineum. Make sure to wash hands thoroughly before and after perineal massage, and discard any unused oil.

Wherever you are planning to give birth, aromatherapy can be utilized. For use during labor and delivery, add to your suitcase your favorite essential oils and oil blends, an aromatic diffuser (electric models are the best for use in birthing centers and hospitals), flannels and bowls for compresses, and a plastic tub for sitz baths. Make sure to practice with your partner so that he or she is ready to serve you in your hour of need. Discussing your wishes with your health care provider is also a good idea, so that you don’t end up in a battle of wills just at the time you planned to create your ideal birth environment.

The following essential oils are ideal for labor and delivery. Due to the heightened sensitivity to smell during labor, it is best to use only a couple oils at a time.

Neroli, bergamot, rose, or frankincense help relieve fear and anxiety, and promote relaxation between contractions. These are good oils to use in your diffuser.

Lavender is good for aches, and helps in balancing and calming the laboring woman. After your cervix has dilated to at least 2 cm, you may consider taking a 30 minute lavender bath. Studies show that this can improve progress in labor and significantly reduces the need for drugs.

Between contractions, a foot or lower back massage can soothe and stimulate pain relief. Add 20 drops lavender and 8 drops clary sage in 4 ounces of olive oil.

Jasmine, lavender, or clary sage compresses can stimulate or strengthen contractions, and cool compresses to the forehead keep you feeling refreshed. To prepare a compress simply add 3-4 drops essential oil to a bowl of warm or cool water. Drape a flannel over the surface of the water to absorb the film of the oil. Ring out cloth and apply to area.

1 drop peppermint oil offered on a handkerchief can ward off nausea, or can be used as a pick-me-up during the transitional phase, when fatigue may settle in.

If tension is preventing you from opening the cervix during contractions, an abdominal massage or a compress of 8 drops Spikenard, 7 drops Jasmine, and 3 drops lemon verbena in 4 ounces olive oil can help. Evening primrose oil massaged directly on the cervix can also assist in relaxing the tissues.

Whatever turn your birthing takes, allow the effects of aromatherapy to penetrate your mind and relax your body.

By: Francesca Black

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Francesca Black works in marketing at Organic Items www.organic-items.com and Aromatherapy Blends www.aromatherapy-blends.net leading portals for organic products and essential oils.