Covid-19 has made it especially hard for families to birth together, due to travel or hospital visitor policies. Here are some ideas for including your loved ones in your birth. <3
1. Bring pictures of them.
Everyone focuses on something to move through the waves of labor, and some people focus on something in front of them. It could be intense eye contact, or a "flame" from an LED candle, or a picture of someone you love.
2. Facetime or video chat
If you would like to involve a loved one in your birth who are far or unable to attend, you can video call them and include them in that way. I would suggest doing it during early labor even just as a good distraction.
3. Make a garland of affirmations, quotes, encouragement, and loving words from your nearest and dearest.
This is becoming a pretty common virtual baby shower activity! You can compile all of the words of encouragement your friends and family have included on a DIY garland that you can hang in your place of birth.
4. Listen to music that reminds you of them.
Do you have a special song that makes you think of the person you're missing? Add it to your Spotify playlist for birth!
5. Visualisations.
I once supported a person who was very grieved by her grandmother's recent passing and mourning the fact that her grandmother would not be at her birth. When we talked about where she goes in her mind when she needs to go to a calming place, she shared that it was her grandmother's farm. She visualized and thought about the smells, sounds, and sights of her grandmother's farm throughout her labor and birth experience.