Sphincters and Laughter During Childbirth

*Quick note about the video: In one line, I say, "The more comfortable you are, the more successful it's going to be." Just wanted to make a note so that it's perfectly clear that it's referring to the sphincter relaxing that will be more successful! There's no such thing as a birth that isn't successful! Every Mom, every Baby, every avenue of labor and delivery, it is ALL beautiful, perfect, and successful in its own way! Yay for birth and for celebrating it in every way, shape, and form that it may come!*
Who says childbirth has to be a serious and scary? {Of course, in the right situation, with an uncomplicated labor, which the great majority are!} things can actually be really fun! Afterall, you are about to bring new life into the world...and although it can seem heavy and maybe even overwhelming, that also seems like a pretty exciting thing! I understand that it can be scary, though, there's no denying the anxious jitters or plain out fear that can take over when you don't know what to expect. So it feels important to say that women have been birthing for thousands of years! Your body knows what to do. And if you are having a medicated birth, or an Unmedicated birth at a hospital or birthing center, your medical personnel know what to do, too. Even though three of our four births have been Unmedicated, I still have always loved being at the Hospital where people smarter than me in these types of situations are there to help and make sure everything is going smoothly! But as for my sweet friends who love their Home-Births, during an uncomplicated  childbirth {and MOST are!} that's a great option too. Your body really does know what it's doing! And how lucky are we that for the most part, we can choose where and how we birth! We aren't limited to the woods, or the plains, or in a stream, {although some people legitimately choose to do that!} And no matter the avenue of birth, it's all beautiful!:) And fun! My hubby is pretty convenient to bring along to births...okay, he's the best thing ever, not only because he's my rock and support, but also because he's funny. He can crack me up even during the nervous moments or in between the toughest contractions.





Here is some science behind laughter during labor! We've talked about low noises before {here,} and laughter has the same effect. When your sphincters are relaxed, {the cervix is a sphincter!}they an function properly, and as t relates to this, you are able to dilate and progress in labor. Laughter not only sends signals to your brain of happiness and therefore being relaxed, but I want you to try to clench up every muscle in your body right now. Now try to laugh out loud while still being clenched! It doesn't quite work too well. When you are giving a natural laugh, your muscles are automatically more loose. And THAT is a plus!:) If you need a laugh today, below is a little video that I found that had me cracking up! Don't be afraid to make labor and delivery an enjoyable, fun experience!:)
XO
Sarah


Welcome!


I realized that I started this page without an introduction, so just wanted to say, "Hi! I'm Sarah!" I'm the wife to THE best man on the planet, Mom to 4 super cool kids, ages 4 and under, and the Owner of The Dainty Pear and Composed Mommy!:) I'm a Communications Major turned Esthetician turned Jewelry Maker and Birth Lover! Sometimes you have to explore all that's out there until you find something that is your niche!;) I love meeting you guys, so feel free to leave comments or e-mail me for questions or ideas for content that you'd like to see!:)
XO
Sarah


Childbirth Classes

I know it's a debate among pretty much everyone about to have a baby: DO we take a childbirth class!? My hubby and I were in the exact.same.situation. And for the first two babies, we decided, "Nah!" "We'll know what to do when we get there!" Haha! Does that work? Yeah! If you don't have any expectations of what it should be like or what you want it to be like, it was totally fine! I did want to have an unmedicated birth with our first, and I just went for it! I had bought some CD's instead of classes, and listened to those throughout pregnancy. When I got there, water was broken, IV and Pitocin in place, I toughed it out for a long time. Hours. And Hours. And hours. I bore through the pain clenched. I didn't know that being clenched up could keep you from progressing! I didn't have the resources to have a "Natural Birth," and when it came down to it, tens of hours later and a C-Section was on the table, we opted for the Epidural, and it did help me relax and my cervix to progress. After 3 1/2 hours of intense pushing, our little boy was born! All 7 lbs. and 12 oz. He was perfect! And my birth was perfect because we made the right choices in the situation that we had. Next baby, I was {again} determined to do it unmedicated. When I went in for my induction, I was set on it. And I did it! I will say that an unmedicated induced labor can be intense. It was doable, but I found myself wanting to be more in control and more relaxed. If that was possible. With our third baby, we decided to get some help. We needed the resources to make it happen again in a more relaxed way. So, we decided to take a HypnoBirthing Class! There were definitely pre-conceived notions about taking the class. Especially from my hubby. Liiiiike, "Do we need to bring our own granola?" "What crazy things will we do when we are hypnotized?" Hahah! Kind of kidding. When we took the class, we fell in love with it. We found it helped us not only in preparing for the birth, but in everyday things. Tom found himself using it at work to relax. I found myself feeling more in control of my breathing, and being more "okay" with being relaxed. I have such a go-getter and sometimes anxious personality, that sometimes it is so hard to relax fully. {Isn't it crazy that it can be hard to give in to the relaxation!? I know it sounds weird, but I also know that I'm probably not the only one out there!} During labor, I was in the zone. I was relaxed, vocal noises were at a minimum, and I found myself breathing my baby down into the hands of the doctor. It was a beautiful experience. Just like my other births. Because all birth is beautiful. This time, it did feel good to feel more in control and to understand what was happening when my baby was moving down to be born. The class had explained all of it, and gave me the tools to have the experience I was hoping for! We enjoyed it so much that we decided to take it a second time for our 4th baby. Again, we learned a lot and it was a great re-fresher. When our fourth baby was born, it was such an empowering experience.   Letting your body take over, {of course, when the situation permits!} moving where you feel you need to move, is an incredible thing. After the nurse checked my cervix, I decided to use the potty and take another walk. When we were half way down the hall, I said, "I need to get back to the bed." I knelt down on the bed, leaned over the back of it like a chair, and said, "Get the Nurse! I'm pushing!" As the overwhelming urge to push set in, I followed suit. My body was giving birth with no coaching, no help. It was an amazing feeling. When the Nurse got there, {who also happened to be my friend from College!} our baby's head had already made an appearance! She prompted me to wait one second,  then she put one glove on, grabbed a receiving blanket, and said, "Okay, push!" And out she came. Everyone was emotional because it was the craziest thing in the best way!

SO, when it comes to classes? I'm team classes. Even though we didn't take one until baby #3, I am all about it! Which class you take will depend on what experience you are aiming for. There's no wrong answer, and yes it is worth the money! In our home state of Utah, there are many options! But, if you are looking for a childbirth class that is geared towards an unmedicated birth but has enough curriculum-based information that will be helpful whichever avenue you take, then I highly recommend Lauralyn Curtis with HypnoBirthing Utah! You can find her website and register HERE. She is a phenomenal teacher, and she has become one of our great friends through all of our interaction with her!

I hope that helps demystify the Child Birth Class debate a little bit! Let me know what you think, and if you have any questions or suggestions for material, please leave a comment below!
XO
Sarah


Using Noises in an Unmedicated Childbirth

Noises can be a valuable tool during labor to keep your body relaxed, which helps the cervix to dilate! I know it can sound a little bit ridiculous in the video, but practicing during pregnancy can make it come as second nature on your birthing day!:)
XO
Sarah


Welcome to Composed Mommy!

Welcome to Composed Mommy! When I think of the word "Composed," I think of someone who is empowered, confident, and relaxed. I also feel like all of those words can go hand-in-hand with Childbirth, but it's not always that way! Here's to exploring the amazing world of Childbirth {all types, but specifically Unmedicated,} and having fun in the Birth Community!
XO
Sarah