You’ve probably read birth blogs about an unmedicated labor being like a marathon and how you wouldn’t just rock up to the starting line of a marathon and expect to finish without any physical or mental preparation and training.  The same goes for preparing for an unmedicated birth – it’s all about stacking the odds in your favor of everything going as well as it can on the day, controlling what you can, trusting your training and leaving the rest to fate knowing you have the strength to face any challenges along the way.

I started running seriously about 8 months ago and won’t be stopping any time soon.  During my training it was totally natural for me to weave a GentleBirth approach into my practice runs so I could have the best run possible.  On Feb 16 I ran my first half marathon (13.1 miles). Settle in with a cuppa and enjoy my ramblings on the similarities between training to race 13.1 miles and a positive unmedicated birth.

Birth and Running is a ‘Head’ Game - Get the Head Edge with Your Mental Rehearsal

How do you see yourself in labor – translated into ‘how do I see myself that day running’….not just at the start…or crossing the finish line but in the tough moments too.  Try to focus on the emotions….. how will you feel when you notice you’re having surges…and they’re getting into a pattern…how do you see yourself 8 hours later when you might be having a wobbly moment?  What about the feeling when your baby is handed to you – THAT is a mental event to replay often and really milk those feelings – your brain can’t tell the difference between something you vividly imagine and something you’re experiencing so the more you imagine those feelings the more your confidence grows.

Affirmations 

The affirmations that helped me:  – I can and I will.   Fast and light. Most of our GB moms find the mantra “I can do anything for a minute” really helpful.

Short Achievable Goals

Break it down – I got very comfortable running 3 miles…so a half marathon is 3 miles  - 4 times…only doing this one mile.  In labor focus on only this surge right now – not the one that just passed and not the next one.

My Vision Board



Race Day/Labor Day - Be Deliberate about How You Manage Your Physical and Mental Energy

This is so important on race day and on birth day.  As I was standing in the crowd, there’s music playing, it’s a party atmosphere and the adrenaline was pumping, Everyone was psyched for the starting gun to go off.  In early labor there’s also a temptation to ‘do all the things’ to make labor happen and then 20 hours on you’re exhausted (and so is your partner).   From the moment I woke up on race day I really tried to manage my excitement levels. I didn’t want to deal with the stress of finding parking that day so in true GB style of controlling the controllables I decided to take an Uber and relax. What I didn’t expect was a few minutes after we got on I-35 to downtown Austin the traffic came to a standstill…and the clock was ticking.  This was definitely NOT how I had been mentally rehearsing my gazelle like start to the race…for a couple of minutes all my mind could see was me being last out the gate (plus I needed the bathroom first!). I took a breath and began to re-focus – it is what it is and getting stressed won’t get me there any quicker – it’ll just waste energy.  The Uber driver was determined I would not be late for “such an important day” – (he seemed to be as personally invested in this race as I was) so he started to inch his way to the shoulder once we go to the shoulder he started reversing…errrrr this was not part of my game plan today…at this point I don’t mind a late start I’d just like to not end up in the ER before I get to the starting line.  Then my very enthusiastic driver decides to follow another car – over the grassy median and out on to the frontage road…he promises we won’t get stuck.  Seconds later I can hear the grinding of concrete against metal as the car (a Lexus) makes it off the freeway and we’re off.

Let’s Do This

I had trained for this race, I had dreamed about it, I had mentally rehearsed it for weeks. I was feeling confident.  As the race began I stuck to my plan – slow and steady to conserve energy for the first half.  In GentleBirth classes we talk about playing the ‘long game’. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of early labor but it wastes precious resources.  I watched as other runners passed me, happy in my bubble of pacing myself carefully. In early labor rest as much as you can until your body and baby signals you to try more upright positions. Runners have the advantage of knowing how many miles the race is - laboring moms don’t have the luxury of knowing how many surges they have to focus through or how long it will take.

Your Toolkit

Birth and running are athletic events  - your body needs fuel.  For me that was some extra carbs the day before and porridge that morning – coffee and for energy during the race – Jelly Tots did the trick – light to carry and would give me some quick energy. What snacks will you pack for labor?

Once I got to mile 8 out came my peppermint oil.  A drop on my sleeve and a few deep breaths gave me an extra bit of stamina to push on.  Peppermint is great for focus and endurance in labor too especially towards the end.

Some of the best advice you’ll hear about running is – “Nothing new on race day”  You want to have tried out all of your tools, your clothes etc.  GentleBirth moms are well aware that what we wear changes how we feel and how others treat us. My race day clothes were tested thoroughly in the weeks leading up to the big day.  I also had my trusty wonderwoman underwear J to give me more of that head ‘edge’.

 Play List, Transition and a FML Moment.

Around mile five I remember thinking – “sH*t I have almost double this still to go…” So for the next few minutes to get me out of that downward spiraling thought I would pick a point in the distance and run to that point…then pick the next point and ran to it. Those ‘short achievable goals’ we talk about in our classes can be so helpful.  This kept me present and focused on my immediate surroundings rather than looking at the Capitol building (and the finish line) in the distance that seemed to be getting further away. These were my little ‘wins’ along the way.   In labor staying present for only this surge can be really helpful and “I can do anything for a minute”.   About 2 miles to the end I saw a woman holding a sign that said “ if you hate hills don’t look up”.   Ahead of me was the steepest hill of the race… my immediate reaction was not exactly positive but a split second later I remembered that this was the hardest part of the race and I was almost on the home stretch.   I changed up my music  - went old school with Bronski Beat (Why) and conquered that hill with a smile on my face (but also thinking I was going to throw up at the top…).

Ask yourself: ‘Can I give more?’ The answer is usually: ‘Yes’.” – Paul Tergat

My earlier audio companions were made up of stand up comedians Bill Burr and Tom Segura.  I’m sure I looked a bit strange running along on my own cracking up to the jokes….but as you know humor releases endorphins so why not use comedy as an advantage.   In my training I tried various playlists to see music motivated me the most.  Your labor playlist is important too – you want music that motivates you and it’ll be even more effective if the music has special meaning for you. Do you have a favorite comedian you’ll watch in early labor?

 Remembering Your ‘Why’?

When you hit a wall in any challenging endeavor whether it’s an unmedicated birth, launching a new business or running a marathon there’s likely to come a time when you want to throw in the towel and quit.  This is the time when remembering your ‘Why’ will be really important especially if you’re planning an unmedicated birth.  It can be helpful for partners to remind us during a wobbly moment.  Why is an unmedicated birth so important to you?  Think about those whys today.

Runners will often say “your race your pace”  I wasn’t in competition with anyone other than myself. My ‘why’ was I wanted to see how far I could go, could I really run 13 miles when a year ago I couldn’t run for more than 10 minutes without wanting to die?  In the same way moms who are preparing for an unmedicated birth aren’t doing it for a medal it’s often a personal challenge. It’s your birth - your way. 

“The race always hurts. Expect it to hurt. You don’t train so it doesn’t hurt. You train so you can tolerate it.” - unknown

Motivation in Nature

Before my 10K in November I’d watched a video by an elite endurance runner who talked about some imagery of animals known for speed that he found helpful.  This was a new approach for me – but I figured it could only help…the Cheetah resonated with me…and as one of my mantras was ‘fast and light’ it felt right.  And for those hills – I thought about this image below to lift me up those hills (yes it’s ludicrous but it helped!)

What animal imagery would be helpful for you in labor?   A lioness or maybe a bear? Add it to your vision board.

Motivation & Support

Everyone told me that the cheers from the crowd will take me the last couple of miles home. I didn’t quite realize how infectious their energy was – I felt like I’d had my batteries recharged in that last mile as I sprinted towards the finish line  - all I felt was elation.   As a birth doula I know how important it is to have that support cheering you on during that last centimeters and those last few pushes.  Seeing all of those people lining the streets with signs cheering on the runners was amazing. One sign I saw stuck with me throughout the race  - “the day will come when you won’t be able to run – today isn’t that day”.    

Who will be cheering you on?  Who will be there to get you through those last few pushes and over the finish line to meet your baby?  Who will motivate you through your training for birth – on the good days and bad.  I found an incredible group of women (R.A.W – Run Away Women) a women’s only running group on Facebook that kept me motivated and inspired especially on the days when running was the last thing I wanted to do. Don’t forget your Labor Companion track is definitely a great ‘coach’ to help you stay in the moment.

Have you thought about hiring a doula to support you and your partner navigating your unique journey? For daily support and motivation to keep up your birth prep don’t forget to join the private GentleBirth parent’s group on Facebook for inspiration and positivity.

So that’s off my bucket list…it was hard…but it was so worth it - I’m milking those feelings of accomplishment this week - just like I did after Cooper’s birth. It’s one of those experiences I’ll pack away and draw on for inspiration in the future when life throws me an unexpected curveball. I hope your birth experience, no matter how it happens will be an experience you want to replay over and over again for all the right reasons.

Tracy