There are so many benefits that come with having a calmer birth. So much of your labour experience can feel out of your control but having the ability to remain calm, despite the events, can make a huge difference in how the experience unfolds.

It can also have a huge effect on the way you feel after the birth. You may feel a sense of pride and joy as you look back on the birthing experience rather than the feelings of trauma that so many women and their partners refer to afterwards.

Like all things in life, your birth requires some preparation. While the date itself and how things “kick off” may be out of your hands you can certainly have an impact on things by preparing for the big day. You can prepare your body by trying to have a healthy pregnancy.

Taking the necessary vitamins and minerals, eating healthy foods and being active can all make a great difference to the way you feel in pregnancy and in turn the way you feel when you go into labour. How you prepare your mind is more important than any of that though.

It would be a wonderful thing to simply have the ability to switch on the calm button when we needed it in life. It is a skill that must be practised though. Mindfulness is a great way to help train your mind to live in the present moment and this is a powerful tool to be able to access during those times in your life when calm is necessary.

Labour is absolutely one of those times. The reality is that your natural feelings surrounding the birth may be those of fear and anxiety. Finding a way to let go and remain calm when the big day arrives will serve you well in so many ways. Calmer energy has been shown to possibly lead to quicker and less painful labours.

Having a calm birth also has a profoundly positive effect on your little baby. This can be a great motivator during pregnancy as it might just be a bigger reason to invest some time in preparing your mind for a calmer birthing experience.

Here are just a couple of ways that a calmer birth can positively affect a baby

1. A calmer birth may lead to your body naturally dilating and responding better to contractions. This may lead to fewer interventions such as forceps or ventouse deliveries. While these interventions are wonderful options when needed, your baby will be happier to emerge without them.

2. Your ability to care for your baby will be much more powerful if you feel at peace with the birthing experience. It will make for a calmer happier newborn stage and you are more likely to soak up all of that gorgeous oxytocin and enjoy more skin to skin if you are feeling peaceful and calm about the birth.

3. Practising mindfulness or hypnosis to help you have a calmer birth will give you these skills for life. In turn, you will pass this on to your baby and give them this wonderful ability to remain calm in the midst of chaos and stress. This will have a huge impact on their life.

4. When you are calm during labour your breathing is more controlled and your body is less tense. This can really aid your baby who is working hard to make their entrance into the world. Often when we tense up and become very upset we take two steps backwards and the baby has more work to do. Being calm will help your baby to do their part of the birthing experience. You are a team remember.

5. A calmer birth can lead to higher breastfeeding rates and there are so many benefits to breastfeeding your baby. After a calmer birth, you may have more of an opportunity to enjoy skin to skin which helps to bring the milk in. When a baby is born in a calm nature they are more likely to latch with ease as a crying baby will struggle to cry and latch at the same time.