{Guest Post} 5 Things I Know about How Birth is Like the Olympics

Posted on: August 12, 2016 | Childbirth, Guest Posts

Today, I am hosting a blog for my guest blogger Elisabeth Lighty from Indianapolis Doulas.  The Omlypics is all over our TV’s, Facebook news feeds, and every where we turn.  Elisabeth lets us know how birth is like the Olympics!

5 Things I Know about How Birth is Like the Olympics

By Elisabeth Lighty

Aren’t the Olympics amazing? So is birth! Here are 5 things the two have in common.

Birth takes preparation.

There are many ways to prepare for birth. You can take a childbirth education class, talk to friends who have had babies, or read books. Even nesting is part of birth prep! Everyone prepares in their own unique way, but everyone prepares.

Birth requires mental focus.

Have you seen the athletes wearing headphones before they race? It’s a way for them to drown out the voices around them and go inward. In the same way, birth requires us to focus on ourselves; our baby, our wishes, our experience. No one else’s experience matters.

Having support is crucial.

A care provider you trust. A partner who believes in you. A doula who can guide you through the process. These people are your coaches, your cheering fans.

You have to push yourself at the end.

Every athlete pushes themselves at the end of the race. In birth, you have to push yourself, whether it’s to get through the last contractions as the epidural kicks in, or to wait for the nurse to bring your baby over from the warmer.

Ultimately, it is up to you.

No matter how much you prepare, or how big your support system is, in the end, you alone give birth to your baby. You will gather strength from within. It is your mind, your body, just you. And no one can take that away from you.

Birth really is an athletic event, emotionally and physically. Vaginal birth and cesarean birth both require dedication and vision. And every birthing person is a champion.

Learn more about giving birth with the support of a doula at Indianapolis Doulas