Take time to create the social support team you need to have a better birth.
From a supportive birth partner to online groups and everything in between.
Learn about the 3 different types of social support and how to build your team
- Personal – Family and Birth Partner
- Professional – Such as a Birth Doula
- Social – Friends and Groups
Listen to the podcast to learn about all of these 3 types – but here is some information about Social Love.
Having friends that support you in your desires for birth can be a great tool as you prepare.
This may be more challenging for moms who are preparing for an un-medicated birth as they may feel misunderstood by friends who are not supportive of, or simply do not understand that desire.
I have a friend who was expecting her fourth baby. She was nearing 40 weeks and all her other friends were asking when she was getting induced. She called me one afternoon and said her OB was suggesting she get induced too and asked what I thought of that. Trying to be very diplomatic, I had my, “You need to decide what is best for you.” Conversation with her. Finally she said, “Sheridan, I just want someone to agree with me that I am not crazy for refusing the induction and waiting for my baby to decide when to be born!” Once I knew what she wanted I was more than happy to let her know I totally supported her!
If you don’t have any friends “in real life” that can provide support, you have some different options for finding some.
- Joining a Moms Group or going to a La Leche League meeting are some ways to meet moms in your area.
- There are also wonderful online groups where a mom can find support! Facebook has so many. I still have friends I met online 23 years ago when I was pregnant with my first baby!
- And, of course, there’s the Hypnobabies Facebook Group which is an amazing and supportive group of expecting moms using different hypnosis programs to prepare for their births. I highly suggest joining this group if you want to find out more about Hypnobabies.
