Why You'd Want to Take Affirmation Cards (and Other Birth Tools) into Labour

Some studies show as many as 80% of women have anxiety and fear of childbirth, with as many as 30% having a serious fear or phobia, called “tokophobia”. After her first birth didn’t go as planned, Christina McKay, someone who always faced fear by learning more to feel empowered, took a deep dive into what she could do to have a more positive experience for her second. “I learnt 1 in 3 women experience birth trauma, and it motivated me to want to help others. I came across hypnobirthing and felt it covered two main things that weren't covered in the hospital classes: mentally preparing for birth and tools to get you through labour.”

Now a hypnobirthing practitioner herself, here McKay shares some of the birthing she recommends in her teachings, and how to use them.

More Labour Tips

Christina McKay's other top recommendations for birth.

**Breathwork **
Handheld fan You get very hot and sometimes nauseous during birth
A birth plan Writing my birth preferences down and making them more around what was important to me (feeling safe, giving consent, no vaginal exams unless medically necessary) rather than verses how I wanted baby to be born.
A doula Hiring a doula gave my husband and I the confidence and support we needed on the day. It really does take a village and you want to surround yourself with a team that is aligned and on board with how you choose to birth your baby.

Affirmation Cards

Affirmation cards or visualisation tools are really about getting your mindset right. “Mindset is key. “There’s a reason athletes visualise themselves winning. The subconscious mind doesn’t know what’s real or imagined — so when you practise visualising a calm, positive birth, your body can respond accordingly,” says McKay. “Doing daily visualisations and reading the Affirmation Cards set the tone of each day and it gave me something really positive to focus on.”

Clary Sage

“Personally, I wanted to try to avoid an induction as much as possible with my second, so I did all the things with any inkling of scientific proof to help me go into labour naturally. I ate the dates, I curb walked, I listened to my soundtracks but in the end what really kicked it off for me was smelling clary sage and doing antenatal expressing. It worked so well that I had to stop both for a week: install my car seat, pack my hospital bag and then resumed both, with great success,” says McKay. Clary Sage has been used for centuries to either bring on contractions or increase their intensity. “It can work so well for some women that the hospital asks you not to diffuse the Clary Sage essential oil as it may put others into labour. On that note, do not use it before 40 weeks or until given the go-ahead by your healthcare provider. Nipple stimulation (via expressing colostrum) can also bring on labour, so again getting the sign-off by your healthcare provider is key.”

SHOP NOW

Peanut Ball

The right position can make a world of difference. Staying off your back can increase pelvis size by up to 20 percent. “Being on your hands and knees, kneeling, squatting or even standing - any way that works with gravity can help open you up,” says McKay. “If you have had an epidural, you will likely be unable to get into different positions; therefore, the peanut ball is a great tool for getting off your back and opening up the pelvis while staying lying down.” To do this, lie on your side and position the peanut ball between your legs to open the pelvis.

SHOP NOW

Birth Comb

“This is an inexpensive tool, with purpose beyond birth, that’s worth trying,” says McKay. The comb works in three different ways. First, the comb teeth are designed to hit acupressure points on your hand when squeezed which releases endorphins. Second, it gives you something to focus on (other than the contractions), and thirdly, it activates the Gate Control theory of pain: the pain from the comb teeth on the hand “gates” the pain of the contractions.

SHOP NOW

Related Products

BUY 3 SAVE 10%

Roll On Clary Sage Oil Roller

DUE

Roll On Clary Sage Oil Roller

Your ease-into-labour aid.

$16.95

$16.95 ~~$0.00~~

BUY 3 SAVE 10%

In Your Hands Birth Comb

DUE

In Your Hands Birth Comb

The labour aid that helps you put mind over matter.

$16.95

$16.95 ~~$0.00~~

Perineal Massage Oil

Pure Mama

Perineal Massage Oil

A natural oil to support perineal massage from 34 weeks and help prep for birth.

$35.00

$35.00 ~~$0.00~~

Bala Birthday Peanut - Charcoal

Bala

Bala Birthday Peanut - Charcoal

An ergonomic, hourglass-shaped birth peanut designed to ease labor positioning and support pelvic opening.

$99.00

$99.00 ~~$0.00~~

Pearl Reflexology Comb

Seasons Of Mama

Pearl Reflexology Comb

A tool to use during labour to help reduce pain signals to the brain.

$24.95

$24.95 ~~$0.00~~

$18.95 ~~$0.00~~

Raspberry Leaf Mama Tea

Franjos Kitchen

Raspberry Leaf Mama Tea

A caffeine-free raspberry leaf tea to support pregnancy and postpartum recovery.

$22.50

$22.50 ~~$0.00~~

The Aspen

Vacation Vibes

The Aspen

A vibrator that can be used for perineal massage pre-birth. The Aspen can also help strengthen your pelvic floor and ease back to greater intimacy post-birth.

$129.95

$129.95 ~~$0.00~~