Birth Prep: It Matters More Than You Think
When I found out I was pregnant, I thought: “I am a pelvic floor therapist… I’ve got this.”
Little did I know — I had so much to learn.
Pregnancy and childbirth are transformative in a way that’s hard to understand until you live it. Birth is one of the few experiences in life that asks you to do the opposite of what most of us are used to: instead of tightening, planning, bracing, and controlling… you have to soften, release, and surrender.
The birth process requires you to submit to the experience.
And I learned something very humbling:
When we try to control birth, it is almost always coming from fear.
Fear creates tension.
Tension creates resistance.
Resistance makes labor harder.
It wasn’t actually until I was sitting in a pregnancy continuing education course — three months after the birth of my daughter — that I fully understood what true birth preparation should consist of. I had so many “ah-ha” moments that day, and it completely changed how I practice pelvic health.
I also became incredibly passionate about supporting women during pregnancy and helping them get ready for birth.
I wholeheartedly believe the right birth prep can lead to more positive birth experiences and smoother postpartum healing. My hope is that birth prep becomes a “no-brainer” when a woman finds out she’s pregnant — because too often I hear women say they went into their first birth blind.
I want to change that.
What My Own Birth Taught Me
Birth isn’t just physical.
It’s mental.
And it’s deeply emotional (and for many, spiritual).
You cannot prepare only your muscles and expect the experience to feel manageable.
1. You have to address fear
Birth prep should include identifying your fears about birth — and actively working to release them.
Not ignore them.
Not power through them.
Not pretend you’re not scared.
When fear stays unprocessed, the body protects itself by tightening — especially the pelvic floor, jaw, glutes, and breath. But labor requires opening.
A calm nervous system allows the pelvic floor to lengthen.
A threatened nervous system tells it to guard.
Confidence in birth doesn’t come from toughness — it comes from understanding.
2. You need to know your body
Birth prep should involve getting to know yourself on a deeper level:
How do you respond to discomfort?
What helps you relax?
What makes you feel safe?
What environments make you tense?
Do you hold your breath when stressed?
Do you clench your jaw, glutes, or pelvic floor?
Labor magnifies your habits — it doesn’t create new ones.
So preparation isn’t about memorizing what to do.
It’s about practicing how to let go.
3. Knowledge changes birth experiences
Knowledge truly is power.
Not because you’ll control every outcome — you won’t — but because you’ll understand what is happening and why.
When you understand:
what contractions are doing
why position matters
how the pelvic floor opens
how baby moves through the pelvis
when to rest vs when to move
what pushing should actually feel like
You stop feeling like birth is happening to you
and start participating in it.
That confidence changes how decisions are made.
You can advocate for yourself and ask for support instead of relying solely on others to guide every choice.
What Birth Prep Looks Like at Evolve
Birth Prep at Evolve Pelvic Health & Wellness focuses on equipping you — not overwhelming you.
We focus on understanding the why behind the body so you can work with labor instead of against it.
This includes:
Learning how to use breath to relax the pelvic floor (not just “take deep breaths”)
Practicing effective pushing strategies based on your body, not a script
Preparing the hips and pelvis for baby’s movement through the birth canal
Identifying and treating body restrictions that may limit baby’s descent
Understanding positions that create space vs resistance
Learning how to rest during labor so you don’t burn out early
Knowing what sensations mean so they feel less alarming
Because birth works best when the nervous system feels safe and the body feels prepared.
Expanding Birth Prep: Mind + Body
I’m excited to share that Birth Prep at Evolve is expanding to include mental and emotional preparation.
In the quarterly workshops, I’m partnering with local birth doula, Erika Washburn CD (DONA) @Doula.Empowered.Birth, to provide a more complete approach to preparing for labor.
Erika will focus on:
Pain coping tools
Understanding the stages of labor
Partner support strategies
Techniques to stay calm and grounded during contractions
How to reduce fear-tension patterns
Building confidence before birth day
Because strong muscles alone don’t create positive birth experiences — prepared minds do.
Click the link below to learn more about Birth Prep at Evolve Pelvic Health & Wellness and view upcoming workshop dates.
It would truly be an honor to support you during this season.
