Want to have a positive birth experience even in the hospital? In this episode, labor and delivery nurse Jen Hamilton shares her wisdom for having a positive and pleasurable hospital birth. She provides tips on feeling safe and comfortable in the hospital environment, choosing your ideal support person, communicating your needs to your care team, and mentally preparing for the sensations of labor. It's time to erase fears and replace them with feel-good vibes. Get ready to enjoy birth on a whole new level!

Jen Hamilton's career as a labor & delivery nurse looks different than most other nurses in her field. With over 3 million TikTok followers, Jen Hamilton is using social media to transform maternal healthcare. Featured in news media like The New York Times and CNN, Jen's mission is to prevent birth trauma, dispel labor & birth myths, and empower patients with evidence-based information. Her engaging and informative content has made her a trusted voice in the field, bridging the gap between patients and healthcare providers. She is a mom of 2 boys and 2 indoor chickens that wear diapers. She and her husband raise their "flock" in central NC. She still spends every weekend at the bedside, caring for laboring patients and their families. Though she travels the country sharing her message of improved maternal care, she has no plans to stop her bedside work.

In This Episode:

Bringing items from home like twinkle lights, essential oil diffusers, blankets, etc. can make the hospital room feel more comfortable.

Choose a labor support partner who cares for you well when sick, not just assuming your partner will provide romance and back rubs.

Clearly tell your care team what physical sensations and touches are pleasurable or triggering for you.

Doulas help you feel heard and provide emotional and physical comfort measures in labor.

Mentally prepare for labor by practicing coping techniques for short bursts of intense sensations.

Key Takeaways:

Preparation and getting in the right mindset is more important than a rigid birth plan

Prioritize feeling respected, empowered and cared for over specific interventions

Every painful sensation brings you closer to meeting your baby

Fear and not feeling safe can stall labor - address emotional blocks

Pivot in labor based on your bodily intuition, not expectations

Key Quotes:

"It's never a birth plan thing. It's never...riding on the support person. It's riding on that person's mental preparation for what they will experience." - Jen Hamilton

“More than a birth plan, I want you to be thinking about birth vibes. I want you to think about how you want to be treated.” - Jen Hamilton