#12 Laugh a Deep, Long, Belly Laugh

The following is part of  a series of posts detailing the information in my free download 26 Ways to Prepare Your Heart for Labor.

When was the last time you had a good laugh?  I mean really laughed. The hold-your-sides-tears-streaming-down-your-face-pee-your-pants kind of laugh? 

There are many ways to cope with the intensity of labor:  breath awareness, walking, massage, birth balls, swaying, and rocking to name a few.  But did you know that laughing can be just has helpful?  When you laugh, your body releases a hormone called oxitocin, the "feel good hormone". This is the same hormone that is released when you have sex, and when you breastfeed.  And guess what?  This is the same hormone that is released during labor, which keeps things moving along.  Smiling and laughing in labor will not only make you feel better, but it can bring you closer to your baby.  Win-win.   

In labor preparation, laughing is a GREAT way to release stress.  And you all know that reducing stress leads to a healthy mom and baby.  So without further ado.... let the hilarious Jim Gaffigan reduce some of your stress today.

It is important to keep a sense of humor as your belly swells.  Pregnancy and childbirth preparation can be a very serious task, so make sure to take time out along the way to find the funny in the life around you. 

Side note:  This is great training for parenthood, too.  Your kid will say and do some of The.Funniest. Sh**.   Laugh at it.  Laugh at them. I promise you'll go insane if you don't!

So tell us, what made you giggle today?