Meghan Markle is reportedly doing everything she can to prepare for a natural birth.
According to Vanity Fair, the Duchess of Sussex is readying herself for her baby's arrival in multiple holistic ways, including using acupuncture, practicing natural birth techniques, and enlisting the services of a doula. It's the birthing techniques — namely a method called "hypno-birthing" — that Duchess Kate also used. It aims to reduce the pain and duration of labor, with a combination of deep breathing, relaxation, and visualization. Kate reportedly used hypno-birthing during all three of her deliveries.
But Meghan isn't stopping there. Ross Barr, an acupuncturist known for his many celebrity clients, is also reportedly helping her with a regimen in her third trimester. "Meghan has been having regular acupuncture sessions to help her unwind and relax. It's brilliant for the blood circulation and boosting blood flow to the uterus. She plans to use acupuncture right up to her due date," a source told VF.
The Duchess has also reportedly hired a doula — although the doula that The Sun first claimed she hired, Lauren Mishcon, was disputed by Vanity Fair. If she is enlisting a birthing assistant, Meghan would be the first royal in centuries to do so, per The Sun.
Of course, it's important to remember that for all this preparation, there's no guarantee that Meghan's birth will go according to plan. "I think what we have to remember with the royals is that they're just human beings," Duncan Larcombe told T&C earlier this month. "Like many, many expectant mothers before her, Meghan probably would like to have a natural birth, and it would all be wonderful and over in a few minutes.
"But like any expectant mother, she won't be in control of that, her body will be ... And just because she’s going to give birth to a member of the royal family doesn't make that any different. She's just a human being. An expectant mother. And the baby will have its own say on how easy the birth is or how difficult."
Chloe is a News Writer for Townandcountrymag.com, where she covers royal news, from the latest additions to Meghan Markle’s staff to Queen Elizabeth’s monochrome fashions; she also writes about culture, often dissecting TV shows like The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and Killing Eve.
