What If Ryan Gosling And Eva Mendes Heed Birth Advice From His ‘Hey Girl’ Memes?

Ryan Gosling’s “Hey Girl” memes are wildly popular. Ladies swoon to think that hunky Ryan supports everything from feminism to librarians to homebirth. Since word on the street is that Ryan and Eva Mendes are expecting their first baby soon, maybe they should take the advice of some of the birth-related memes attributed to Gosling. Some of it is pretty good!

Out of all the Ryan Gosling birth memes, this first one from Attachment Parenting Ryan Gosling on Tumblr is probably the most important basic advice for birth.

“Birth is safe more often than not,” according to Carla Hartley, founder of the Trust Birth Initiative, who has possibly trained more midwives than anyone else through her Ancient Art Midwifery Institute. She tells us that women’s bodies instinctively know what to do to birth their babies when they aren’t interfered with.

Who wouldn’t appreciate a man who brings a nice cup of tea after giving birth? Lots of studies show numerous benefits for skin-to-skin contact with baby, in helping get breastfeeding going, regulating hormones for mom and temperature for baby, and for bonding. As far as laboring and giving birth in a birth pool, many moms swear it makes things easier. The Inquisitr has reported that some women absolutely love waterbirth. How incredible would a waterbirth be with Ryan Gosling there to wipe her brow?

So, since this is a first baby for both Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling, the first part of this meme is irrelevant for them. But they could not go wrong by doing the second part. Gloria refers to Gloria Lemay, a brilliant, fun, and sought-after childbirth educator and birth attendant. She blogs truth and speaks regularly at birth and midwife conferences. Even though she lives in Canada, she offers her childbirth classes online. She is one of the best in her field. Eva and Ryan would learn that birth is designed to work, and that Eva is perfectly equipped for the task.

True story. Mothers give birth. Delivery is for pizza and Fed Ex. Hopefully, Ryan knows this. The term used for birth possibly came into fashion during the era of “knock ’em out, drag ’em out” obstetrics, where the women were drugged into oblivion with Twilight Sleep, and the doctors actually did deliver the babies because the mothers couldn’t. But that is not true anymore.

This Ryan Gosling “Hey girl” meme goes along with possibly the best birth quote ever: “I know a secret in our culture: it’s not that birth is painful. It’s that women are strong.” – Laurie Stavoe Harm

This incredible Ryan Gosling meme requires a bit of explanation. The “Wax Homebirth Study” was a poorly done meta-analysis study that many doctors point to in saying that homebirth is dangerous, and that hospital birth is much safer. In reality, NO well-done study has ever found that hospital birth is safer than homebirth for low to moderate-risk mothers. Wise woman, researcher, and midwife extraordinaire Gail Hart rips the Wax study up one side and down the other in an article in Midwifery Today. Even Medscape says,”The statistical analysis upon which this conclusion was based was deeply flawed, containing many numerical errors, improper inclusion and exclusion of studies, mischaracterization of cited works, and logical impossibilities.” There is plenty in the study for an intelligent woman to find to critique. Most who do so are extremely passionate, and thus obviously “cute” when they do so!

No, the baby is not too big for her to birth. This is a common scare tactic often used to induce labor early or to do an unnecessary cesarean. Unless she has uncontrolled diabetes, (don’t think so), her body will not grow a baby bigger than it can birth. It does help to get upright as baby descends. That helps to open the pelvis up a little bit more than lying down on the bed to give birth. Big babies are wonderful.

The “due date” is not an expiration date. Rumor has it that Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling’s baby is due sometime in October. Whatever date they have is still a guess. Not everyone gestates for the same length of time. Induction of labor often creates problems, as discussed previously in The Inquisitr. 41 weeks is AVERAGE for a first-time mother like Mendes. Normal. It’s not a reason to panic. But the hormones released in lovemaking can’t hurt. In fact, there are prostaglandins in seminal fluid that can help to ripen the cervix to prepare for labor, if the baby is ready to come. If baby isn’t ready yet, neither sex nor the myriad of wives’ tale methods will make it happen any sooner.

Swoon. Hopefully, the real life Ryan Gosling will have this kind of patience when Eva’s labor arrives. First babies especially tend to take time. Often, what doctors call “failure to progress” is, in reality, a failure of the staff to wait. The female body is exquisitely designed to do the work of labor to birth her baby. It is said that the most dangerous piece of equipment in the labor room is the clock. When a mother gets in the birth zone, time loses all meaning and relevance. Just let her be. Get lost in the moment with her.

Cesarean sections are at an all-time high, and the vast majority of them are unnecessary. Induction of labor can lead to a “failed induction” and a c-section. Interventions can snowball into problems that end up necessitating a c-section. If a birth is planned for the hospital, it is often better to labor at home as long as possible before going in, to avoid unnecessary interventions. A doula (labor support person) can be worth her price in gold. If the birth is planned at home, the chances are much higher that, if she has a c-section, she truly needs it. If Ryan Gosling is even a fraction of the caring guys he portrays on film, he will be a great help to Eva Mendes in having a normal birth.

Ryan and Eva would do well to read Dr. Sarah Buckley’s book, Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering, in preparation for their upcoming birth. Dr. Buckley’s book combines fabulous scientific research into how the hormones are designed to work together for birth with wonderfully empowering information for birthing women. It is one of the best childbirth books on the market, sure to be highlighted and devoured. Then loaned to friends. Ryan Gosling, if you don’t have a copy, I will be happy to loan you mine.

And finally, this “Hey girl” meme again highlights the importance of skin-to-skin contact with baby, with plenty of Ryan Gosling’s easy-on-the-eyes skin showing! It helps to regulate baby’s temperature, heartbeat, and breathing, as well as releases the hormones that facilitate bonding.

There are centuries of collective wisdom contained in these Ryan Gosling “Hey girl” memes. Having a baby is a very exciting time, but it can also be a scary time as well. The sage counsel in these particular memes are helpful for anyone who wants to have a good birth. Congratulations to Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling. We look forward to seeing your new baby.

[images via Attachment Parenting Ryan Gosling blog, and Homebirth Ryan Gosling on Tumblr]