In this blog I want to give you my personal top tips for having a natural childbirth. I used these strategies for myself in my unmedicated birth experiences both in the hospital and at home.
If giving birth naturally (in this blog, when I say ‘naturally’ I mean unmedicated) is your goal, then I am so excited for you to read this blog. I hope it will add something valuable to your birth toolbox! And remember mama, no matter how you birth you are a powerful woman and deserve support!
Let’s go! Here are my top tips!
Tip #1- Gather the right birth team for you!
- Find a provider that supports natural childbirth and has a low cesarean rate. These are 2 influential factors for how the provider manages a mama’s labor and could impact the success of your natural childbirth plan.
- Plan to have a labor support person by your side throughout your entire labor. This could be your spouse, a family member, a friend or someone you trust. For this role, I specifically mean for this person to not be a labor professional (more on that down the list). Having continuous labor support from a loved one is shown to impact your overall birth experience in a positive way.
- I highly recommend that you hire a doula. This will ensure that you have 24/7 labor support from a birth professional. This continuous labor support from a birth professional has proven benefits. Studies have found that women with continuous labor support (especially from a professional doula) were more likely to:
- Have a normal vaginal birth ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- Be less likely to have pain medication ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- Be less likely to have negative feelings about their birth experience
- Be less likely to have a cesarean section
- And that’s not all!! Mamas’ labors are shorter and their babies are less likely to have complications at birth
What an amazing opportunity you have to reap these benefits!
Now, full disclosure here. If you’ve read my first or second birth stories you might have noticed that I did not have a doula for either birth experience. For me this was because I felt supported enough and that I had the right tools and knowledge (because of my background) to achieve the type of birth I wanted. I will admit that for my 3rd birth (when that happens at an unknown point in the future) I do plan to hire a doula and take advantage of her support and Rebozo sifting techniques!
Tip #2- Prepare your body
- Practice your labor positions, practice your labor breathing, stretch and exercise. This is preached far and wide, but do not underestimate how doing these things will assist your labor, birth and recovery.
- Perineal massage can be helpful starting a few weeks before birth if you decide to try it.
- Eat to prepare your body for birth. The energy requirements of birth are often compared to that of running a marathon. When you know labor is starting, do your best to fuel your body early on.
Tip #3- Prepare your mind
- Know that you can totally do it!
- Take a birthing course that is aligned with your birth philosophy! When you understand what is going on with the labor process, it can be less scary & you can feel more calm & empowered by the process.
- Read empowering birth books with birth stories to inspire you.
- Decide why you want the type of birth you want. What will achieving it feel like for you and mean to you? Why is it important to you?
- Memorize birth affirmations or a birth mantra to repeat to yourself during contractions. Especially during active labor, transition & stage 2 of labor when it’s time to push!
Tip #4- When you’re in labor, get moving!
- Move your body in labor using mostly upright positions.
- Moving your hips helps baby’s positioning and can give pain relief. Swaying, sitting on a birth ball or the toilet can help accomplish this as well.
- Using mostly upright positions can also be particularly effective in helping your baby move into the best position for final descent into your pelvis.
- Your body will guide you into movement that feels best for your labor. If there is a position that feels better for you, stick with it!
Tip #5- Have a ‘don’t knock it until you try it’ mentality when it comes to pain relieving techniques
- Be ready to try all the pain relieving techniques! (water, birth ball, massage, kissing with contractions, rebozo, herbal medicine, controlled breathing… & any other methods you find or are offered that resonate with you)
- Keep an open mind & switch up your techniques often
Tip #6- What to do when you think you can’t do it anymore
- Change something. Move into a new position. Change the room lighting. Get into the water. Switch up your breathing. Try a different comfort technique.
- Ask for a cervical exam to see how far you are dilated. You could be making good progress!
- Fuel your body with a small snack or drink. Hunger can actually increase your pain!
- Remember, most often when you reach the point where you feel like you can NOT do it anymore, you are so close to the end.
Also, often mamas report feeling relief from all the intensity that comes with transition (dilating the last few centimeters) when they begin the pushing stage of labor! In other words, being able to start pushing decreases their pain.
Well there you have it friend. My personal top tips for having a natural childbirth. I am excited to give you these tools to add to your birth toolbox and I have confidence that these strategies can help you in your birth.
And remember mama, no matter how you birth, you are a powerful woman and deserve support!
