How to Have a Natural Childbirth

I had a natural hospital birth, and you can, too. I wanted a solid support team, including doulas and midwives. For my natural childbirth, I chose a team of nurse midwives who supported birth without intervention and could also provide immediate medical support only if totally necessary. I chose two friends as doulas, which are non-medical birth attendants. One is a massage therapist, and the other is a Zen priest who has studied with shamans. I asked my husband and doulas to read Active Birth by Janet Balaskas, which advocates, among other things, a laboring woman's need to be on all fours or squatting. I also read Active Birth, Spiritual Midwifery, and Ina May's Guide to Childbirth (the latter two by Ina May Gaskin). I recommend these titles to any pregnant mother, whether you want a home birth, or plan to go to a birthing center or hospital.

When I went into labor, I knew things were progressing quickly. On the way there, I toned in the car, meaning I made long low moans with each contraction. This keeps the energy low in the body and is calming. One of the leading causes of birth complications is stress and fear. Breathing, toning, and looking into the eyes of your support people helps you stay calm, which helps you achieve a natural childbirth.

During the birth, I told people firmly what I needed done: fill the bath, take a breath mint, look at me with strength in your eyes, sit here, don't touch me there. I didn't get panicky or angry, just assertive. My body asserted itself with powerful contractions, and I asserted myself with powerful requests.

A laboring mother must be able to be assertive, and she must have the knowledge and support to know what she needs to ask for. I knew I needed the tub, no lights, no music, and then that I needed to be on all fours while delivering my baby. My attendants supported all of these requests. I felt powerful and in control of the external situation, so I was able to let go into the birth process and let my body take over the internal situation.

There is a myth that a woman in labor is out of control, afraid, and irrational. I can attest that this is only true when she feels, even a little, that it is not okay for her to be in control. For twenty minutes in triage, I had to be on my back, doing what the triage nurse asked. That was the worst time of the whole experience - it hurt to labor on my back, and I felt powerless. The contractions hurt instead of just feeling powerful and overwhelming. I was focused on the pain instead of focusing on breathing with the overwhelming sensations that I found contractions to be. While laboring in a squat or in the bathtub I was able to deal with the intensity, but if I'd had to labor the whole time on my back, I would have needed an epidural. As it was, I didn't want an epidural. I wanted to stay with my body as it labored naturally.

You can have the birth you want, but to do so you need to be informed, supported, and calm. We birthing women need to learn to trust our bodies. Then natural childbirth will become the norm everywhere.