Top Secrets of Natural Childbirth

A shift has taken place in the birthing world, and the direction we've shifted in is not good, at least for those of us who desire to give birth naturally. Induction and c-section rates are sky-high, and technology has put a tremendous amount of pressure on women to fall into the increasingly narrow "normal" category, or be subjected to the surgeons knife.

One of the primary reasons many women end up with a cascade of medical interventions resulting in a traumatic birth experience is that very few of us have a supportive and knowledgeable community around us, and very few of us have seen (or even heard of!) beautiful, empowering births. Unlike women of generations past, we have very little practical knowledge of childbirth, and we have not watched and assisted our mothers, sisters, and aunts give birth. We lack knowledge, and we suffer for it.

Educate Yourself

The first and foremost thing you must do to prepare yourself for giving birth naturally is to educate yourself. And I don't mean just skimming through What to Expect. Read and research. Do web searches on "natural childbirth". Look on Amazon.com and in your library for books that describe and support natural childbirth. Research the history of childbirth and obstetrics (unfortunately old attitudes about childbirth-such as that it is an inherently dangerous and pathological-can still be found today). Talk with your care provider, and then get other opinions. Take a good childbirth class (one sponsored by an independent birthing center is more likely to give support to your desire for a natural birth). Arm yourself with knowledge about the uses of medical interventions, and all of their side-effects.

Develop Confidence

If you're in the care of a "traditional" obstetrical practice, unless you are seriously lucky, you will need to work very hard to make sure that your wishes for birth are followed, and be an outspoken advocate for yourself. You will need to know your stuff, and be able to articulate it. You also need to be willing and able to voice your wishes strongly and without apology.

Build a Support System

Your support system can be anyone-husband, mother, doula, friends-but it's important that they actually be supportive, and not try to dissuade you from natural birthing by telling you horror stories or questioning your ability to give birth. If you have no "real life" friends who can support you and help you, hit the natural childbirth website forums and you will find many cheerleaders to encourage you and answer your questions. If you don't feel like you have anyone who can truly support you and advocate for you during labor, a local midwife may be able to get you in touch with a doula-a trained labor support professional who will attend labor with you as a "coach" and assistant.

Choose Carefully

If you get the impression that your prenatal care-giver is less than enthusiastic about natural birth, find someone else. When you are in the process of choosing a care-giver, make sure you develop a list of questions to ask, to get an idea of the likelihood of enjoying a natural birth under their care. Some of the most important questions to ask are: What is the rate of induction for this person/practice? What is the rate of Cesarean section? What are the routine interventions (if any) that are used? What are the criteria for determining which interventions to use and when? What is their general attitude towards natural birth? If you find yourself speaking to someone who rolls their eyes and snorts when you mention natural child birth, drug-less labor, and a desire to avoid a c-section, you are with the wrong person. You will not receive care, you will be "managed".

Trust your Instinct

If your caregiver advises you to have a procedure done but cannot give a concrete reason for doing so, get another opinion. Likewise, if you feel that something is wrong, but your caregiver doesn't, get a referral for a second opinion. Our own bodies and instinct are more trustworthy than some would have us think. When it comes time to give birth, your body knows what to do. If you need to walk, walk. If a shower soothes you, take a warm shower. If you feel like squatting, squat (after finding something solid to hold on to, of course!). If lying on your back on a hospital bed makes you feel rotten (it will!) get up and move around. Unless you're already a high-risk pregnancy and your baby is already in trouble, there is absolutely no reason you should be tethered to a bed throughout labor if you don't want to be. Make sure you include "intermittent, not constant, external fetal monitoring" to your birth plan, and make sure your caregivers know it's in there. Likewise, unless an IV is absolutely necessary during labor (and it is not, for most women) you can opt for a "hep-lock" that will keep you free of awkward tubes and wires but still allow quick access should an IV become necessary in an emergency.

Trust your Body

Believe it or not, your body does know how to labor and give birth to a baby! Your body knows when it's time to start labor (even if that's 2 or 3 weeks after the doctor has written your due date in stone!). Your body knows how to push a baby out. Your body knows when not to push, and when to push-it doesn't need 3 nurses shouting "1-2-3 PUSH!" in order to get it right. Your body is a beautiful and powerful baby-birthing machine, designed very specifically to grow a baby, and to push it out into the world!

Get Healthy

You will do yourself a great favor if you stay healthy and fit during your pregnancy. Your body needs excellent nutrition, strong muscles, and good general health in order to work at it's best during childbirth. Exercise regularly (but not over enthusiastically), and make sure to learn the exercises that will strengthen stomach, thigh, and perinial muscles, which are the one's you'll need the most for a good labor. Pregnancy is the perfect time, and the perfect motivation, to give up bad habits that hurt your health. Smoking, drinking, overeating, and filling up on junkfood will all contribute to poor health and considerably lessen your chances of having a healthy baby and good delivery.

Resist Guilt Trips

Caregivers and concerned friends will often try to prod you into a more medically-based birth by saying "Don't you want the best for your baby?" or "Don't you want your baby to be really safe?" That is guilt-tripping, pure and simple. Of course you want your baby to be safe and healthy! That is most likely why you are leaning towards natural birth in the first place. This is where your education, confidence, and support system will come in helpful. Use what you know, what you believe, and the support of loved ones to beat back attempts to make you doubt your ability to give birth naturally.

The vast majority of women are perfectly capable of giving birth with minimal or no medical intervention. In all likelihood, you are one of the majority. If you happen to have a real issue that means you do need a little help getting your baby out safely, there's no need to feel guilty or a failure. This article is only intended to encourage women to stand their ground and do everything possible to contribute to a beautiful, natural birth.

Can you do it! Yes you can!