Tips for Having a Natural Birth at a Hospital

As the big day nears for your little one’s debut, the urge to have a natural birthing experience is likely very high. Giving birth in a hospital is certainly a common consideration for most mothers.

There are some steps that you should take before and during your child’s birth in order to ensure that things go as smoothly as possible and that you can achieve your dream of wanting a natural birth. Below are a few suggestions on how you can effectively achieve your birthing goals. 

Would you like more detailed info preparing for a safe, successful natural birth?  Get our free pregnancy and birth planning guide, as well as our free childbirth mini-series.  Just enter your details below:


Before Your Due Date

1.      Educate yourself – There are a lot of misconceptions about a “natural” birth. Some women assume that as long as you don’t have a c-section, it’s still a natural birth. Others would assume that not taking an epidural equals natural birth. It is important that you become educated on what a natural birth is and how you want your personal birthing experience to be for you and your newborn baby. Learning more about the birthing process and the pros and cons to your decisions is ideal.

2.      Opt for a Doula – During natural birthing experiences it is certainly ideal to have a certified doula on hand for support. Even if you have your spouse for support, a doula has the expertise and knowledge to make sure that both you and the child are doing find. Doulas are there to help make the birthing experience more enjoyable. Most importantly, they are there to support the mother in whatever she might need to feel relaxed while the baby enters the world.

Labor Day

1.      Allow Labor to Flow – your baby and your body are fully aware of when it is time for labor to begin. Allow the natural process to occur on its own. If inducing is best (as it sometimes is for medical reasons), consider natural ways of inducing such as sexual intercourse, castor oil inductions, walking, or even nipple stimulation. You can talk with your doctor, doula, or midwife about other safe and natural methods.

2.      Move Around – walking or moving around in an upright position can decrease the length of labor. As long as you and your baby are not in any distress this should not be a problem to request to be off monitors and moving around.

3.      Do Not Use Medications – yes, the pain can become difficult at times to deal with. But if you’re looking to achieve a natural birth it is going to be important that you don’t use medications of any kind unless there is a real medical need for it.

4.      Push Correctly – When you are flat on your back pushing your baby out is much more complex. When sitting in a more upright position, gravity can actually assist you in getting your baby out more effectively. It can also help in reducing the need for assisted deliveries with forceps and vacuums, and decreases the possibility of needing an episiotomy.

By following these tips you are sure to achieve the natural birth you always dreamed of, even while staying in a hospital. Once your baby comes out, remember to request to hold them right after. This helps in supporting breastfeeding and also allows for the child and mother to bond right away. 

Would you like more detailed info preparing for a safe, successful natural birth?  Get our free pregnancy and birth planning guide, as well as our free childbirth mini-series.  Just enter your details below:

Photo by swedishmedicalcenter

Choosing a Doctor Supportive of Natural Birth

Having a natural birth is one of the most rewarding experiences that any mother can have. The experience of bringing your baby into the world without medical interventions is something that everyone should have a chance to partake in. While some women due to medical reasons cannot have natural births, there are an increasing amount of women who are opting to go natural. 

If you’ve done your research you’ve likely heard a lot about selecting midwives of doulas to support natural birth. While these are great choices, what if you just want to have a natural birth while at the hospital? There are doctors who support natural birth, but finding one will take time and research.

Would you like more detailed info on the different types of pregnancy doctors, midwives, and how choose where to give birth?  Get our free pregnancy and birth planning guide, as well as our free childbirth mini-series.  Just enter your details below:

Factors to Consider When Selecting a Doctor

·         What is their outlook on natural birth? You’d be surprised to know how many doctors believe that anything that is not a c-section or with the use of an epidural is a natural birth. What you want to find out is if the doctor’s idea of natural birth is the same as yours.

·         How much freedom will they give you as a mother? Some doctors have a time limit on how long a woman can be in labor before trying medical intervention. Other doctors have low tolerance for mothers who don’t wish to have their bag of water broken or the use of forceps to deliver the baby. Finding out what sorts of freedoms your doctor is comfortable with is important.

·         How does the doctor feel about handling the newborn after delivery? If you want to breastfeed your child the moment they come out is this something the doctor will support? Some would prefer to whisk them away before allowing them to connect with the mother.

·         What is their success rate for natural births? Of course every woman has their problems but it would be nice to see how many of the doctor’s patients actually had a successful natural birth.

·         What is the doctor’s take on having the support of a doula? While you’re entitled to have someone assist you in giving birth some doctors are not too keen on having “non medical support” outside of your family members in the room. You want to make sure that this is not a conflict.

·         What is the doctor’s availability? If you are working with a doctor that has a large network of colleagues, you want to find out the likelihood of someone else delivering your baby. This will be extremely important as the doctor’s colleagues may not agree with natural birth which could throw your plans off.

Best Places to Find the Right Doctor

You can easily begin to locate doctors supportive of natural birth through several different resources, however, the best two are mentioned below:

·         Childbirth Educator – Your childbirth educator is able to point you in the right direction with regards to finding a doctor supportive of your labor plans. They are likely to know who the best candidate is as well as if they accept your insurance.

·         Other moms – You will never get a better recommendation on doctors than from mothers themselves. If you have some friends, neighbors, or family members that have just had a baby try talking to them about the doctor they used to see if it’s a good fit for you. They can tell you firsthand how the experience was and if you would benefit from using their doctor.

Finding the right doctor to support your plans for natural birth is not an easy task but it is essential. Be sure to go visit the doctor to make sure that you are comfortable with them. As an expectant mother comfort should be high on your list of priorities as this is the only way to have a successful pregnancy and delivery.  Would you like more detailed info on the different types of pregnancy doctors, midwives, and how choose where to give birth?  Get our free pregnancy and birth planning guide, as well as our free childbirth mini-series.  Just enter your details below:

Photo by socialhealthservices

Benefits of Vaginal Birth

While being pregnant is something most women dream of, the idea of going into labor may scare you. It’s even truer if you’re a first time mom. From scenes on television and movies to stories from other mothers, the idea of being in excruciating pain for who knows how long can seem like a nightmare come true. Despite what you've heard, one of the best things that you can do for your body and for your baby is a vaginal birth. Natural vaginal births have extreme benefits for everyone involved and also make for a beautiful birthing experience.

• Vaginal births (non-induced) happen when your body is ready. This is one of the gentlest ways to bring your baby into the world. Letting your body work at its own pace is beneficial for you and the baby and there’s less chance of fetal distress. Letting labor happen in its own timing also lets you know (in most cases) that your baby is fully developed and can safely be bought into the world. 
• As your baby is being delivered, he or she passes through your birth canal. As your birth canal applies pressure, the amniotic fluid is removed from your baby’s lungs. This decreases the chances of your baby being born with respiratory complications. 
• Babies who pass through the birthing canal are also protected by bacteria they ingest! The bacteria moves to their intestines and helps to create a healthy immune system. Having a healthy immune system is important from birth and throughout adulthood :) 
• Mothers who deliver their children vaginally are also known to have much faster deliveries than those who don’t. When having a C-section the recovery time is a bit longer and recovery time is also much more difficult. After successful vaginal birth you’re able to move around quickly and get back to a healthy state. Shorter recovery times means that both you and baby can go home and get used to being in your own space. 
• Vaginal births produce fewer risks for getting scarred during labor. C-sections leave scars from the incision on the stomach. However, vaginal births leave no scaring unless there is tearing which is repaired with a few small stitches. 
• While complications can happen in any birthing experience, studies have shown that mothers who have C-section have higher mortality rates from those who don’t. Vaginal births also mean less interference from medical staff. 

By staying healthy and informed about your pregnancy you can increase your chances of being able to have a successful vaginal birth. For those looking to deliver naturally consider taking a natural birthing class to learn your options for pain management. The more natural your laboring process is, the better it is all around for mom and baby.

Would you like a free childbirth mini series?  If you'd like the free mini-series and a free copy of "A Beginner's Guide to Planning a Natural Childbirth," enter your details below for instant access:

Photo by Inspired Photography CT

Letting Go of Fears About Natural Birth

The child birthing experience is supposed to be beautiful and rewarding, but many women begin to dread the pain of labor and delivery as they get further along in their pregnancy. If you’ve never experienced childbirth before all of your experiences of what it will be like comes from stories you’ve heard, shows you’ve watched, or your imagination. Either way, your fears could very well drive you away from what is supposed to be a treasured event. Educate yourself and become active in the planning of the delivery of your baby as a means to overcome the fear. Below are a few tools to help you face your fears head on.

Education

Fear of the unknown can paralyze you if you let it. While no doctor or medical professional can determine to the minute how your delivery will turn out, there are people who can give you a better idea than what you already have. Take classes on natural child birth so that you can learn about the process for yourself. There are plenty of books that you can read in your spare time. Read information on birthing process before, during, and after the baby comes so that you are ready. Educating yourself on ways to get through the pain is also very important to minimizing your fear.

Would you like a free childbirth mini series?  If you'd like the free mini-series and a free copy of "A Beginner's Guide to Planning a Natural Childbirth," enter your details below for instant access:

< Research Successful Births

There are a lot of blogs and forums today that focus on pregnancy and labor. You should consider joining a few so that you can get tips and advice on how to have a successful and natural pregnancy. You should review stories on pregnancies that were successful to give your mind a rest. By reviewing some positive experiences you can balance out the negativity that is on your mind about labor. This will help to prepare you for delivery day.

Create a Birthing Plan

Sometimes knowing that you have a plan in mind can help you get through the fears you have for giving birth. Start making a birthing plan so that you can ease the anxiety. Make sure you have a doctor that is supportive of natural birth, consider who will be in the room with you aside from your partner, and even talk with your partner about your fears. Having people around you that understand your fears and know about the labor process will make things much easier for you to get through.

Use Visuals

Another great way to conquer your fear of giving birth is to have visuals. If you have pictures of your ultrasound be sure to bring those with you. Consider having your baby’s first outfit laid out somewhere next to you. Anything that keeps you in a positive mood should be brought with you to calm your fears. Sometimes knowing what the end game is will help you to push through your fears.

The more involved you are with the process of labor the more you will see a boost in your confidence to deliver a healthy baby. Face your fears head on through preparation and education for the best results. If you are still having fears, talking these over with your midwife or doctor might be best as they may be able to give you some more specific advice as it pertains to the success of your pregnancy and delivery.
Would you like a free childbirth mini series?  If you'd like the free mini-series and a free copy of "A Beginner's Guide to Planning a Natural Childbirth," enter your details below for instant access: