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:

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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:

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