100 Ways To Help Achieve A Natural Birth

100 Ways To Help  Achieve A Natural Birth

Decisions in your early pregnancy:

1. Choose a care provider that supports and believes in natural birth. Ask when you are considered “late.” Their induction rate will tell you a lot!
2. Interview your care provider prior to confirming as their patient. Ask for statistics of moms who wanted to go natural, how many actually did.
3. Understand your provider's philosophy of birth- ask good questions in the beginning. This is an important relationship- don’t choose them on a referral- interview them!
4. Hire a doula, a birth professional with experience in labor and birth.
5. Interview your doula carefully. Does she have any hidden agendas about birth, is she trying to heal from her own birth through yours? What is her experience and training?
6. Choose a doula as early as possible in your pregnancy to have time  to develop a relationship with her along your journey.
7. Take a childbirth class that supports natural birth and places an emphasis on providing you with tools for pain coping.
8. Consider the preparation for this birth to be as important an event to prepare for as other events like your wedding day. Don’t rush your education and preparation and try to make it fit into a tight, unrealistic learning schedule.
9. Choose a place to birth that supports natural birth and have the staff that understands it. They are less likely to offer to “fix” normal things if they support natural birth.
10. Find out your hospital’s cesarean and epidural statistics. Choose a location with a low rate for both.
11. Choose a care provider who believes in vaginal births for complex births like VBACs, breech and multiples. The more skill set they have the less likely to find a reason for a cesarean.
12. Choose a midwife. You are more likely to have natural birth with a midwife (not a “medwife”).
13. Choose a private childbirth educator. She is not paid to teach a particular way. Choose a class that encourages you to think about your fears and true choices.
14. Choose a birth location that allows laboring and perhaps birthing in water. Even if you do not think you will want to birth in water, having it as an option is helpful.

Considerations during your pregnancy:

15. Read books that support natural birth:  The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth, Birthing From Within, Ina May's Guide to a Natural Childbirth, etc.
16. Watch movies of natural births (The Business of Being Born, Birth Day, Orgasmic Birth, etc.) and stop watching the Baby Story type shows that perpetuate interventions as normal.
17. Avoid TV shows and movies that depict highly medicalized births- garbage in, garbage out. Many times they choose subjects that are sensational and interventive births to focus on. Allow yourself to begin to see birth as normal and not painful.
18. Do prenatal exercises daily if possible, especially yoga and swimming.
19. Take other fitness classes - staying fit makes a huge difference in your labor. If nothing else, go for a long walk each day.
20. Surround yourself with people who support natural birth. They are not invited to your labor unless they can do so.
21. Do not listen to negative stories about birth - only empowering ones. Don’t let people share their horror stories- they do soak into your psyche.
22. Educate your partner on the advantages of a natural birth and have them attend the classes with you.
23. Take Spinning Babies classes, Dancing for BirthTM classes and others that help line up your baby for best positioning.
24. Don't cross your legs during your pregnancy- this helps to keep your baby from turning posterior.
25. Do exercises that encourage optimal fetal positioning. Help your baby align for an easier labor.
26. Replace your chair at work with a birth ball to help you have proper postures for aligning your baby.
27. Do not complain to your care provider about "still being pregnant" in the last couple weeks.  This can encourage talk of induction. Embrace the time for your baby being born as one that your baby and body get to decide on without intervention.
28. Choose music that is soothing and helps relaxes you. Practice your relaxation with this music in preparation beforehand.
29. Examine fears you might have about birth and work through them with a doula, care provider, or friend knowledgeable in natural birth and  in addressing those fears. Ignoring them does not make them go away.
30. Don’t be afraid to change providers later in pregnancy if needed  If this marriage is not made in heaven- find a new provider!
31. Understand that most nay-sayers are speaking from their own fear and bad experiences and they most likely did not follow any of these steps to make their birth different. Just because your sister, friend or mother had a medicated birth, does not mean you will need medication.
32. Practice your pain coping techniques during your pregnancy--they will become natural if you practice them along the way. Practice them in different situations during the day...in the car, at work, while walking, while being busy, etc.
33. The pain coping  techniques you find less helpful- practice more! If you can get them to be effective, the ones you love will be even more so.
34. Practice your pain coping techniques daily using ice water to help you learn to relax when you are under a bit of pain or discomfort.
35. Consider what you are eating carefully. You can grow a baby too big if you are eating unhealthy foods and too much quantity. Organic, unprocessed foods are best.
36. Some folks believe the only way you can have a natural birth is to choose a homebirth. But choosing the location for your birth and being totally comfortable with that decision is more important than it being home. Home would not be the right choice for some women. Choose a place you feel you can be vulnerable and safe.
37. Meditate. Yoga is a great exercise not only for the exercise portion but also for helping to get you centered and meditative about your labor… there is a body mind connection that is helpful.
38. Mantras that become rope to you help you to keep positive phrases in your mind and they will come naturally in labor to your thoughts if you practice them during your pregnancy.
39. Having a support system (doula, mothers, sisters friends) during your pregnancy to talk to when fears and concerns come up helps. Joining some groups that are made up of folks who are like minded during your pregnancy.
40. Listen to ONLY positive birth stories, even long arduous ones, but ones with positive 'energy'.  Stop listening to those who want to share their horror stories with you.
41. Journaling is a great way to identify the concerns and fears you have and also affirming the ways you want things to unfold.
42. Learn to breathe in ways that help to control your breath in stressful and painful times- yoga is helpful in learning this.
43. Learn good body mechanics for pregnancy and labor will keep you injury free and help your body to perform tasks better.
44. Chiropractic care keeps your body and your baby aligned properly so you can birth more easily.
45. Prenatal massage is a great way to keep your muscles relaxed and this helps your baby to be comfortably aligned too.
46. Allow yourself to indulge in a hobby (art, baking, sewing). The ways you fill your days with fun and productive times is a great way to prepare for motherhood.
47. Read books that support your philosophy about life in general- not just about birth but parenting and the way you want to live your life.
48. Sing. Dr. Michel Odent encouraged his patients to sing to help expand their lungs in preparation for labor but also as a means of bonding with your baby.
49. Information and education for you and your support system is important- learn how to ask the questions you need in order to get the answers you need to make informed decisions.
50. Nutrition during your labor is important.  Fasting during a race is ridiculous, so continue to snack and eat high carbohydrates during labor to keep your energy.
51. Understanding what you want and why will keep you on track to stay with your plan.
52. Go to bed when you are tired in the last weeks prior to birth. Don’t feel that you need to get a ton of stuff done and rob yourself of rest. When you go into labor it would be great if you are rested.
53. Make love in the last weeks of your pregnancy. This is not only a good release of oxytocin and prostaglandins, but it helps you to be connected to your partner.
54. Focus on the important in the last weeks and not the things that can wait or go undone. For instance not taking a breastfeeding class because you need to set up the crib is not prioritized properly. You will need to know how to breastfeed long before the baby will ever sleep in the crib.
55. Avoid having vaginal exams in the last weeks of your pregnancy. They increase the chance of infection and often only cause you to become anxious about your progress.
56. Consider the times in your life that you felt pain...what did you do to cope? Practice techniques that worked for you before, they will most likely work again.
57. Avoid induction of your labor. Ask for biophysical profiles to be done to determine the health of the baby in utero instead of just your gestational guess date. Consider some natural alternatives to induction that have less negative side effects.
58. Change your message on your voice mail to say you are resting and have not yet had the baby when friends begin to ask about how much longer you will be pregnant. Feeling like a watched pot only causes your anxiousness to boil over.
59. Plan something so special on your due date that you would hate to miss. This will allow you to not get too overly focused on a due date and begin to feel late when it comes and goes. Most first time moms go ten days over their estimated due date.
60. Don’t do your complaining to your doctor or midwife about non-medical, but often times normal, pregnancy complaints. Often times they will feel compelled to “fix” the problem. Fixing it sometimes means interfering with the natural process. Call your doula to complain. She will listen without judgment and may offer some ideas to help you.
61. Seek acupuncture treatments for coping with many pregnancy conditions that can interfere with being balanced for your birth.
62. Consider perineal massage to help you learn to relax your perineum and teach you about the elasticity of your body.

Considerations during your labor:

63. Labor at home as long as possible, having your support person come  to be with you if you desire.
64. Be careful inviting too many to your birth. You may feel watched or feel like you need to be a hostess rather than a laboring woman.
65. Sit on a birth ball to facilitate gravity to help your baby move down and to keep your pelvis open during labor.
66. Choose candles, oils etc. in a scent that is relaxing and appealing to you. Bring those scents with you into labor. (Only electric candles are allowed at the hospital, but you can certainly use scented ones at home.)
67. Remember to trust in your body - it knows what to do. Allow it to open without fear.
68. "Ignore" early labor.  Walk, sleep, eat - go about your daily business. Wait for the contractions to demand your attention.
69. Labor at home for a long time Stay until contractions are stronger, longer and closer together- 4 minutes apart and lasting a full minute for at least an hour (411).
70. Stay out of the bed in labor- stay moving!
71. Believe you can do this- negative thoughts will overcome your ability if you let them in! Fill your head with positive affirmations.
72. Submerge yourself in water… being in the tub will be the tester- if it is early your labor will stop- so rest. If it is active labor, the water will speed it up. All of the time it is relaxing- so get in the tub!
73. Keep your jaw and mouth loose in labor- use “horse lips” to stay relaxed. A loose and open jaw makes for an open cervix!
74. Determination makes you begin to see yourself successful. If you use phrases like, “I will …” vs “I will try…” you will see yourself being successful.
75. Prayer and spiritual centering helps you to bond with your baby and the power within you.
76. Talk to your baby. Parenting begins prenatally! Tell your baby your desires during your pregnancy and talk to him/her during labor- it is a dyad!
77. Trust the process of birth- there will be 300,000 women birthing on the same day as you. You come from generations of women who have done this!
78. Movement in labor is imperative- if you need to move the baby during labor – move the mom!
79. Optimism is needed. If you begin to have negative thoughts, try to remain optimistic. Give your support people cheat sheets of things you will need to hear in labor.
80. Confidence in yourself and those around you helps you to remain on track as well.
81. Reflection and meditation in labor is great. Go for a walk to clear your mind and refocus if you begin to loose your way.
82. Listen to your body in labor- if a different position feels good- move into it- if a position feels wrong- listen to your body and move! You get to choose!
83. Make your birth environment one that fits what a relaxed, safe place looks like to you. It will be necessary for you to feel safe and secure. Choose your location and make it your own with that in mind.
84. Wear whatever you want to wear or don’t want to wear- as some moms prefer to be naked. This is about comfort and you get to decide what that means to you.
85. Think about contractions like waves. The part that kicks your butt is the peak of the contraction- maybe 20 seconds. That means if contractions are coming every three minutes you only have six minutes of kick butt pain per hour. That is doable!
86. If you can sleep during early labor, sleep. Don’t feel compelled to “make things happen.” Rest, then when things do happen you will have the energy to do this!
87. Hydrate yourself if you think labor is beginning. Often times dehydration will bring on contractions that are not progressive.
88. Avoid having vaginal exams during labor. They increase your chance of infection and intervention. Labor is not a race. If you choose to have an exam, ask to not be told the number as it could be detrimental to you if you feel you are not progressing quickly enough.
89. Women have been doing this since the beginning of time. You are from that lineage of women- believe in birth, trust you were made to do this. Remind yourself that birth is normal. Birth is not broken and does not need to be fixed. Help your support team to understand you do not need to be rescued.
90. Use your “BRAIN” when asking questions: find out the Benefits, Risks, Alternative, consider your Intuitive voice and know what will be done Next if you agree to this procedure.
91. Ask, “Am I okay and is my baby okay?” before agreeing to an intervention that may interfere with your plans for a natural birth. Don’t fall prey to someone else’s agenda or time constraints.
92. Acknowledge the baggage you need to get rid of going into this birth- work to rid yourself of it and also acknowledge that those around you may carry baggage into your birth as well. Don’t accept their baggage as your own.
93. Allow those who are supporting you to take breaks so they can be able to continue to offer great support. Have them tag team with someone else to be able to rest when they need it. Having “fresh” support can help keep you “fresh” as well.
94. Make signs or small posters with affirmations and birth ideals for you to see and for others to see when you are in labor. Reminders help keep you on track.
95. Remove the clocks from the room. Don’t allow time to be your enemy, doing labor math will only make you feel like you are suffering instead of working. Expect a day of work the day you are in labor.
96. Labor is hard work, plan to work hard, sweat, be tired in labor- and see yourself as persevering during that work.Consider the times in your life that you worked hard, think about how you managed through that event and start to see yourself as a warrior.
97. See the team of you and your baby working together. Remember the benefit of a natural birth for your baby as well as yourself. Focus on the baby.
98. Have someone massage the parts of your body that hurt or need to be coaxed into more relaxation during your labor.
99. Music often soothes the savage beast. Although you may not think it is important, it may offer that back drop that keeps you from focusing on the noise around you that is distracting you in a negative way.
100. Avoid augmentation of your labor. If someone offers to speed your labor up, understand that doing so is not without consequences that may cause you to veer off your path.