A woman about to deliver a child is comparable to a woman about to get married in the sense that she wants everything to be as perfect as what she dreamed of as small girl. She already has this perfect vision of how she would want the labor to unfold. She may want it to take place in a modern hospital delivery room, without having to deal with any pain and having all the medical professional at her disposal, just in case. Others may prefer to go through the experience in a much more natural scene without the use of any drugs and with the company of friends and family.
Women are free to choose how they want to deliver their baby and they will have to bare the medical complications of their choice. Just like a wedding, they will have to research and plan properly in advance before the first contractions kick in.
What is natural childbirth?
According to Christine Isaacs, MD, the term natural birth stands for the fact that delivery takes place without any medicated intervention. The process takes place naturally. Isaacs is the director of the General Obstetrics & Gynecology.
This implies that a woman going through natural birth will not receive any epidural injection to relieve pain. That said she can rely on other pain relief techniques like massage, warm-water bath and hypnotherapy. Even in the case where the baby might a bit too big to pass through, the doctor is not supposed to intervene with an episiotomy, a procedure where the vagina is widened by cutting the area in between it and the anus.
Isaacs said that she personally suggests natural birth because it causes less anxiety to women about to give birth. Unfortunately not every pregnant mother qualifies to give birth using the natural method. Some have a high risk pregnancy. This is why it is so important for a woman to see a professional during the pregnancy to undergo prenatal care. It is during prenatal care that the doctors can determine whether or not there are complications that would not allow the future mom to have a natural childbirth. It is important the pregnant woman has a trusted relationship with her healthcare provider.
Choosing labor partners
If after checking with your healthcare provider, you are found to qualify for a natural delivery you would also want to surround yourself with the right people during the delivery day. You need to choose them in advance.
In most cases of natural childbirth, professional doctors are not needed and the future mom will probably be assisted by a midwife. It is preferable to get to know that person at least weeks before the delivery and let her know about the birth plan in advance. She has to agree not to be quick to call an anesthesiologist immediately she sees twinges of pain.
Aside the midwife an additional support person that you can trust should be available. It could be your partner or any other person your really feel close to that is going to encourage and support you during the whole process. Choose a person that is willing to help you achieve your delivery goals
Things can still go wrong during natural childbirth, so you want to have some kind of back up system. You may not want to admit to all the people assisting you during the delivery that you want to give up. You can create a “safe word” between you and your partner for which you can rely on to let him know something. For example you can say “April” just to tell him that you can’t deal anymore with the pain and want pain relief. Then he will take proper action as planned.
To give birth naturally it is important to prepare the body in advance. That implies eating well and exercising. There are very simple exercises that a pregnant woman can practice during the course of pregnancy. You can try swimming as it is gentle on joints and makes you feel light. Yoga exercises can also be useful. Research has shown that yoga makes labor shorter and more comfortable. The combination of different stretching practiced in Yoga gives your body much more flexibility to allow the baby to come out much easily. There are prenatal classes for those willing to try. Don’t forget to walk often. Walking can be very simple exercise that helps tone the muscles but it also gives you a chance to have a breath of fresh air.
But again, take it easy, listen to your body. If it feels too tired, take a rest. The most important thing is to give birth to a healthy baby.
