5 Tips for Natural Birth

Birthing your child without medical intervention may not be easy, but it is 100% possible. The thought of going natural is noble, but there are a lot of natural childbirth things you need to do right during pregnancy to improve your chances of success.

First, you must strive to get a solid prenatal education about and seek help from the right people. Take a course on natural birth if need be to help you get advice from experts and other moms who have done it successfully. Feel free to try out different courses until you find one that suits your needs.

The moment you have an idea of what to expect, proceed to create a birth plan that details what you need to do before, during, and after labor. Take your time and conduct a thorough research about how it feels and how you can make your situation better.

The following tips will go a long way in preparing your body for natural childbirth.

Consider Working with a Doula

The primary responsibility of a doula is to provide you with encouragement, comfort, physical, and emotional support throughout your pregnancy. Although a doula doesn’t undergo medical training, she is well trained to help with relaxation and offering valuable advice during labor.

She will guide you on various breathing exercises, labor positions, and relaxation techniques to ensure you deliver successfully. Your doula will meet you long before your expected delivery date and guide you on what to do and what to avoid to make your natural childbirth experience less painful.

She will also make post-labor follow-up and check on your baby to ensure he/she is latching as expected.

Find the Right Healthcare Provider

After finding a doula, the next thing you are supposed to do is find a healthcare provider who is into natural birth. It is essential to have a doctor who supports your idea and has invested in the right knowledge and equipment to help you achieve your goal.

Your doctor should respect your wishes and offer a helping hand on your journey to having a natural birth. No matter the situation or other factors surrounding your pregnancy, you and your healthcare provider need to be on the same page about your labor and childbirth preferences.

Create a Birth Plan

A birth plan will help you think through your options quite effectively. It will also help to ensure that you and your doctor are on the same page.  The good thing is that you can keep your plan as simple or detailed as you like, but it should include essential things such as your preferred pain relief techniques, whoyou want to cut the umbilical cord, and even hold the baby first.

Once you prepare your childbirth plan, be sure to discuss it with your healthcare provider who will guide you through the other sections that you may have forgotten. Creating a birth plan may help you feel confident, comfortable, and relaxed, even as you head into labor.

Get Your Support Team Lined Up

Take time to think about who you want to have around when your big day arrives- partner, spouse, mother, sister, brother, dad, doula? Once you have the list ready, go ahead and assign each one of them specific roles that you want them to help you with on that day.

For instance, who will help the doula in carrying things around and comforting you?  Who will prepare a meal for you? Who should help the doula when you slide into labor? It is also okay not to assign roles and let them just be by your side to offer you the support and encouragement you need to go through natural childbirthsuccessfully.

Don’t Stop Exercising

Are you worried about going out and exercising during pregnancy? Then you need to hear this. Maintaining a regular exercise regime during pregnancy is healthy, safe, and can help you accomplish your goal of giving birth naturally.

Simple exercises such as walking, swimming, cycling, yoga, and other low-impact aerobics will improve your posture, decrease some of the common discomforts associated with pregnancy, and prepare your body for safe delivery.

If you were physically active before pregnancy, there is no reason why you should stop exercising once you discover you are expectant.