Natural Birthing Do’s and Don’ts

Women have been giving birth without medical interventions during the days of our ancestors and most of them lived to tell the tale. While there is nothing wrong with giving birth in a hospital setting with routine interventions, many women today are ‘reclaiming’, so to speak, their right to a natural birth with little or no medical interventions. These births may take place at home or in a hospital or a birthing center that approves of natural births and will provide assistance when and if needed. If you are considering a natural birth, the following nuggets of info on what you should and should not do could come in handy.

Do’s

DO find a supportive birthing environment.

If a home birth is not an option, then do look around for a natural birthing center or a hospital with low epidural C-section rates. At home, where there are no drugs available, a natural birth will surely be easier to achieve. However, do keep in mind that home births are appropriate only for healthy, complication-free pregnancies, and for safety reasons, they should be attended to by a licensed midwife or qualified practitioner. You will also want to be near a hospital in case of an emergency.

DO find a supportive practitioner.

You will benefit greatly from the advice and presence of a healthcare provider who’s supportive of the many nuances of natural birthing, which include avoiding induction and pain medication. He or she should also support laboring in various positions beyond lying down in bed. Look around early for a midwife or doctor who is just as keen as you are in giving birth naturally so that he or she will manage the entire birth in a way that’s most conducive to success.

DO practice pain managing and coping techniques.

The more you are prepared with mental and physical pain-management skills the more confident you will feel about your birth. The thing is, there is no way to tell for certain which technique is going to be of help to you. Tip: consider obtaining a TENS unit. This is a device which helps to block pain receptors in the skin without the use of drugs.

DO prepare both physically and mentally.

Prep up your body for a natural birth by keeping suitably fit at all times. Eat well and exercise moderately. Walk, swim or join a pre-natal yoga class for the benefit of breathing techniques. You can mentally prepare yourself through CDs and natural birthing classes. Check out: https://www.facebook.com/AMANIMalaysia

DO exercise moderate expectations.

You’d have to be supernatural to not feel like giving up at some point in labour. Lean on those around you who are there to support you, and find comfort in their presence. Most importantly, try to focus on how it will feel to hold your baby for the first time.

Don’ts

DON’T listen to horror stories of others’ experiences.

A positive mindset means everything so cut off negative feedback politely but promptly. This is your time to look forward to something beautiful so do resist taking in stories about your colleague’s painful breech delivery or your cousin’s 14-hour labor. Preserve your can-do attitude by surrounding yourself with success stories instead.

DON’T neglect your birthing partner’s needs.

You might be feeling the bulk of it physically, but labor and delivery can be a tiring and emotionally draining process for your birthing partner too! A partner who is comfortable, hydrated, well-rested, and fed will be of much better help to you than one who tired, worn out and hungry. Keep conversation alive between the two of you for comfort and support.

DON’T forget to eat.

Have a good meal at some point during your labor for you will need the energy to push your baby out. Even if you don’t feel like eating, a few slices of buttered toast or some scrambles eggs will suffice to fuel your system and help gear you up for your delivery.

Don’t be bent on success.

Some mums might end up laboring drug-free for hours, doing the best that they can, before asking for pain relief at the very last minute. It’s perfectly ok, for the most important thing is, you did try and what’s even more important is the successful birth of your baby! After all, that IS the main goal, right?