These are my tips for how to prepare for a natural birth, with no epidural or unnecessary interventions. I did it, and you can too!
First, I want to say that women have been giving birth unmedicated for centuries. And our species hasn’t died out yet! Natural birth is the way God meant it to be. There is too much fear surrounding the topic of birthing these days. Labor and delivery are seen as an illness in need of intervention, rather than a natural phenomenon. There is always the possibility that a natural phenomenon can go terribly wrong. But for the majority of women, natural birth is completely doable.
In this post, my goal is to give you a comprehensive list of actions to take to prepare for a natural childbirth. Of course, there is only so much I can say in 2500 words. That is why I will also direct you to my favorite resource, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon. I am a huge proponent of the Bradley Method, which you easily will be able to tell in this post. The books and the class gave me so much priceless information, I can’t help but share them with anyone who is thinking of having a natural birth!
What is a natural birth?
When I refer to a “natural birth” in this post, I am referring to a vaginal birth with no medication or medical interventions.
What are the benefits of a natural birth?
Here is a list of some of the benefits of natural birthing:
- Awareness – Instead of being drugged up at your baby’s first birthday, you will feel more present and aware when you first see your son or daughter.
- A healthier baby – Every medication you take during pregnancy, until the baby’s cord is clamped, goes through the placenta to your baby. Even a local anesthetic goes to the baby and affects their health and alertness after birth.
- Easier breastfeeding – If your baby is more alert after their birth, they will have an easier time nursing straight out of the womb. And when baby nurses instead of receiving a bottle for their first feeding, breastfeeding is notably easier in the long-run.
- A quicker recovery – Many of the routine interventions done in hospital delivery rooms increase the risk of tearing and of C-sections. For example, doctors often want you hooked up to an IV. This inhibits your ability to labor in more natural positions that would progress labor. And when labor takes “too long,” you’ll end up with a C-section and a long recovery.
- Feeling empowered – There is no doubt that you will be proud of yourself after giving birth without any pain medication. If not, you should be! It is no small feat!
How can I increase my chances of having a natural birth?
The best way to increase your chances of having a natural birth is by preparing for a natural birth. As Dr. Bradley would say, you need to prepare for labor like a runner prepares for a marathon. You need to prepare your body through nutrition and exercise. And you need to read up on the pros and cons of common medical interventions, like epidurals and episiotomies. Knowledge is power! Become knowledgeable in all things birth-related! Below, I will go into more detail about how to prepare for a natural birth.
How to Prepare for a Natural Birth: A Complete Guide
There are many actions you can take to prepare for a natural birth. Keep in mind there is always the possibility that intervention will become necessary. But if you take the following tips to heart, chances are you will have a natural and positive birth experience. And even if your baby’s birth doesn’t go as planned, you and your baby will be healthier and happier for following these tips. With that said, here are 11 tips for how to prepare for a natural birth.
1. Read about pregnancy and birth.
Most of the fear surrounding birth is simply fear of the unknown. That is why it is a good idea to read as much as you can about pregnancy and birth. But choose your sources carefully! If your goal is to have a natural birth, read books written by doctors who believe in natural birth.
As soon as I told my family and friends I was pregnant for the first time, one of my friends gave me a book called Husband-Coached Childbirth by Dr. Robert A. Bradley. I knew I wanted a natural birth insofar as I was afraid of needles. But I learned so much from Dr. Bradley’s book about pregnancy and childbirth. In his book, he teaches all about how to avoid toxemia in pregnancy, how to prepare your body and mind for birth, how to write a birth plan, how to get your husband involved in the birthing process, and more. However, there is another book about the Bradley method that I like better: Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon. I simply found her book easier to read. But if you decide to purchase her book, just be aware that it contains graphic photos of women giving birth.
2. Write a birth plan.
Once you have read all of the pros and cons of different medical interventions, like epidurals and episiotomies, make a list of what your ideal birth looks like. Do you want an epidural? Do you want to be induced if you are 42 weeks pregnant and haven’t begun labor yet? Do you want to eat during labor? When do you want your baby’s cord to be clamped? Do you want to do skin-to-skin with your baby as soon as they are born? There are many questions you may not even have considered before. But don’t forget to also have a back-up plan for if your birth doesn’t go as planned.
3. Take a Bradley class.
After I read through Husband-Coached Childbirth, my husband and I signed up for a Bradley birth class. And it was the smartest decision we ever made! It was a 12-week class that met for 2 hours a week. And we both felt so empowered after completing the class. Before reading the book and taking the class, the only reason I wanted a natural birth was because of my fear of needles. But now, I am a passionate advocate for unmedicated childbirth for the health of the mother and of the baby.
If you want to have a drug-free labor and delivery, attending a Bradley class is the best tip I can give you! The Bradley method is not like a Lamaze class. The Bradley method teaches you to breath normally and truly relax through contractions, while the Lamaze class teaches breathing techniques intended to distract you from the pain of labor. Relaxation is really the key to avoiding unnecessary pain during labor. But besides how to relax through contractions, my husband and I learned far more from the class about pregnancy and childbirth than we could have learned from any book.
4. Choose a birth place.
This basically comes down to three options. Do you want to give birth in a hospital, a birth center, or at home? The best place to give birth is the place where you will feel most comfortable. This is because a comfortable environment will help you remain calm during labor, and a calm body experiences less labor pain. If you would be more comfortable in a hospital, then by all means, have your baby in a hospital. But if your pregnancy is low-risk and you would rather give birth in the comfort of your home, go for it!
5. Choose a doctor or midwife.
If you want to have a natural birth, then it is very important to find a doctor or midwife who is on board with that plan. Don’t be afraid to interview several doctors or midwives and ask them lots of questions. If you want to avoid a C-Section for example, don’t go with a doctor that has a 35% C-Section rate! Choose a doctor who believes in natural birth and aligns with your the priorities. Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way has a helpful chapter on choosing a doctor/midwife.
6. Exercise.
Exercise is one of the keys to any healthy life-style. Why should it be any different in pregnancy? Pregnant women need to move their bodies too! And if you don’t currently have an exercise routine, just go for walks! You can start with 5 minutes and work up to half an hour. A healthy body is the first step to a healthy pregnancy and birth.
Beyond walking (or any form of exercise you enjoy), there are pregnancy-specific exercises you can do to make pregnancy and delivery easier. For example, Indian-style or tailor sitting helps stretch the hips to avoid soreness and cramping during pushing. And Kegels strengthen the PC muscle, which wraps around the vagina, and helps the baby pass more easily through the birth canal. My personal favorite pregnancy exercise is pelvic rocking. It is similar to cat-cow, but without the “cat.” It helps with backaches during pregnancy, it can help prevent varicose veins, and it positions the uterus out and away from the rest of your squished organs.
7. Eat right.
Your baby is growing rapidly during these 40-ish weeks in your womb. And what you feed your baby during this time is of utmost importance! But cutting back on processed foods, sweets, and seed oils is not enough to grow a healthy baby. During pregnancy, you and your baby need protein! In his book, Dr. Bradley promotes the Brewer diet with 80-100 grams of protein daily. Not only does a high-protein diet decrease your chances of developing toxemia during pregnancy, but it gives you more stable energy throughout the day. And if you can’t afford to eat meat with every meal, eggs and greek yogurt are both good sources of protein.
Besides eating a high-protein diet, it is a good idea to take a quality prenatal vitamin. Our food these days doesn’t have the nutrients it once did. Due to conventional farming practices depleting the soil of its natural nutrients, even a perfectly clean diet sometimes doesn’t provide all of the vitamins and minerals we need. But not all vitamins are created equal. I always prefer to buy vitamins derived from real food. My personal favorite is Garden of Life’s Prenatal Once Daily because I noticed a significant difference in my energy when I switched to this vitamin. I still take it even though my baby is 11 months old. However, if you can’t swallow pills because of pregnancy nausea, then eating organic liver is a phenomenal way to get extra nutrients into your diet. I just haven’t had the courage to try it yet.
8. Stay hydrated.
Drink more water! Water is essential to your body, whether you are pregnant or not. And dehydration can really affect your energy levels during pregnancy and labor. When I’m pregnant or nursing, I try to drink at least 3 quarts of water every day. If that seems like a lot of water to you, find a water bottle that you like or flavor your water with a bit of lemon juice. Personally, I find it a lot easier to drink water when I keep a straw water bottle by my side. However, I have recently learned that water alone isn’t enough to hydrate the body. Quality salt is crucial for the body’s absorption of electrolytes.
9. Find a support system.
Even though, as women, we are made to give birth, it is still probably the most difficult work you will do in your life. Labor is called “labor” for a reason! And that is why it is so important to have someone supporting you through it. Especially during transition, when you’re thinking, I can’t do this anymore, you need a trusted friend by your side to reassure you that you can do it!
For most women, that support person will be their husband. But it can really be any friend or family member. Some women like a whole bunch of women by their side when they give birth. I like to have my husband and a doula with me at my births. Regardless of who you choose, you need someone who can offer you words of encouragement, bring you a warm towel or fan when you need one, rub your aching back through every contraction, and stand up for your birth plan when you are too focused on labor to do so for yourself.
10. Practice full relaxation.
The Bradley method is all about relaxing through contractions. Relaxing your full body through each contraction gives your uterus the chance to do the work it needs to do. And when your uterus is able to do its work, labor is shorter and less painful. But true relaxation doesn’t come naturally to most people. That is why practicing relaxation during pregnancy is necessary to being able to relax during labor.
In fact, the Bradley method teaches a very specific position, devised by physical therapists, to use during labor. It is a side-lying position in which no part of your body rests on another. The book goes into detail about this position, and if you take a Bradley class, your instructor will help you find it. To be honest, I never found the position comfortable. But I don’t like most of the other laboring positions other people find comfortable either. Regardless of which position(s) you choose, it is crucial to practice them everyday while letting go of any tension in your body.
Even better, practice relaxation with your husband or support partner. While you practice fully relaxing your body and mind, they can help you by telling you where you are still holding on to tension. They can also practice different techniques to help you relax, like stroking your arm or speaking loving words of encouragement. To take it to the next level, you can put a chip clip on your ear and practice relaxing through the pain with controlled breathing. With lots of practice, relaxation should come naturally by the time you go into labor.
11. Read or watch positive birth stories.
Lastly, if you want to have a natural birth, read and watch other natural births. I like to watch natural birth videos on YouTube in my third trimester for encouragement. And I’m sure they will encourage you too! Besides, the birth of a child is such a beautiful event. You may even cry tears of joy in anticipation of meeting your own baby soon!
Conclusion
I hope you, or someone you know, finds these tips for how to prepare for a natural birth helpful. If you are planning a natural birth, I hope your birth goes as planned and that you have a positive experience. And if you are on the fence about whether or not to go natural, I cannot recommend Husband-Coached Childbirth and Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way enough! But regardless of how you plan to give birth, I pray for a happy and healthy birth for both you and your baby.
Which tip did you find most insightful? Let me know in the comments below!
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