Preparing yourself well for delivering your baby is one of the most important things for every mother. Although there are a variety of medications available to make it more bearable and easier, some mothers still desire to go with a natural birth plan without using any drugs. If you’re one of those mothers who would like to bring your baby into this world medication-free, you should get informed well and research your options before making your natural childbirth plan. Stay tuned for a few useful tips on how to achieve that!
Tips for Natural Birth
Knowing what you want from your childbirth experience is one step closer to actually realizing it. Before you go to have your baby, you should know what you want and how you want your delivery to go. Making an outline of your birth plan and sticking to it can really help you have a natural delivery without having to use medication.
Although it has become a common practice to use an Epidural or to recur to C-sections, some women desire to let everything to nature. Women’s bodies have been birthing children medication-free for ages and it’s normal for a woman to trust her body with this kind of experience even today. So, if you wish to have a natural birth, here are 10 most important natural delivery tips to follow:
- Know What You Want
Before you reach the moment to bring your baby to the world, it’s really important to know what you want from your childbirth experience. Every woman is different and it’s completely normal to have different views and wishes when it comes to birth. Once you’re clear on what you want, you can start gathering information on how to have a natural birth and talk to your OB/GYN about how to achieve your specific goals.
- Find a Like-Minded Doctor
To be able to give birth the way you want it, it’s paramount that you find a doctor who supports your wishes and will do everything in their power to help you reach your goal. In more than 80% of cases, natural and medication-free childbirth is achievable and goes without any complications. However, for some women who belong to the high-risk category, natural delivery is not an option. Make sure to discuss this with your OB/GYN and see what your options are. At Women’s Care of Bradenton, we have a skilled team of obstetricians and gynecologists ready to lead you through your pregnancy and ensure a safe and healthy delivery. Contact us today and we will make sure to provide you with exceptional care and treatment.
- Lead a Healthy Life
Staying healthy before and during your pregnancy can really increase your chances of natural birth. Women who make sure to eat healthily, stay physically active, take their prenatal supplements, and drink enough water are more likely to have a pregnancy without complications and deliver their baby naturally. Gaining too much weight during pregnancy or being overweight before you get pregnant can complicate things a bit and you might not be able to go on with your plan for natural childbirth. Make sure to ask your doctor everything you need to know and always be informed about natural birth tips. 
- Prepare Yourself Physically and Mentally
Although delivering babies has been done since forever, it’s not easy to live this experience without feeling anxious and scared. Sometimes women have a harder birth because they haven’t been preparing themselves physically nor mentally for this precious moment of bringing their child to this world. Find what calms you and practice it every day to prepare yourself mentally for this moment and make sure to inform yourself well about what happens during labor, what are its stages, and what your options are. Knowing that every pregnant woman goes through the same experience sometimes is not enough to make you feel calm and relaxed about it.
- Think About Having a Doula
Many women who want drug-free childbirth opt for having a doula for this experience. A doula has the role of being your personal guide before, during, and after delivery. Doulas are trained to help women during childbirth by taking care of everything for them in the whole process. They take care of the contractions, follow the development of your labor, and ensure a safe and healthy delivery. Their job is to keep calm and ensure you’re calm as well.
- Stay at Home as Long as Possible
One of the best normal delivery tips includes staying at home longer than you think it’s necessary. The good thing about this is that you can move around freely, eat, drink, and do whatever feels right when the contractions kick in. You might be having contractions but not be dilated enough for a natural delivery, so why spend your time in the hospital when you can make yourself comfortable at home? Once your contractions are 5 minutes apart and very strong, you can make your way to the hospital to have your baby.
- Stay Positive
Having a positive mindset about the whole experience is one of the most important things for every mother. Think positively about everything and prepare in advance for what awaits you. Make sure to remove all negativity from your life and don’t listen to childbirth stories that have gone wrong. If you have come up with a detailed plan with your doctor and/or doula, stick to it but also think about alternatives if things don’t go as planned. If you’re in good hands there’s no need to worry in advance about what can happen. 
- Include Your Partner
Including your partner in the whole process can really help women feel secure and safe during delivery. Share your thoughts and fears with them and allow them to be part of your delivery. This can be a very good thing for your relationship and bring you even closer. Giving birth is one of the most wonderful experiences in the world and having your partner by your side can only be good.
- Think of Alternative Pain Relievers
If you discussed the option for a natural birth and natural labor tips with your doctor, you probably talked about alternatives for relieving pain during delivery. Some women opt for no medication whatsoever, but some are not capable of that, and that’s completely normal. There are a number of breathing techniques, massages, hypnosis, and other methods that can help manage pain during childbirth. Read through the possible options and choose the one that works best for you. Make sure to emphasize that you want a drug-free birth because at some point you might want to give up and go for the drugs.
- Don’t Stress If Things Don’t Go as Planned
It’s not uncommon for childbirth to stray from the original plan, making your doctor do something you haven’t agreed on when you prepared your birth plan. Although this can be a stressful moment, try not to panic as the doctor’s primary job is to deliver your baby safely and keep you both alive. Even if you are the one who decides to use medications in the end, don’t feel bad because there are more important things at this point. Listen to your instinct and you won’t go wrong. You know how your body works, so just listen to it and it will tell you what to do.
Every woman has the right to choose how she wants to give birth to her child/children. Being informed and discussing your options with the doctor can help you achieve your goals and have a natural birth just like you planned. Visit our website and start planning today!