How to Have a Natural Childbirth Experience

Childbirth is a unique experience, one that many mothers seek to accomplish naturally. Unfortunately, not all mothers succeed in their wish to experience natural childbirth. Following are some helpful hints to help better prepare for natural childbirth.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. If your intention is to have a natural childbirth, it is best to find a doctor or midwife who believes in natural childbirth and has helped others through this process. There may be nothing harder than being in the middle of heavy labor and trying to resist your doctor's encouragement to take pain-killing drugs. Someone who is encouraging you to continue, and assuring you that you CAN make it through, will be much more appropriate.

2. Read, read, read!!! It is important to feel like you really understand the childbirth process, so that you are less alarmed by natural stages of labor as you encounter them. Do NOT read books or articles that are alarming, give upsetting statistics, or other disheartening material. Some recommended reads are Spiritual Midwifery, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, and Active Labor.

3. Establish, and stick to, a good exercise routine and diet plan. Your body will need good elasticity and strength in order to deliver your baby. This can be obtained by good nutrition and exercise. Check with your doctor or midwife before establishing or making any changes to your exercise routine or diet plan. Vitamin E has been highly recommended by Adelle Davis and others to help with skin elasticity, both during pregnancy (avoiding stretch marks) and labor (to dilate fully and easily). Yoga for pregnancy can help stretch and prepare muscles that are necessary for childbirth.

4. Practice breathing deeply and calmly. Doing this during a yoga routine can help you learn to breathe deeply so that it is second nature. Deep, oxygenated breaths will be very important during labor.

5. Check into water birthing options. If you understand how it works and feel comfortable delivering in the water, you may find that laboring in the water greatly reduces back labor and some of the intense pains brought on by gravity.

6. During labor, keep your body moving. Movement, and different positions, can greatly reduce the discomforts of labor. Contractions can feel ten times more intense if you are lying on your back in bed, rather than rocking on your hands and knees.

7. Don't resist the contractions. Tensing, holding your breath, and arching your back are counter-productive. The contractions are helping deliver your baby and you should work with them, breathing and moving your body through them.

8. Many midwives and doctors point out that usually just when a woman thinks she can't possibly labor any longer, the baby's birth is imminent. Remember you have been given a miraculous ability to deliver your child - and you will be highly rewarded when you work through it to birth.

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on 2/21/2009 Great advice. Another tip would be to learn self-hypnosis. I was in hard labor for two days with my first son. I did use self hypnosis. I ended up with a cesarean but the self hypnosis had everyone in the room stunned by it. 5 stars