Natural Childbirth methods?
ByI have recently discovered that I am pregnant with my first child. I am also a very strong believer in having a completely natural birth. However, there are so many methods and concepts on the subject that I am feeling very overwhelmed when researching techniques and would like information from someone with experience… If you have had a natural birth, did you use a specific method? and How was the experience?
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9 Comments
February 23rd, 2010 at 6:38 pm
i started out not wanting a natural child birth but when i had no choice ( my epideral wore off) natural wasnt that bad yes it hurts but your body was made to do this it can handle it
February 23rd, 2010 at 7:05 pm
don’t treat your pregnancy like a disability. you will have to modify some of the things that you do -that’s it. the pain in labor is really minimal & the sweetest reward comes from it. stay active during & after the pregnancy. communicate your decisions to the OB.
February 23rd, 2010 at 7:16 pm
Do you mean natural as in a home birth, or natural as in no painkillers?
February 23rd, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Well, I didn’t use a method but I did have a natural childbirth. It was amazing and I can’t think of a more intense experience. I would recommend very strongly that you have a midwife and if you can’t or aren’t comfortable with that then at least have a doula present at your birth. A doula makes it so much more likely for a mother not to have complications during birth, for the mother and baby to have a more positive and safer experience and for you to succeed with natural birth and no drugs. Find a doula in your area and she can help you decide which techniques etc are right for you. The book Birthing From Within helped me a ton with ideas and things to help during labor. I ended up not using them because I didn’t have the chance but I still recommend the book.
February 23rd, 2010 at 7:40 pm
my first child I went through 16 hrs of labor and ended up with an emergency c-section…yes the pain was unbearable at times but I would do it all over again…breathing is the MOST important thing to remember…make sure you have an awesome coach right by your side
February 23rd, 2010 at 8:15 pm
I am planning to give natural childbirth. I have 4 kids and I had narcotic pain relief with the first 2 and an epidural with the youngest 2. I am set on doing this natural this time. The first thing is you have to be commited to it. I have also read and taken classes. With my 1st before I decided on pain meds I know that massage, breathing techniques, and position changes worked for me. I know this time I need to have focus and not lose control. I also decided this time to change from my ob to a midwife and I wish I would have years ago. I am reading this book called easy labor right now and it goes over all the different pain relief and coping techniques and I really like it because it does not sugar coat anything. I also should add as silly as it may sound my husband and I practice our breathing every evening. I also have a strong support system that will be there every step of the way. I will not only have my midwife but a doula, my husband, my mom, and my mother in law. My mom has never had any pain meds in labor. Best of Luck and I hope that helps some. Congrats on your pregnancy!
February 23rd, 2010 at 9:04 pm
My daughter just delivered her second baby. She used http://www.hypnobabies.com for self-hypnosis and it was very effective. Her water broke at about 7AM and she started having contractions. They got pretty strong around noon and she went to the hospital. She was able to stand during the contractions and used the self-hypnosis technique to control the “pain”. They didn’t believe she was in labor because she wasn’t reacting like normal. They took her to a triage room where she told them she was ready to push. They told her she couldn’t push yet but when they checked she was 10cm and fully effaced.
I’m probably not telling the story well but the point is that the HypnoBabies technique controlled the “pain” so well for her that the L&D nurses were convinced she wasn’t in labor even though she delivered the baby within an hour of arriving at the hospital. It was only when one of them finally figured out that her water had broken five hours earlier they called the doctor and got things moving.
When the baby was born they laid him on mom’s tummy and mom and dad cleaned him up themselves and cut the cord themselves. We saw them just a few hours later and mom was up and about and feeling fine.
She’s a believer in the HypnoBabies technique. You need to do the exercises and follow the instructions. You also need to talk to your hospital staff in advance and at regular intervals prior to your arrival so they understand what you’re doing and that you’re not going to be screaming in pain like the other moms but they still need to believe you when you say you’re in labor. Her doula was hypnobabies certified so that helped, too.
February 23rd, 2010 at 9:47 pm
Congratulations!
Most of the concepts are the same, but they put different twists on it. I think they are all good place to gather information from to add to your knowledge base. Just remember that every birth “method” is just one person’s attempt at making themself seem like they came up with something unique and fantastic. They’re all good methods, but nobody should restrict themselves to one particular method alone. You migth like one method more than others, but you should still learn some of the skills of other methods in case your favorite doesn’t work for you when the time comes.
I personally recommend studying Ina May Gaskin’s works, especially Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth. Take an independent (non-hospital-based) childbirth class, and read a lot of books on the various methods of relaxation and coping with labor. All the different methods are simply doing this – teaching different methods of relaxation and coping.
I have been amazed with the results of HypnoBirthing, for example, but I have heard that it simply does not work for everyone. The Bradley Method is great, but if you do end up needing medication or a c-section for any reason, even a good reason, many Bradley students feel like they have failed.
I also recommend Pam England’s Birthing From Within. This is a great book, and if you can find a class for Birthing From Within, it is sure to be great!
In my opinion, it is better to learn from all of them and use what you need to use when the time comes. Learn first to trust your body and your instincts and the rest will follow. I did this by reading Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth (learned turst for my body and birth), then I went to a generic class (learned some skills and practical knowledge), and surrounded myself with positive and supportive people. I also hired a doula and switched to a midwife I liked better than my previous practice. I believe these things set me up for the positive birth experience I had.
Good luck!
February 23rd, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Look into takeing a Bradley Method Class, it’s a 12 week course that teaches Natural childbirth meaning “a drug free birth with as little medical intervention as possible.” It teaches your husband how to be you couch and to help you relax during labor, which lessens the pain of the contractions. They are offered all over the country. My husband and I are in the middle of taking it righ now and we absolutly love it….we are learning so much and feel so much more prepared. Hope that helps!