Natural Birth

Many moms-to-be choose natural birth to avoid the use of medical interventions and drugs while their baby enters the world. From the beginning of your pregnancy, until your baby comes into the world, you have many choices to make. If how you envision meeting your child doesn’t include a sterile hospital room, and without the aid of drugs to get through the birthing, you might want to consider a natural birth.

While the natural birth process sounds like the right alternative, there are factors you need to know and understand about this process. There are benefits as well as risks that you should be aware of before deciding on how you will bring your baby into the world.

What is a Natural Birth?

Having your baby through a natural birth process means you will deliver vaginally with limited medical intervention. There are a few choices for you with this method:

• You can work with a midwife, doula, or an OB-GYN who will work with you and use minimal interventions. Talk to your doctor at All Women’s Care to find out what your options are for receiving help from one of their professionals. Ask about the number of times this professional assisted with births, and if there were any complications during the process.
  • Midwife

    A certified nurse-midwife (CNM) is a professional in the medical field who has finished graduate-level programs in midwifery. They are certified and licensed by the American College of Nurse-Midwives to practice in all fifty states and the U.S. territories.

    A midwife is thoroughly trained to take care of women with low-risk pregnancies, and their goal is to reduce birth injuries, cesarean sections, and trauma with their individualized care. It is also their goal to minimize technological intervention during your baby’s birth.

    A CNM often focuses on a more natural approach to your labor and delivery, such as your breathing patterns and hydrotherapy. They will more than likely offer you nutrition and breastfeeding techniques and support, and some continue your routine gynecological care. A CNM will also provide your newborn care after your baby is delivered.

    • Hydrotherapy

      Hydrotherapy is the use of a jacuzzi or warm bath to allow the warm water or jets to knead or soothe you during labor pains. Hydrotherapy can reduce pain and relaxes you during labor. Hospitals have started using the jacuzzi tubs to help women through these phases of their delivery.

      If you’re using a birthing center, they will more than likely have a tub or jacuzzi for your use, if you are at home, you can use your own tub.   When using this form of relaxation, you don’t want the water directed at your vagina, as you don’t want to force water up inside of you. A caveat will keep the jets directed away from you. You will also want to make sure the water temperature is warm, not hot. Your body temperature should stay within a safe range.

    Most of your CNMs work in a hospital setting, but you can find some at birthing clinics, as well. Some of these professionals will be willing to come into your home if you have decided on an at-home birth. These professionals can administer labor-reducing medication at your request, but are less likely to offer these than the OB-GYN or doctor would do to intervene with natural birth.

  • Doula

    A doula’s duty is to give you a continuous source of encouragement, comfort, and both physical and emotional support during your labor. They differ from the OB/GYN or midwife as they have no medical training. A doula is there to serve as a soothing voice of experience, and to help you through relaxation and breathing exercises. They will also offer advice on which labor positions will work best.

    A doula may also act as your advocate or mediator who will run interference with the personnel at the hospital, or translate medical terms to you and explain different procedures.

    Before you are ready to deliver your child, your doula will teach you about the process of labor and delivery, so you are prepared for the experience. They will help make the process less frightening so you can take a more active role in the birth of your baby. This person can offer you a lot of non-medical pain management techniques. These techniques include reflexology, massage, mantras, and music, or aromatherapy. They will help you to find the right solution or combination that works best for you.

    One thing your doula will not do is interfere with your partner’s role in the delivery. A good doula will never push your partner aside; they will only enhance coaching support.

• You can choose to deliver your child at home or a birthing center rather than going to a hospital. If you do go to the hospital, it is your choice to have a drug-free birth. You can also request the use of a warm tub of water, which will provide you some relaxation during labor.

• Natural birth also includes alternative drug-free methods. These methods include relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, hypnosis, hydrotherapy, massage, mindfulness meditation, or acupressure.

• Another form of natural birth is to squat during the delivery rather than lying on your back in a bed. Squatting would involve being on all fours, kneeling, or leaning against a chair or your partner.

• Talk to your doctor at All Women's Care if you want a natural birth, which would include avoiding the routine IV or episiotomy, or labor induction. Tell them you want to dismiss the fetal monitoring or any assisted delivery with the use of vacuum extraction, forceps, or cesarean section unless deemed medically necessary for you or your baby's health.
  • Labor induction

    To induce labor, your doctor would use medication or other methods to start your labor. This method is used in cases where a mother is overdue, or they feel there is a complication that would make continuing the pregnancy risky. Another reason could be your membrane ruptured, or your water has broken, yet contractions have not started on their own. Other causes include your baby is not thriving, and the doctor feels it has matured as far as it will, or that you live too far from the hospital.

    To perform a labor induction, the doctor will apply a topical in the form of a gel or vaginal suppository to your cervix. This gel or suppository should encourage your cervix to open on its own to begin labor. If this process doesn't work, the doctor may perform a membrane stripping. This process involves your doctor swiping their finger across the membranes that connect to the amniotic sac. It will cause the uterus to release prostaglandin just as natural labor would cause. This process will then soften the cervix and begin contractions.

    Another way to induce labor is to rupture the membranes or break your water artificially. If all these methods are unsuccessful, your doctor may then administer a medication called Pitocin. This medicine is a synthetic form of the naturally-occurring hormone. This medication should start your contractions within thirty minutes.

  • Routine IV

    A lot of hospitals use a routine IV through a flexible catheter placed in your vein to drip fluids and medications into your system. The IV is a precaution to prevent you from dehydrating, as well as to save a step later should it be necessary during an emergency procedure.

    Routine IVs are becoming less common in hospitals, especially if mothers-to-be request they be avoided. They are now waiting until the necessity for one arises rather than putting them in for possible use later.

  • Routine Episiotomy

    To induce labor, your doctor would use medication or other methods to start your labor. This method is used in cases where a mother is overdue, or they feel there is a complication that would make continuing the pregnancy risky. Another reason could be your membrane ruptured, or your water has broken, yet contractions have not started on their own. Other causes include your baby is not thriving, and the doctor feels it has matured as far as it will, or that you live too far from the hospital.

    To perform a labor induction, the doctor will apply a topical in the form of a gel or vaginal suppository to your cervix. This gel or suppository should encourage your cervix to open on its own to begin labor. If this process doesn't work, the doctor may perform a membrane stripping. This process involves your doctor swiping their finger across the membranes that connect to the amniotic sac. It will cause the uterus to release prostaglandin just as natural labor would cause. This process will then soften the cervix and begin contractions.

    Another way to induce labor is to rupture the membranes or break your water artificially. If all these methods are unsuccessful, your doctor may then administer a medication called Pitocin. This medicine is a synthetic form of the naturally-occurring hormone. This medication should start your contractions within thirty minutes.

    Episiotomies are often referred to as the unkindest cut of all made during the delivery of a baby. This procedure is no longer considered routine; in fact, doctors and midwives rarely perform this procedure without a very good reason.

    An Episiotomy is a surgical cut in your perineum, which is the muscle area between your anus and vagina, to allow for a larger space for your baby to exit during delivery. At one time, this procedure was done to avoid tearing of the skin in this area and to reduce the risk of birth trauma. Studies have now shown that infants are just fine without this procedure, as well as the mothers, and both are better without it.

  • Continuous Fetal Monitoring

    Your baby has been floating peacefully for nine months in a cozy and warm uterus. Once the delivery process begins, it can become stressful for your child as the uterus starts to contract, and they are being squeezed through your pelvis. Most babies sail through this process without any problems, but some respond with acceleration or deceleration of their heart rate, or other signs of fetal distress.

    An electronic fetal monitor will allow your doctor an important insight as to how your baby is handling the labor and delivery process.

  • Delivery with Forceps

    Delivery with forceps is a form of assisted delivery. Your doctor will use a pair of forceps which resemble a large salad tong, during your labor to guide your baby's head through the birth canal.

    It is rare to have a doctor use this method of assistance, but it could be decided that forceps will speed up your labor. Doctors typically wait until a baby shows signs of distress before resorting to forceps.

  • Vacuum Extraction

    Vacuum extraction is another form of assisted delivery. When a vaginal delivery becomes stalled, or your baby stops moving for several hours, your doctor may place a suction cup with a handle on your baby's head to guide her or him through the birth canal and into your arms.

    This process is only performed during the second stage of labor and when your child is close to delivery. It is used when it is necessary to speed up the delivery as either you or your baby are at risk.

  • Cesarean Section

    A cesarean or C-section is a surgical delivery of your baby by the doctor, making incisions into your abdomen and uterus. It is typically necessary or recommended in necessary medical conditions. These conditions include high-risk pregnancies and when your baby is in a breech position.

    Your doctor may decide you need a C-Section in advance for various conditions; you have a chronic heart condition, you are HIV-positive, your baby’s health is at risk, your weight, your baby is too large, or one of the other medical conditions that could put you or your baby at risk.

Benefits of a Natural Birth

The natural birth method of bringing your child into the world may make you feel more empowered, and more like you are controlling the process. You will be using your own instincts and not relying on medical interventions. These are other benefits to consider when trying to decide how to give birth to your baby:

• Breastfeeding may work better

  Research has found that when there is immediate skin-to-skin contact with your baby, it impacts the mom-baby bonding. This bonding can make breastfeeding go easier.

• Bonding with your partner

  You are most likely going to rely on the support of your partner more through natural birth. This support will lead to strengthening the bond between yourself, your partner, and the baby.

• Pushing will be more effective

  There will not be any pain-relief medications used, which means you will not lose any of your sensations. Without the use of medications, you will be able to move more easily.

• You will not be as restricted or confined

  With natural birth, you have the ability to move during your labor as a way of dealing with the pain. You will be able to walk the hall, take a hot shower or bath, sway on an exercise ball, or move in any manner that makes you feel more comfortable. The natural birth process is different in this manner than with an epidural where you would be confined to a bed.

• You are able to move sooner after delivery

  When you go through a natural birth of your child, you will be able to get out of bed sooner after the delivery. Since there will be no numbing involved from an epidural or any lingering effects from medications, you can move around much quicker. Walking will also speed your recovery and help avoid any issues with constipation.

The Risks of Natural Birth

Any health-related decision should weigh the risks involved when one is deciding between options. These are few health-related risks associated with natural birth:

• You feel everything

  During natural childbirth, you are given no medication to deal with the pain. Some women are unprepared for the intensity of this pain. If you have a natural birth at a medical facility such as a birthing clinic or hospital, you would still have the choice of asking for help with the pain through medication or an epidural. If you have chosen a home birth, you will have to use the support of your partner and midwife to get through without medications.

  • Epidural

    An epidural is an injection that is placed into your epidural space just outside the membrane that protects your spinal cord. It is used to relieve pain during surgery or delivery of a baby. It is a form of anesthesia used to numb your spinal nerves and stop pain signals from traveling to your brain.

• You may require anesthesia or a C-section

  If your baby goes into distress during the delivery, such as their heart rate drops, the cord prolapses, or any other unexpected issue arises that threatens your health or that of your child, you may need general anesthesia, so that a C-section can be performed.

  • Cord prolapse

    Cord prolapse is when the umbilical cord drops or 'prolapses' through your cervix and into the vagina ahead of your baby. The cord can become trapped against your baby's body during the delivery.

    The umbilical cord is what is delivering oxygen to your baby, and if it prolapses, your child's air supply is compromised. Prompt treatment is necessary to avoid the serious consequences of this condition.

• Risk of complications

  Research has found there is two to three times the risk of perinatal death for having a natural birth in your home than compared to hospital birth. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists report though the risks are low, there remains that chance of a baby dying during labor or delivery of home birth.

  These numbers are related to instances of women not living close enough to medical attention should an emergency occur. Life-saving treatments may not be close enough to save the baby should something happen. It does not mean you cannot still have a natural birth of your child. Hospitals and birthing centers are always an option for you to experience a natural birth process, and they can offer essential medical intervention in the case of an emergency.

Should You Choose Natural Birth?

When considering a natural birth, you should talk with your doctor at All Women's Care whether or not this method is safe for you and your baby and what your options are. You are most likely a good candidate for a natural birth if:

• You will be delivering one child and not having multiple births
• You have a support system in place of friends or family members who will be with you throughout the labor and delivery
• Your pregnancy is full-term, or you are at least thirty-seven weeks into your pregnancy
• You have no chronic health concerns and have previously experienced no complications during a delivery
• You have kept your weight within a healthy range during your pregnancy and have exercised and ate well regularly

Some conditions could place you and your baby at risk during delivery, so you should speak with your physician at All Women's Care to make sure you can receive extra medical attention should an emergency occur.

You are most likely not a good candidate for a natural birth if:

• You are expecting multiple births (twins, triplets, or more)
• Your pregnancy does not go the full length of at least thirty-seven weeks
• You are considered overweight or gain too much weight during the pregnancy
• You experience pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes
  • Preeclampsia

    Preeclampsia is a disorder that can develop late in a mother's pregnancy. It is normally detected in about the 20th week, and symptoms are the sudden onset of high blood pressure, organs not functioning normally, protein in your urine, or severe swelling of the face and hands.

    Unmanaged preeclampsia can prevent your baby from getting enough oxygen or blood needed to continue developing, damage your liver and kidneys, and in rare cases, progress to a much more serious life-threatening condition.

  • Gestational diabetes

    Gestational diabetes happens when hormones from your placenta block insulin and prevent your body from regulating increased blood sugar. This condition can cause hyperglycemia, high levels of sugar in your blood, which can then damage blood vessels, organs in your body, and nerve damage.

• You are a Group B strep carrier, which means you will need IV antibiotics during your labor to decrease the risk of neonatal infection.
• You have diabetes or contract gestational diabetes during your pregnancy as you will then require an IV and insulin during the birth process
• Your baby is in a breech position. When a baby is breech, you will more than likely require a C-section to deliver.

Preparing for a Natural Birth

If you have discussed your options with your doctor at All Women's Care and are ready to begin planning a natural birth, there are a few steps to take before your baby is ready to arrive.

Make sure you have a ‘care’ or ‘support’ team in place and have located a professional to assist with the natural birth. Talk to your doctor about using an OB/GYN or if they have a midwife they would recommend.

Educate yourself on the natural birth process. You should not plan on this birthing method without talking to friends, family, and the professionals at All Women's Care to learn about what you should expect.

Learn about natural pain management techniques such as drug-free alternatives to help you through the labor. Read up on relaxation and breathing exercises, reflexology or massage therapy, or other options that can help you through the natural birth. Rehearse some of the techniques, so when it is time, they will be second nature to you when you need to use them most.

Find a Natural Birth Clinic Near Me?

If you are considering a natural birth with your next child, talk to the doctors at All Women's Care at 213-250-9461. We provide you with high-quality, individualized care in a patient-friendly environment. Our doctors have years of experience and are committed to patient care. Call and set up an appointment to answer any questions or concerns you have about the natural birth process, and find out if it will work for you and your baby.