Preparing for a Natural Birth
Natural birth is a beautiful process regardless of how you choose to deliver. The term ‘natural birth’ is used to describe a spontaneous vaginal birth without any pharmacologic medical aid.
Women have been delivering the natural way for centuries, and a lot of women are still choosing to deliver the same way. Here are some ways you can prepare if you hope to deliver naturally.
Plan Ahead
We highly encourage you to visit us in the initial days of your pregnancy to speak to us about natural birth. This way we can do a risk assessment for you early on and let you know if you qualify for a natural birth at our center. To learn more about the beginning stages of coming into our care, start here!
We also encourage you to partake in the childbirth education classes we offer. These classes will bring you up to speed regarding everything there is to know about natural birth. This will help you figure out what to expect during the process.
Here are some additional tips so you can be better prepared:
- Speak to your partner and decide if natural birth is something you want to do
- Speak to mothers who have experienced natural birth and ask them what helped them
- You can check our Youtube channel for specific tips on natural childbirth
- Consider hiring a doula, which is someone who’s trained to provide you with physical and mental support during your pregnancy and labor
Learn Techniques to Successfully Undergo Natural Labor
At Charleston Birth Center, we are partnered with The Exchange, which gives you access to numerous specialists for holistic care during and after your pregnancy.
This includes:
- Chiropractic care
- Massage therapy
- Acupuncture
- Pelvic Floor PT
- And counseling
We highly encourage you to meet the various specialists during your pregnancy. This will aid you in coping with the discomforts of pregnancy and preparing your body for childbirth without medical intervention.
Massage therapy, pelvic floor PT, and chiropractors can help you prepare physically. They provide you exercises and tips to help you deal with pain during labor and increase your chances of having smooth, progressive labor without needing pharmacologic support.
Our childbirth education and mental health counseling can prepare you for labor mentally, making you better equipped to handle things once you go into labor.
Other Tips
To have a successful natural birth, it is important to take care of yourself and your baby throughout the pregnancy. Here are some tips that might help you.
- Take care of your nutrition, make sure you’re taking all appropriate supplements along with a healthy diet to keep your body strong while providing your baby with the nutrients it needs to grow
- Unless you’re advised to bed rest, stay active throughout your pregnancy. Practice pregnancy-safe yoga and workouts to build strength and stamina
- Stay hydrated
- Speak to our counselors about any trouble you’re having. Remember, a healthy mind makes a healthy body!
Lastly, know that giving birth is a personal experience. You have every right to decide what you want and how you want it. With us, you can discuss anything you’re not comfortable with or something that you want to incorporate into your labor experience, and we’ll try our best to accommodate you! Ready to start your care with us? You can schedule a tour here. We can’t wait to meet you!