You Want a Natural Vaginal Birth, But Have You Prepared for It?
Choosing
a Caregiver | Birth
Plan |
Settings
for Birth
Pregnancy Nutrition
| Body Preparation
| Exercise
| Breast
Feeding
When
planning a natural vaginal birth, there is much to be considered.
You must actively prepare for it, literally in
body, mind and spirit. Feeling overwhelmed? Don't worry; We'll go
step-by-step through the critical components to prepare for your best
birth.
CARE PROVIDER
When choosing a natural vaginal birth, a critical element is finding a care provider. You may have more options than you think. An obstetrician is only one of your choices. Your other choices may include a family physician or midwife. Some women decide on an unassisted birth. Another question you must answer is whether or not to hire a doula.
You're
probably familiar with the obstetrician and family physician options,
but you may have questions about a midwife, such as "What
is the role
of a midwife?"
Now that you're fully versed in the different types of care providers,
how do you choose? First of all, there is no right or wrong answer
here. Only *you*
can decide what's right for you.
If you didn't find that little pearl of wisdom particularly inspiring,
then here's a guide to help you interview
a potential caregiver.
"Whoa,
back up a second. Did you say interview?"
Yes,
interview. I believe that it is critical
to select a person whose philosophy of childbirth matches your own.
If your care provider routinely induces, gives
episiotomies or
schedules c-sections, kiss your natural vaginal birth goodbye. It would
be nice to think that all care providers always make decisions about
what's best for you and your baby, but sadly, it isn't the case.
I
know that's hard
to hear. I
know.
But who said hearing the truth was easy?
In some cases, a doctor may schedule inductions to
avoid midnight
deliveries. In other instances, with the best of intentions, a doctor
might choose to schedule your delivery so that he can assure you he'll
be there. But is that *really*
in your, or your
baby's, best interest? Review my guide to ensure that you ask the right
questions to find the right provider for you.
That highlights another excellent point. When you choose a medical
provider for your vaginal birth that is part of a larger group, make
sure that all the members
share like philosophies, or at least that if your chosen provider isn't
available, another will honor your wishes as would your usual provider.
WRITING A BIRTH PLAN
How do you make sure that you and your care provider are on the same page? I think the best way to approach this is by writing a birth plan, which is essentially an outline of your "perfect world" delivery. It's also crucial to include a contingency plan. Expect the best vaginal birth, but plan for the worst. You should include a section on your preferences if the baby is sick or in the event that a c-section becomes necessary.
The most important thing to remember about a birthing plan is that these are preferences. You must remain open and flexible if events stray from your chosen path. Ultimately, you want a healthy baby and mom and if that means making some tough choices, then so be it. No regrets.
To that end, here is my guide to writing an interactive birth plan. I've included my actual birth plan as an example. Use it as is, modify it, or scrap it and start over. Do whatever you need to make it work for you.
SETTINGS FOR BIRTH
At this point, it may be helpful to consider the setting you want for your vaginal birth.
Just when you thought you were done making decisions, here I come with
more! It's almost like planning a wedding, isn't it? It all looked so
easy from the outside, but when you're in the thick of it, making all
the required decisions can be overwhelming.
Just remember, this is your family and your future; doesn't its
planning deserve at least as much care as your wedding? It's tough at
times, but it's definitely worth the effort.
"In
what settings can you give birth?"
In cars, restaurants, airplanes… Well,
you could
give birth anywhere, but I doubt very much that you'd want to. But
seriously, a hospital delivery may not be your only option. Many women
now deliver at a birthing center, but worldwide, the most widely used
setting is a homebirth.
And in the same vein with an obvious
difference, is
waterbirth.
Wheh! Are you in information overload? If so, relax with a drink (non-alcoholic; you're pregnant!) and take a minute to absorb it. Re-read if necessary. Print the pages out if that will help. Once you're ready, then read on, we've still got lots to cover…
Nutrition During Pregnancy
Nutrition during pregnancy is a vital factor, not only in how you feel throughout your pregnancy, but also in how well your growing baby develops. Unfortunately, it's an area that's sorely neglected by many mainstream care providers.
If time is not on your side, check out the Fit & Healthy Pregnancy Guide for a quick, easy-to-follow, results-guaranteed manual that will give you an action plan to keep you healthy and safe while giving your baby the best possible start.
PREPARING YOUR BODY
Now that we've fully explored the preliminary preparations for a vaginal birth, we'll move on to preparing your body. One of the first items on your list should be preparing the perineum, or the pelvic floor, for child birth. By doing so, you can reduce the risk of tearing while birthing and ensure a smoother, more comfortable recovery.
Here's a complete guide to perineum
massage.
EXERCISE
Another important step to prepare your body for vaginal birth is exercise. Pelvic exercises are a great way to tone and prepare the muscles. They will also be helpful to your postpartum recovery, specifically in that they can help prevent unwanted side effects of child birth like urinary incontinence. If that's not incentive, I don't know what is!
A particularly good exercise is the kegel. You may have run across this
term once or twice before. Review the complete guide to kegel
exercises.
Whole body exercise, stretching in particular, should not be ignored.
Always check with the care provider you've chosen as to the level of
exercise you should attempt. If you weren't into cardio and aerobics 5
days a week before pregnancy, now is definitely not
the time to start. As always, everything in moderation.
A wonderful choice for
pregnancy is yoga. Not only does yoga promote stretching and
flexibility which are invaluable assets to a vaginal birth, but its
emphasis on breathing is *priceless*. Prenatal
yoga poses are a
great choice whether or not you are pregnant.
A WORD ON BREAST FEEDING
Coincidentally, or not, many women preparing for a natural vaginal birth are also planning to breastfeed. Yep, I'm one of them. I breastfed my oldest until she self-weaned at 16 months and my youngest until 20 months. I wouldn't trade the joy of breastfeeding for the world.
You may have heard, or even read, that
you need to "prepare" your nipples or breasts before breastfeeding.
Please review the breast
feeding section to answer your questions.
You may still be on the fence about breast feeding. It's very common to
have fears and concerns. Consider your decision carefully. Do your
research and then decide what's best for you.
Now you're really overwhelmed! As if you didn't already have enough things on your to-do list! You might have thought that choosing a natural vaginal birth was all you had to do! Take your time and re-read the information here. Come back and visit again for a refresher-I'm not going anywhere!
But the bottom line is that you are well
on your
way to having a natural vaginal birth. You're seeking the information
you need. If you ever start feeling discouraged, remember our mantra:
We were made for this!
Giving Birth Naturally: Vaginal Birth
