What is Natural Childbirth & Tips for Getting Through It
One of the most important stages of a woman’s life is giving birth for the first time. Many new mothers say that it changes how they approach life forever. Each delivery is different for each woman, and your unique experience begins at inception.
One of the most controversial topics regarding delivery is natural birth. Many women fear natural childbirth; however, it’s an option that many women consider choosing.
As a woman gets close to delivery and starts to think about natural birth, there are a couple of questions that may come up:
- How painful is the experience?
- Can I really handle it?
- Is it worth it?
- Can it cause any complications?
It’s okay to feel fear when thinking about natural birth. Perhaps the scariest notion about natural childbirth revolves around the unknown because of how unique each delivery is. The fear of things going wrong and the amount of pain one may experience are also normal concerns. Whether you’re a first-timer or a women who has undergone the process before, fear is one thing that usually looms around the pregnancy period.
When you begin to experience fear about natural birth, remind yourself that fear is in the mind, and the mind is a muscle. If you instill a lot of fear in yourself, your mind will believe in fear. However, if you choose to focus on hopeful thoughts instead, it’s possible to overcome this emotion.
To help you dispel the fear around natural birth, here are three tips to ensure you have the best possible natural birth experience.
Find a support group
It’s amazing how the support of your partner can go a long way in helping you get through the entire process. It’s okay for both of you to feel scared about the outcome, but once you get the support you need, your partner should know the role they’ll play in the delivery process, and you’ll have the confidence to undergo natural birth delivery.
It’s also vital to have your doctor or midwife onboard with your birth plan. Find people in your life who will stick around when it gets tough. It can be difficult to locate a midwife who is completely supportive of your birth plan, but they’re out there. Be sure to put in the time and effort to find them.
Stay committed
One of the most common natural birth strategies is hypnobabies. The hypnobabies method is a process where you train your mind to strongly connect with your body in a way that makes you feel totally relaxed. This isn’t one of those programs you try while you’re about to deliver. Commit fully to this process by making it a daily routine of relaxing your mind.
Avoid horror stories
You’ll probably have plenty of women telling you stories of how they had a terrible experience during labor. Mothers always want to share their stories to women who are pregnant for the first time. If you’re planning to have a natural birth, avoid listening to negative stories as they could make you uncomfortable and create fear or anxiety that you didn’t have before.
At times, it’s hard to dodge these stories because your aunt or female friends will always make a point of visiting you. But try to avoid these conversations as best you can.
Perhaps the best possible tip we can give pregnant mothers who are considering natural birth is to work closely with your obstetrician or midwife to plan for every scenario. Best of luck as you begin your pregnancy journey!
As a leading provider of compassionate, highly qualified Lake City and Gainesville, FL OB/GYN care, specialists at All About Women Obstetrics and Gynecology offer women and families the best obstetrics and gynecology information and care – whether that be in-person or through outlets such as this website. Helping all women better understand their general health and pregnancy needs is a critical mission of the practice.
Drs. Anthony Agrios, M.D, Joseph lobst, M.D. and their highly capable nurse midwives, nurses and support staff offer Gainesville, Lake City and surrounding areas in Florida the most complete, personal care for women during pregnancy and all stages of life. Everyone from the front-desk assistant to Drs. Agrios and lobst take special care to carefully listen to all of your questions and concerns and make you feel welcome.
In addition to comprehensive pregnancy care, All About Women also offers everything from simple birth control treatment to complex hysterectomy surgery using the most technologically advanced treatment options available, including the innovative DaVinci Robotic surgical system. With offices adjoining a world-class hospital, gynecology specialists at All About Women are capable of offering world class care in a hometown setting.