Natural Birth – Giving Birth Without Intervention

The majority of the pregnant women I have known have expressed a desire, be it overwhelming or wavering, to give birth naturally (e.g. no drugs or interventions). However, what many of us have found to be lacking in today’s society is enough support, education and encouragement to help women achieve the natural birth they hope for. Not only that, labour pain has recently become something that has been seen by some as ‘unnecessary’ or ‘bad’ pain – when it is, in fact, a very useful pain. There is also an epidemic of fear in labour which prevents some women to achieve this. You can read more about this in our article about fears in labour, HERE.

Contractions open up the cervix in preparation for the birth of a baby. Yes, they might be painful! But the pain from contractions and birthing are the result of meaningful, awesome things going on inside our body. So it makes sense to work with labour pain as best we can, seeing pain as power and not an enemy.

A normal physiological birth without drugs reduces possible risks and complications for mother and baby and reduces the need for further obstetric interventions that may follow as a result of having those drugs.

So how does one go about increasing their chances of a normal physiological birth? Here are a few suggestions below:

1. Think about your personal motivations for a normal physiological birth

Firstly, it helps to make sure that you want a normal physiological birth for the right reasons, in order to stay motivated during your labour and birth. Ask yourself why you want to birth this way and what your motivations are.

If your motivations aren’t something deeply meaningful to you, it’s probably not going to hold you in labour. For example, when you’re in the height of contractions, knowing that you have chosen a natural birth in order to prevent your baby from being exposed to drugs and their side effects is more likely to keep you on track and focused on your goal. You’re less likely to hold if you’re trying to get through without drugs because you want to show a support person ‘how it’s done’ or how easy it is for you, or maybe because you feel for your support person who ‘missed out’ on a normal physiological birth with their own child – and you feel that you have to do it for them. It’s important you labour and birth for you, not someone else!

2. Write a birth plan

Some believe birth plans aren’t worth writing because things may not go as planned. I think the opposite. Writing out a birth plan can generate important discussion between yourself and your partner/support people and raise important questions and points to think about. It need not be pages long if you don’t want to go into too much detail, but make sure there is enough key information so that your caregivers and support people know what your preferences are for your birth.

Your birth plan can encourage thinking about tools and ideas that might be useful for you in labour. For example, noting various positions you might like to try for labouring and birth can be discussed and practiced (ideally upright and off the bed, reclining and semi-reclining can slow labour and may even make it more painful).

A good birth plan should also touch on your preferences for various outcomes. If a medical reason arises for an emergency caesarian during labour, it’s a good idea to note or think about what you would like to do in the circumstances surrounding that e.g. dad to be present and with the baby at all times. It’s great to have your mind set on a normal physiological birth, but it’s also important to remember that there will be some instances where intervention may be needed for the safety of yourself or your baby, so seeing such an outcome as failure can be devastating – especially if you aren’t prepared for the slight possibility it may happen. Which ever way you end up birthing your baby, you’ll be a success.

Check out our article Birth Plans: Are They Worth It? which includes a downloadable template.

3. Find a Midwife/Obstetrician who will support your choices

Make yourself a list of questions to ask your Midwife/Obstetrician on your first meeting with them, to ensure they will support your choices for labour and birth. Don’t feel embarassed asking lots of questions and providing a copy of your birth plan to them – you need to feel comfortable with the main caregiver you choose for your care and be able to trust them. You may find it more difficult to find an Obstetrician who will let you attempt a normal physiological birth in some instances, for example a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) or even multiple births, however there are Obstetricians out there who will support these births if all is going well, so do a little homework to find them.

If you are birthing in a public hospital and can’t choose your carer, you can still have a birth plan – take one with you to an ante-natal appointment for their records and also when you arrive in labour (so you know the midwives on duty are aware of your wishes). Public hospitals tend to have lower intervention and caeser rates than private hospitals.

4. Surround yourself with your own ‘cheersquad’

If your family and/or friends aren’t able to support or encourage you in the way you’d hoped or if you would like more support, seek out and chat to those who have already experienced or intend to experience a normal physiological birth. Join some support groups where you’ll receive the inspiration, encouragement and information you’ll no doubt be craving!

5. Find appropriate support people for labour

It’s very important to have the right support people at your birth if you want a drug-free birth. You might think it will be all wonderful and fluffy having mum, sisters and all the family to be there to watch your baby be born, but in the height of your contractions when you start begging (or perhaps screaming at!) all your birth support people to ‘help’ you, are they going to encourage you and help you get to where you want to go? Or are they going to collapse into a bawling heap and tell you how awful it all is and a little pain relief can’t hurt?

The support people in your labour are more important than you think. Before asking them to be a support person, ask them how they would react if you went to them in labour, begging you to stop your pain. Would they tell you that you should get some pain relief? Or would they encourage you to keep going and tell you what a great job you are doing? If your support people start to panic, you are more likely to panic too – and that’s when you might be looking for the next exit to the epidural freeway. Be sure your support people are strong because they are going to have to be there for YOU and not for THEM.

6. Educate yourself and your support people

There are so many great resources available which are found in a variety of mediums. I’ll add to this list gradually however the best books are not necessarily the worldwide best sellers that we all know as a household name.

BOOKS

Janet Balaskas is the founder of the Active Birth movement and has written a number of fantastic books. Start with “New Active Birth” which is a brilliant book and covers everything you need to know about your body’s ability to birth normally. It’s a truly empowering book. Also “The Thinking Woman’s Guide to A Better Birth” by Henci Goer. Check out the range of pregnancy and birth books in the BellyBelly Online Store which are books we recommend and guarantee will inform and empower you.

WORKSHOPS

There are some fantastic privately-run workshops and ante-natal classes available for couples by some very experienced, qualified birth educators around Australia. Attending these are a great way to not only find encouragement and information, but also to find like-minded couples. It’s a great idea to take your birth support people with you to these classes if possible.

Contact NACE to find independent childbirth education classes. It is best to do independent classes as well as hospital classes as hospital classes don’t offer the detail or options that independent classes do. Hospital classes also base information on what they have to say to you based on policy – of course this does not mean it’s best for a labouring woman.

Again in Melbourne, another must do is Rhea Dempsey’s “Transforming Pain” workshop – it’s the workshop midwives themselves go to and I can see why! It really left a lot to be desired from the hospital-provided ante-natal classes I had been to. The content and coverage of the workshop was fabulous, I was so disappointed I had not heard of her workshops prior to having my own children or their births would have certainly been much different! This class is designed for those who want to give normal birth a go without unnecessary drugs or interventions.

You can visit Rhea’s website, Birthing Wisdom for more information.

Calmbirth and Birth Options classes also run from the BellyBelly Pregnancy Centre and are fantastic.

7. Hire an experienced Birth Attendant/Doula

Birth Attendants/Doulas are not only there to support the birthing mother, helping her to work through the pain, but also to help your carers to work with your birth intentions. They can be particularly helpful if you have little or no support, or if your birth support person is unsure of what to do or if they will cope. You need encouragement in labour and not sympathy – something our mothers can be very guilty of seeing us in pain! Our partners may also just want to ‘fix’ our pain for us, because they don’t realise that the pain is normal and everything is going beautifully despite these painful contractions.

Based on known studies, having a Birth Attendant / Doula present for your birth can decrease the need for pain medication, shorten labour by an average of 98 minutes, decrease the chance of a caesarean section by 50 percent, increase breastfeeding success and much more. To read more about birth support, click here

7. Trust your body, trust your baby

Women have been birthing since the beginning of time and while mortality rates during childbirth are much lower than that of our ancestors, their instinctive ways of birthing is much more efficient and less painful than what we commonly experience on a bed, at the convenience of doctors. They embraced pain in labour and didn’t fear it – fear is such an enemy when you realise that it can slow or stall your labour and even make it more painful! Have confidence and faith in your amazing birthing body, follow your instincts in labour and allow your body and your baby to do exactly what they know to do. Surrender to the power of birthing energy… let go…!

While there will be times when obstetric intervention is necessary, there is a little acronym you can remember to get a better idea if the intervention you are being offered is warranted:

B.R.A.N.

What are the B*ENEFITS? (of this being done)
What are the *RISKS? (of this being done)
Are there A*LTERNATIVES? (than this being done)
Does it need to be done *NOW?

Having a healthcare provider you trust as well as a professional support person can help you feel more satisfied with the outcome of your birth, even if the situation calls for some form of intervention.

‘We can trust we have inner knowledge of the birth process; trust that our babies know the journey; trust we will draw to us those we need for support; trust in the power and flow of birthing energy.’ —Rhea Dempsey

All the very best for a wonderful birth!

Kelly Winder is a birth attendant (aka doula), the creator of BellyBelly and mum to two beautiful children. Become a fan of BellyBelly on Facebook here or add Kelly as a friend (frequently adding articles and stories) here.