A Complete Guide to Natural Child Birth
If you're a mother then you know all that it takes to bring that bundle of joy into the world. You are well aware of the associated pain and the joy. If you're lucky then you are able to control the way your child comes into the world. I use the word lucky because some mothers don't have the option of natural birth, even if that was something wanted. So, what is natural child birth? It is the unmedicated approach, one that allows you to be an active participant in the entire process. And yes, that means you feel everything. All of the pain and discomfort is a definite for you, but with proper preparation you can gear up for an experience that isn't as bad as the video we all watched in Health class makes it seem.
There are many benefits to having a natural birth:
The threat of side effects is drastically diminished. I know women who still deal with the pains in their backs at the injection spot of the pain killer they took during labor.
You are fully present. During my Cesarean, I had to be numbed from the chest down. That loss of control caused me to hyperventilate and dry heave. It wasn't a pleasant experience, especially for someone like me who likes to remain in control.
You're a legit Superwoman. Women who are able to have natural births are just in a league of their own, let's just face it. Bringing a human into the world through your vaginal canal is no small feat. Round of applause for the real Superwomen of the world.
So, what are the options? What kinds of births are considered natural anyway? Well you have the original meaning, which just refers to no medications. This is when you head into the hospital and have your baby vaginally without the epidural. If you want to get a tad bit fancier with your childbirth, you could decide to have you child at home. In this instance, you will need a midwife. A midwife is a professional who specializing in childbirth and pregnancy, among other things. The benefit of having your child at home is obvious, you're comfortable and you have the freedom to involve whomever you want in your experience. Depending how holistic you want this experience to be, you may even choose to have your child submerged in water. Giving birth in the water is said to relieve pain, and in the instance that your partner joins you in the water, additional hands on support.
There are ways to prepare for natural birth, Lamaze is one of them. This is where the mother and her partner take classes that teach them breathing and relaxation techniques that will come in handy when it's showtime. There's also the Bradley method, which teaches parents how to impact their perception of pain while in labor. It also introduces parents to the things they can expect as new parents.
Whichever way you choose to bring your bundle into the world you're amazing and worthy of being saluted. Giving birth isn't easy but there are options for those of you who want a more holistic experience.
Are you a mother? What was your childbirth experience like?
