My 5 secrets to getting through natural birth are painstakingly easy. Easy in the sense of gathering info and planning for your birth. Because natural birth is NOT easy. Let me say that again, natural birth is NOT easy. Neither is postpartum, which I talk about more in an open letter Dear Postpartum.
No, there is not a badge of honor that comes with having a baby naturally. But it does come with some benefits. As moms, we have to get over the threshold of both carrying baby and getting mom and baby through labor. Which is the most important factor of it all.
{You can hear about our whirlwind birth with our last daughter HERE Its worth the watch. If you’re a podcast listener you can find that HERE}
I Birthed 6 Girls Naturally
Yes! Six natural deliveries and each time was a purely different experience than the last. Not only was the physical experience different but, of course, the mental experience was too.
When deciding you want to take on natural birth you must educate yourself on the decision that you’re making. I took this route due to being scared of someone administering an epidural. While this is not the most common reason to go natural, it worked out for me.
My 5 Secrets
My 5 secrets get you out of your head and into birthing your baby the way you want to.
1. PREPARE BOTH YOUR BODY & MIND: Preparing your mind can go into many things. Having a strong WHY helps get you to your goal of meeting your baby naturally.
You must first learn what natural birthing is and what it looks like for you. Labor and delivery is different for every woman. Even though we are all trying to reach the same goal. Ask yourself questions on if you want a doctor or a midwife. If you want family members in the room. This should all be written in your birth plan.
{Pro Tip: Interview moms that you know and love to see what they’ve experienced and make your birth plan from what you’ve learned.}
2. WRITE A BIRTH PLAN: Write it down and make it plain sis, once you’re in it you won’t want to explain. Labor pains hurt and you want to ensure that those around you are well informed on how you plan on dealing with each stage of labor. (yes, there are stages) Women choose many different relaxation techniques to get through labor and birth and writing it down will help you really work through what you want.
Preparing your birth plan may take you some time, start early (maybe second trimester) to ensure that you really work through your needs. This would be a good time to ensure your OB is on board with your natural birth plan. You may also want to know what options are out there other than an epidural. As some forms of natural birth do include other forms of medication.
3. FEEL THE PAIN: Yes, feel the pain mama. We know its coming and we know our bodies were created for such a time as this. It’s the worst hurt you’ve ever felt but; to get through labor you must take each contraction as getting you closer to your goal of seeing your healthy baby.
When the first contraction hits it may not feel like much but, as you progress through each stage of labor they become even more intense. From my experience when your close to meeting baby is when it hurts the most. This is where I have to focus my mind feel the pain of each contraction and know my cervix is opening so I can meet my baby.
4. SCREAM/MOAN/CRY/DANCE: As I’ve said multiple times each birthing experience is different and you will want to go with what your body is telling you to do. Labor does not normally look like the quintessential tv show depiction. You will progress in many different ways pending how you’ve prepared for labor over the span of your pregnancy.
When I get to the point of no return I am normally rocking back and forth in my husband’s arms. He is talking me down while I whisper to myself I CAN DO THIS. It will look different for you so make sure you don’t base what your birthing experience will look like off what has happened to someone else.
5. YOU HAVE THE FINAL SAY: This sounds like a weird tip but its really the most important. Most of us simply give in when it comes to medical professionals; due to them having more knowledge in the area of medicine. The one thing you know better than anyone is your body, you know when you’re in pain and when your not. You know what you want to put in your body and what you don’t. Know that you don’t have to yes to any and everything that the medical professionals say.
Advocate for yourself, If you are being given a medication, ask what it’s for, how much you’re being given any other questions you have. It’s YOUR body! It’s ok to say no, know your medical professionals may have a very good reason as to why they need to administer a service to you so you must also make sure you have an open mind as every delivery is different.
YOU CAN DO THIS!
Yes, you can do this mama. Do your research and listen to your body all the way through. If this what you want you’ll have to work to get it but; it is such a blessing when you’re on the other side of the process. I am cheering for you, mama. Let’s connect on social to share more stories, I am happy to connect with you. Remember, women were created to bring forth life. Lets suppourt each other
Looking for more secrets? Try this article by What To Expect HERE
Purposely
The All Purpose Woman
Leave a Reply