1. Avoid artificial labor induction
This includes pitocin IV (artificial oxytocin), amniotomy (breaking the amniotic sac or "bag of waters"), prostaglandin gels or tampons inserted into the cervix, and stripping the amniotic membranes off the cervix.
Labor induction doubles your chance as a first time mom of having a cesarean section.
2. Avoid an epidural and other pain medications
Epidurals often slow the labor process down, which leads to the use of pitocin to strengthen contractions. Both epidurals and pitocin use increase your chances of having a c-section, forceps, or vacuum extraction birth.
Other pain medications such as narcotics, are often not very effective for pain relief. Both epidurals and narcotics have side effects for you and your baby.
You can do it. Your body was made to birth naturally.
3. Avoid IVs--instead eat and drink during labor
There is no reason not to eat and drink during labor. If you are eating and drinking than you don't need an IV. Labor is work-- that's why its called "labor". It is like vigorous exercise and the calories and fluids are needed for your body to work effectively.
Starving yourself and becoming dehydrated during birthing can lead to complications.
IVs keep you from moving freely during labor and movement facilitates faster and easier births.
IVs are for sick people and you're not sick--you're giving birth.
The use of IVs can cause other complications such as fluid overload and hyperglycemia for both mother and baby.
4. Avoid continuous fetal monitoring
Continuous fetal monitoring causes more c-sections and interventions without improving outcomes for the baby. Both external fetal monitoring and internal fetal monitoring keep you from moving freely. Internal monitoring introduces the risk of infection.
Intermittent monitoring with a hand-held doppler or a fetascope is more effective at detecting problems with the baby should any occur. It is also much more comfortable for you not to have straps around your belly and to have freedom of movement.
5. Stay upright and stay active during labor.
Staying upright and active during labor instead of laying in bed facilitates a faster, and more comfortable labor. I was upright and moving for all but 30 minutes of my labor. And that 30 minutes of laying on my side was excruciating!
6. Give birth in an upright position
Squatting or kneeling is how many women instinctively choose to birth if they don't feel that they have to lay in bed.
Birthing in an upright position works with your body and with gravity. It is the physiological natural position for baby to be born in. Laying on your back to give birth is actually pushing the baby uphill.
I know that if I had been trying to birth on my back I would have felt like a turtle in the mud!
7. Don't wear the hospital gown
You are not sick and you are not "Property of Anytown Community Hospital". Donning the hospital gown is a powerful message to your unconscious mind.
Wear what you are comfortable in. Your husband's T-shirt, jogging pants, your own night gown, or even nothing at all!
8. Don't take a ride in the wheel chair.
It might make you feel special or seem fun, but again, you are not sick, and "My legs work just fine thank-you very much";)
The wheel chair is another powerful message to your unconscious that you are dependent and need to be "rescued".
9. Don't go to the hospital--give birth at home or in a freestanding birth center
The hospital is in itself an intervention. And here I go repeating myself again, but--You are not sick--you're having a baby.
Animals give birth unaided in their own environments without anyone disturbing their process. Strange environments cause the fight or flight system to kick into gear which hinders labor.
Staying away from the hospital is the top way you can ensure that you birth completely naturally. Once you enter the hospital, you are on their turf and the medical staff has a greater measure of control over your birth whether actual or perceived.
It is very easy to cave in to pressure from those we perceive to be in authority.
10. Hire a doctor or midwife with a non-interventionist philosophy.
The philosophy of your care provider has a HUGE influence on your birth outcome. Ask your care provider what their rates of c-section, induction, episiotomies, and assisted deliveries (forceps or vacuum extractions) are.
National rates for c-sections and inductions are at an all time high, but if your caregiver's rates of these interventions are much higher than the national average, it would be wise to switch caregivers. It would be optimal to find a caregiver whose average for interventions is well below the national average.
11. Make it easy for baby to be in the optimal birth position.
Don't lay on your back in pregnancy, stay active, and know how your baby is positioned.
Laying on your back encourages the baby to be posterior with his back facing your back. This is not the easiest position in which to give birth to a baby. Women certainly birth posterior babies, but it is usually more work.
Doing the yoga posture Downward Dog and pelvic tilts help baby to get in-and stay in-the best position--head down with their back facing your back.
12. Consider giving birth vaginally even if the baby is breech.
A vaginal breech birth is just as valid a choice as cesarean section-- consider all your options.
It is difficult to find a doctor who will attend vaginal breech births. You may find that the only caregiver who will attend a vaginal breech birth is a homebirth midwife.
13. Eat extremely well during pregnancy
Metabolic toxemia of late pregnancy has been linked to poor nutrition. Not consuming enough calories or consuming empty calories that are high in sugar and not high in essential nutrients, can cause MTLP.
If you have MTLP or your baby doesn't gain enough weight because you are restricting your diet, interventions are often necessary.
Eating a diet of whole foods and very little processed foods, grows a healthy baby and a healthy mother.
14. Take a good child birth education course
A good childbirth education course will help you work through fears, and practice relaxation and coping methods for discomfort during labor.
Hypnobirthing and Birthing from Within are two courses that I recommend.
Know thyself. Learn what psychological roadblocks lay in the way of having a natural birth experience and seek to remove them.
http://www.dare-to-give-birth-naturally.com/
