6 Tips for A Natural Birth

Not every woman tries to go the whole nine yards of “natural birth”. Probably because of stories they’ve heard, medical reasons or they just don’t believe they can endure the pain.

Well, for those of you who are willing to go the proverbial nine yards, here are seven effective tips to help you achieve this feat.

Focus On Fitness

Do you want a smooth vaginal birth? Get fit! It is given that fatigue comes with pregnancy, but once you can get into a routine, you’ll find that the energy is within. Not only does staying physically fit help strengthen your muscles for the rigours of child delivery, it also gives you the stamina to endure the all too familiar pain.

Take Pre-Natal Classes Serious

These classes can actually help you gain control over the whole process of pregnancy and delivery. You get to learn about various birth positions and how to get the baby into the right position. You know the do’s and don’ts that govern pregnancy and childbirth. Armed with this information, your mind will be prepared while most of those negative feelings will be erased.

Avoid Negative Stories

Make a deliberate effort to avoid entertaining people with negative stories. It could be your colleague at work or a cousin that comes talking about how some other sister’s niece had to go through hours of labour, and at the end had to have a caesarean section. Block these stories out of your head. If they don’t take the hint, politely tell them to keep their stories to themselves, your trying to keep a positive vibe.

Learn To Relax

Your mind-set can only take you so far if you don’t learn how to stay relaxed. Of course a mind that isn’t entertaining any fear will be free of tension. Tension could make it difficult for your baby to come out because the tension will make your cervical muscles tighten instead of loosening/opening up for baby to come through. Try taking a dip in a birth pool if one is available, just before labour. Or have a warm shower; they will help you to relax.

Watch Your Weight

If you gain weight during the pregnancy period, chances are that your baby will also gain weight and this can make child birth difficult. You have to learn what, when and how to eat properly during the pregnancy. Couple that with staying fit and you will have just the right weight to ensure that there are no complications coming from that area during delivery.

Upright and Around

Just before you give birth, as the contractions increase, try not to lie down but stay in an upright position. Also don’t stay in an upright position for long. Move around. You could get nauseated if you lie down and moving around allows gravity and the motions of your body positions the baby for easy delivery. You can adjust your position from sitting to kneeling or even squatting. Stand up, walk around if you can but don’t recline and don’t sit still.