Natural Birth. 

The thought can be seriously intimidating for some moms. Its not the best option for every mother and thats okay. If you decide to go this route, here's what you should know: 

1.) You need support. 

Its important. Even if you don't have a doula, you need the support of your provider and nurses, your partner, your family, maybe even your friends. Most moms feel so much more confident to birth unmedicated if they are surrounded by people that believe in them and reassure them that they can do this. Even if you're the type of person who would rather birth alone, you need to be supported in that choice. 

2.) Your provider matters. 

Your OB or midwife is important. If you're going through your pregnancy finding it hard to trust or connect with them, they may not be the best fit for you. No provider is going to be the best for every mom and every family and thats okay. We can always refer you to the many awesome providers we've connected with in our community. 

3.) Education matters. 

Taking a quality, informative, interactive Childbirth Education class with your support person gives everyone a boost of confidence. Your partner can be confident that s/he knows techniques to keep you cool, calm and collected. A CBE class should be taught by an experienced, certified professional. Families should walk away feeling empowered that they can make choices that will enhance their experiences and help their medication free plans go off without a hitch! 

4.) Remain calm. 

We teach this in our Childbirth Education classes and see it with our birth doula clients firsthand. If we can eliminate fears, we can resolve the tension that causes pain and brings more fear to the birthing mom. The cycle can be stopped at any time by using relaxation techniques, information, affirmations, massage, getting oxytocin flowing, etc. Remembering to relax your muscles, release the fear and tension and truly focusing on the work of labor can really help! The moms you see screaming on TV shows and in movies, likely haven't learned this helpful trick. 

5.) Expose yourself to birth. 

While awkward or uncomfortable for some, its a great idea to watch some birth videos. (Real birth, not TLC's A Birth Story.) Vimeo and YouTube have moms, photographers and videographers posting amazing birth stories daily. There are a lot of sights and sounds of birth. Realizing how real moms behave during labor is a fantastic way to become comfortable and familiar with how you may feel and act during your own labor. 

If you've had a baby without medication, is there anything you would add? Comment below!