Natural birth in the hospital is not common. In fact, it is far more common to opt for many of the interventions that the hospital offers. It may not be easy to do, but it is absolutely worth it.
Are you thinking of having a natural birth in the hospital? First of all, congratulations on your pregnancy! Secondly, I am so glad you found me because I have so many good tips for you!
If it is your first time visiting, I want you to know you have come to the right place. My name is McKenna, and I am a birth doula who has been specially trained to attend natural births and to optimize the physiology of a mama so she can have the most empowering birth possible. Natural birth is my specialty, and I cannot wait to share some amazing tips with you below.
First though, I want to answer two burning questions that some of you may have. First, what exactly is a natural birth, and why should I even try for one? Since I think you will be convinced about how awesome natural birth truly is after reading this, I will also have 11 tips below so that you can achieve an empowering, natural birth in the hospital.
What is a Natural Birth?
Simply put, a natural birth is a vaginal birth that occurs without pain medications or routine interventions.
What are Some Pros of a Natural Birth?
There are so many pros to a natural birth that I cannot list them all! But here are a couple just to show you how amazing this process can actually be:
- Due to its noninvase nature, the risks of side effects that exist with many medical interventions won’t be there for a mother/baby not recieving them
- It can be an extremely empowering experience for Mama, and she may get a nice birth high postpartum from her incredible hormonal cocktail that naturally occurs
- The mother is free to move around her birth space, and is not confined to the hospital bed
- The need for more intervention is decreased, such as the risk of cesarian, augmentation, instrumental delivery, etc
- The pushing stage may be more effective as mother and baby can move together to create optimal positions for each other
Alrighty, are you convinced yet? If this sounds cool, just imagine what a completely undisturbed, physiological birth looks like. You can check out my information on that here.
I want to note before going into the tips that it can take some hard work, and a lot of advocating to have a natural birth in the hospital. This is because in the medical model of birth work, professionals are trained to manage the cases that come in, meaning it might be more difficult to find a provider and hospital policies that are willing to work with your desires.
This does not mean it is impossible, it just means that you will set yourself up for the greatest success by researching a top of the line provider ahead of time.
Alright, let’s get into my top 11 tips for how to have a natural birth in the hospital!
Tip #1: Research, Research, Research to Achieve a Natural Birth in the Hospital
I know that I mentioned this briefly above, but one if the biggest keys to having a natural birth in the hospital is to do your research. If you simply decide you want a natural birth and head into the hospital without much information on anything except for complete trust in your provider, I hate to break it to you, but it is going to be pretty tough to achieve that natural birth.
Birth is like a marathon. Would you run a marathon without preparing for it? You would most likely not be setting yourself up for success. Instead, you need to prepare in various ways, and one of these ways is in doing research.
Research the hospital you plan to birth at. What is its c-section rate? Is it a baby friendly hospital? What are the hospital policies for laboring women (ex. how much time are women “given” in the pushing stage?
Research and interview various medical providers. What is their personal c-section rate? How often do they support natural births? Have they ever seen a physiologic birth? If the answer is no, this is probably not the provider for you.
Research coping techniques. Take a natural birth course outside of the hospital setting. Learn breathing techniques and practice coping mechanisms ahead of you birth.
Research the process of childbirth so you know how to optimize your own personal physiology.
Tip #2: Hire a Doula to Achieve a Natural Birth in the Hospital
Hiring a doula who has been specifically trained in birth advocacy and physiologic birth can be key to achieving a natural birth in the hospital. Moms can plan all that they want before labor begins, but once it starts women become very vulnerable.
In the state that labor brings it can be very difficult to properly advocate wishes, and having someone present to act as the advocate of your wishes can be a game changer in the birth space. It can also be difficult to have a natural birth in the hospital when staff members are consistently moving in and out, asking you questions, etc.
Not only can a doula help with comfort measures, but they can also act as a wall between you and staff members, ensuring that you birthing process is as minimally disturbed as possible.
Tip #3: Use Water to Achieve a Natural Birth in the Hospital
Water can be an incredible tool to use in labor. Hydrotherapy can pull the body into a state of relaxation. It also decreases the pressure of gravity on the body, allowing mom potentially surrender more into each contraction that comes. Think of how you feel after a long hard day when you step into a nice warm shower. Its like the tension of the day melts off of you.
It can act the same in birth. Now, not everyone will love the water, but it is something that most do end up using throughout their labors.
Not all hospitals are equipped with tubs, and some have pretty extreme policies on utilizing water in labor. If you plan to use water during your natural birth in the hospital, check on both hospital policies and provider policies. If they have strict policies regarding water, this is probably a red flag that this location is not equipped to properly support natural/physiologic birth.
Want to learn more about water as a tool in birth? Check out the incredible organization, Water Birth International.
Tip #4: Use Movement to Achieve a Natural Birth in the Hospital
No matter the setting, movement is absolutely key to having a natural birth. This is because during a birth, mother and baby go through a birth dance, which you can read more about here.
During this dance, the mother needs to move into the positions that feel right, so that baby can better drop and navigate through the birth canal. Often in the hospital, whether it is due to uncomfortable hospital gowns, IV’s, or continuous fetal monitering, movement can be extremely restricted.
You can read more about the interventions that restrict movement here.
If wanting to have a natural birth in the hospital, it is important to study up on these specific interventions, and decline what you feel comfortable declining so that you can be free to move as much as possible.
Tip #5: Say “No” to Continuous Fetal Monitoring (CTG) to Achieve a Natural Birth in the Hospital
I already mentioned this briefly in Tip #4, but CTG monitering can hinder a natural birth in the hospital very quickly. In fact, there is no evidence that truly supports CTG. Evidence actually shows a greater risk of intervention, including assisted delivery and c-section, without a difference in birth outcomes.
You can opt for intermittent monitering instead to mitigate tons of risks that CTG brings with it.
Tip #6: Choose a Provider Who Understands Birth Physiology and Supports Your Choices to Achieve a Natural Birth in the Hospital
If your provider has never seen an undisturbed, physiologic birth, they are probably not a good choice if you want to have a natural birth in the hospital. This is because it is very difficult for a provider to support undisturbed birth if they have never seen it.
Medical doctors are trained to intervene in birth, which can be a good thing in true emergencies. But, in non-emergent situations, intervention does not necessarily lead to better outcomes. Having a provider who trusts birth and knows how to not intervene is key to achieving a natural birth in the hospital.
So, do your research, and know that you are the client. You are free to hire and fire. It is your body, your baby, and your birth.
Tip #7: Have a Detailed Birth Plan to Achieve a Natural Birth in the Hospital
If you want a natural birth in the hospital, write it down clearly. Create a detailed birth plan that you diligently discuss with any provider you meet who may be at your birth. If they roll their eyes at you are do not respect every element of your diligent birth plan, it is probably time to find a new team to birth with.
Have your doula or birth partner discuss your birth plan with anyone who may walk into your hospital room. They will need to be ready to advocate for your choices, and pay attention to everything that enters your birth space.
Tip #8: Understand the BRAIN Acronym to Achieve a Natural Birth in the Hospital
In order to have a natural birth in the hospital, it is important to understand the risks and benefits of any routine procedure done in the hospital.
A good way to learn the risks and benefits of every procedure is through the BRAIN acronym, which Dr. Sarah Buckley originally coined as the BRAN acronym in her book Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering.
The BRAIN acronym is as follows:
B- Benefits. What are the benefits to the procedure. How does this help the mother? How does this help the baby?
R- Risks. What are the risks to this procedure? How could it harm the mother? How could it harm the baby?
A- Alternatives. What are the alternatives to this procedure?
I- Intuition. What does the mother’s intuition say about the procedure?
N- Nothing. What happens if nothing is done. Will it change anything in the outcome of the birth?
As you research routine procedures done in the hospital that could damage your ability to have a natural birth, apply this acronym to everything and write it all down.
Tip #9: Turn Your Hospital Room into a Birth Cave to Achieve a Natural Birth in the Hospital
We are physiologically designed to give birth in a cave. What I mean is, we are meant to give birth in a dim environment where our bodies feel encumbered in safety. Set up your birth room in a way that creates the feeling of relaxation and safety within your body.
Draw the blinds shut, hang up fairy lights, light fake candles. Shut yourself in the bathroom if you want to be in an enclosed space. Set up the environment as if it was the space in your home that you feel the most relaxed in.
Tip #10: Hide in the Bathroom with the Door Shut to Achieve a Natural Birth in the Hospital
If you don’t want to be disturbed by people coming in and out of your space, because this could throw off your birthing rhythm, shut yourself in the bathroom with a support person, and let your doula talk to the people that enter your space. While they may ultimately need to speak with you for legal informed consent, the doula can at least prime people before they enter the sacred space of your birth portal.
Tip #11: Stay at Home as Long as You Can to Achieve a Natural Birth in the Hospital
While there are some nuances to this, in general the longer a mother stays at home, the greater of a chance she has at having a natural birth once entering the hospital. There are many reasons for this. Moving to a new environment can alter the birthing process. Hospitals have specific time-related policies. Not every staff member you encounter will trust birth.
This is another reason that hiring a doula can help you have a natural birth. They have seen a lot of birth, and they will often be able to tell just by the sounds that you make how far along you are.
This comes with nuance because you know your body best. By tuning in, you can see if you will feel safest moving to the hospital, and set up the timing this way.
Recap
While there are so many more things I could tell you about how to have a natural birth in the hospital, these 11 tips are a wonderful place to start. Curious to learn more? Feel free to contact me here with any questions you may have.
To recap, here are 11 tips to have a natural birth in the hospital:
- Research, Research, Research
- Hire a Doula
- Use Water
- Use Movement
- Say “No” to Continuous Fetal Monitoring (CTG)
- Choose a Provider Who Understands Birth Physiology and Supports Your Choices
- Have a Detailed Birth Plan
- Understand the BRAIN Acronym
- Turn Your Hospital Room into a Birth Cave
- Hide in the Bathroom with the Door Shut
- Stay at Home as Long as You Can
