Childbirth is a major turning point in the life of a woman. It is a great test of physical and mental strength. Owing to changes in lifestyle, eating habits, exercise and sleep patterns, the number of natural childbirths has come down drastically in recent times. If you are someone looking forward to a natural childbirth but are unsure of how to proceed, then you are at the right place.

Before you learn the ways of having a natural childbirth, you must understand why natural childbirth is increasingly becoming less common:

• Increased consumption of junk food by Americans, leading to empty calories piling up as bellies, tummies and unwanted fat.
• Significant reduction in exercise levels
• Alterations in sleep-wake cycles.
• Excessive alcoholism.
• Increased in the occurrence of comorbid conditions like obesity, cardiovascular diseases, etc.
• Rising BMI .
• Childhood obesity.
• Teenage pregnancies.

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The following are cases where natural childbirth is not possible and C-section is preferred:

• Low birth weight babies.
• Preterm and premature babies.
• Abnormal placental positioning.
• Prolonged labor.
• Post-dated pregnancy.
• Abnormal positioning of the baby
• What is natural childbirth?

Natural childbirth is the normal vaginal delivery of the fetus. Natural childbirth has a number of advantages. You can bounce back to normal life sooner, and have a healthy baby. Many women do not opt for natural childbirth fearing the pain of vaginal delivery. But natural childbirth is, in fact, a goal that can be easily attained.

Read on for seven tips you should follow if you are planning to have a natural childbirth:

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Make sure you receive proper prenatal education

Prenatal education is very important. Most women don’t opt for natural childbirth because they don’t understand that natural childbirth is well within their reach. If you want to avoid this lack of information, start educating yourself about pregnancy and its progress. Here are few ways how you can educate yourself:

• Enroll in classes to learn about labour and childbirth.
• Find a place to learn management of natural labour pain.
• Try learning breathing techniques, relaxation methods, self-hypnosis and mechanisms of coping with pain.
• Your hospital might have classes that they offer their patients. Find such classes and enroll yourself. You also get to meet with other prospective mothers and can discuss many things

You can also enlist the aid of independent consultants. Whatever source you adopt, make sure it is legitimate and reliable.

Choose a health care provider who can help you attain natural childbirth.

Many midwives and health care providers have a successful track record of conducting a large number of vaginal deliveries. Find such people who can help you give birth the natural way.

Keep your weight under control

If you look at the contraindications for natural childbirth, the majority of them are centered around obesity. This calls for keeping your weight under strict control. Maternal obesity may lead to serious problems for the child, such as like congenital heart issues, childhood obesity, metabolic issues, psychosocial issues, etc. When you are obese, the chances of having natural childbirth gradually reduce. It’s not just weight, but the BMI that you also have to keep in check.

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Keep intervention minimum
Some mothers tend to seek medical intervention unnecessarily due to their anxious behavior. Avoid seeking medical attention if there is no need. Even if your doctor prescribes a test or intervention, feel free to ask them why you need the test or what would be the significance of such a test. Remember that you don’t need tests or interventions. Be cautious about what you are being tested or intervened for.

Spend your early labour at home

When you start getting the first pangs of labour, do not rush to the hospital. Instead, get into a bathtub, eat a little, drink water, and later go for small walks. As the contractions become more frequent, you can contact your healthcare provider.

Spend time in water

Water in a birthing pool, bathtub or shower has a soothing effect on the body and will help you calm down. Spend a considerable amount of time in the water. Water is one of the best gifts of nature to help you get a natural childbirth.

Use relaxation techniques that you had learnt prenatally

When you enrolled in those classes, you must have learnt some techniques to assist natural labour. Use them when you progress into labor. Some of the techniques may include:

• Meditation
• Self hypnosis
• Changing positions
• Getting a massage
• Relaxation
• Breathing techniques
• Listening to music

If you can follow these simple yet powerful tips meticulously, you are sure to have a successful natural childbirth. Nonetheless, due caution must be exercised at all times. There are still certain complications that surface only at the time of labour, which require careful attention and may hinder natural vaginal childbirth. This is why you must keep your healthcare provider informed about your decisions at all times.

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