Natural Childbirth

Many women choose to follow the course of nature and have a natural birth.

What is natural childbirth?

Natural childbirth involves simply letting nature take its course, without taking any medication or having medical treatments or procedures; of course, in some cases, when the baby is distressed or complications arise, intervention is needed. Many women who have low risk pregnancies choose to have natural births because they feel they don’t need to rely on medical intervention and instead want to follow the natural course of labour.

Most women who choose to have a natural birth feel they have greater control over their labour; they choose whether or not they want pain relief, for example. Of course, a midwife will be on hand to guide the woman through labour and keep an eye on both the mother and the baby.

Some women choose to have absolutely no medical involvement in their labour, meaning they have no pain relief, no medication and no foetal monitoring; this is a personal choice and will be supported by the medical team, as long as nothing happens which could threaten the life of the mother or baby; if an emergency situation arises, the doctor may recommend taking medication or having a caesarean section.

Labour takes place in three separate stages: during the first stage, contractions cause the cervix to soften and become dilated. The cervix must dilate to around ten centimetres so that the baby can come out. During the first stage, contractions will become increasingly frequent and will last longer; you need to breathe through the contractions and listen to your midwife who will tell you when to push. Once the cervix is fully dilated the baby can be born; the head will come out first; once the head is visible, you will be advised to push very gently or stop pushing altogether. The second stage of labour involves the baby being born; once the head comes out, the rest of the body follows fairly quickly. The final stage involves the delivery of the placenta; this typically takes between 20 minutes and an hour.

Many women have no problems during their labour but complications are fairly common; in most cases, these can be treated very quickly and effectively.

What are the advantages of natural childbirth?

There are many advantages of natural childbirth; these include:

• No side-effects of medication: taking medication to control pain can have negative side-effects and may make you drowsy. If you feel dazed, you may not appreciate what’s going on and you may lose sight of the events unfolding in front of you. Natural birth helps women to experience the labour and birth of their child.
• Faster recovery: women who have had a natural birth often recover quicker than those who have had caesarean sections or taken medication during labour.
• Greater control: women who opt for a natural birth have greater control over their labour; they can choose whether or not they want pain relief, they can choose where they want to have their baby and who they want at the birth with them.
• Sense of achievement: many women feel a great sense of achievement after giving birth naturally.

What are the disadvantages of a natural birth?

The main disadvantage of natural birth is the pain; some women choose to rely on relaxation techniques, breathing exercises and gas and air to control their pain, but these methods are usually not as effective as medication.

In the event of complications arising, a natural birth may not be possible and the doctor or midwife may recommend alternative methods including a caesarean section.

If you choose to have a natural birth without using any medical equipment or treatments, you may risk the health of your baby; for example, if you choose not to have foetal monitoring, your baby may be in distress and you may not find this out until their condition has become more serious.

Which pain control methods can be used during natural birth?

If you don’t want to take medication to control and reduce pain, you can try one or more of the following techniques:

• Massage
• Walking
• Yoga
• Hypnosis
• Having a bath or warm shower
• Meditation
• Listening to music

How long does natural birth take?

Everyone is different and some women may experience much longer labours than other women; in general, women having their first baby with have longer labours than those who have already had children. The first stage of labour (this is when the contractions start to become more frequent and the cervix dilates) typically lasts between six and twelve hours for the first baby.

How safe is natural birth?

In the vast majority of cases, natural birth is very safe; however, if you have a high risk pregnancy or complications arise during the latter stages of pregnancy or the early phases of labour, it may be unwise to have a natural birth. It is always advisable to listen to your doctor or midwife; if they sense there are risks for the mother or baby they may suggest taking medication, using medical techniques or having a caesarean section.

How long does recovery take and how will I feel after a natural birth?

Labour is a stressful and physically demanding experience and you may feel exhausted, confused, tired and sore; however, most women tend to deal with the after effects of labour very well and the majority will say it was all worth the effort once they hold their newborn baby.

In most cases, recovery from a natural birth is quicker than recovery from a caesarean section or a birth which has been induced or aided by medicines or medical intervention. Every woman is different and it takes some women much longer to feel ‘normal’ again after childbirth than others.

Women who have had difficult births may take longer to recover than those who have had slightly more straight forward births and they may feel sore and uncomfortable; if you are experiencing pain or discomfort, discuss this with your midwife or doctor and they may be able to help you.

If you were planning to have a natural birth but change your mind during labour, you shouldn’t feel disappointed or guilty; although most women are told about the pain caused by labour, nothing can prepare you for the actual feeling and if you can’t handle the pain without a little help this is completely normal.