Stand and Deliver

I suppose that since several people I know have recently had babies or soon will, I was thinking about pregnancy, labor, and childbirth while I was deciding on a topic for today. Many people are a little apprehensive about childbirth. Ok - some are terrified. I think most people are afraid of the pain. Your body has to do a lot of stretching to accommodate a baby. But labor and birth are natural functions of the female body. Women have been having babies for thousands of years and, for most of that time, without epidurals.

Don't take it lying down. One of the best ways to reduce labor pain and help baby descend is to MOVE. Stand up, walk around, rock, get on all fours. During both of my labors the pain was terrible if I was on my back. My second labor (home birth) was better than my first (hospital birth), partly because I was always moving and almost always upright. My midwife examined me once and I didn't get up before the next contraction hit. Gravity is your friend. Let it help you.

When it's time to push your baby out, you don't have to jump in bed. Your baby will be born more easily if you stand or squat. Your pelvis opens more in a squatting position than in others. And again, gravity is your friend.

Here are some more tips for easing labor pain. Your local library should have some books to help you understand what happens to your body during labor and childbirth. Knowing what to expect reduces your fear. What to Expect When You're Expecting is a popular choice, but I don't think it's nearly as good as some others out there. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth is good. Go to your library and check out everything listed under "natural childbirth." If you haven't already, read Alex's post about water birth.

Water Babies

I am passionate about unmedicated births and am especially a fan of water births. I think there's something both powerful and empowering in bringing a baby into the world with only yourself to rely on. I do feel that there is a time and a place for doctors and hospitals, but why use them if you don't need them? That's my philosophy anyways.

My first son was an emergency transfer to Baylor in downtown Dallas after a overzealous midwife moved things along too quickly. We had a "land" birth and even though we were in a hospital, we ended up with the best birth we knew how to have at the time. The doctor on call was wonderful and a huge supporter of unmedicated births herself, so she was extremely helpful and gave us the freedom to have our baby the way we wanted.

My next two children were born in water. Lovely, soothing water. I labored in the water and could not believe the difference in pain management. The sound of the water was incredibly soothing as well. I could lose myself in the noise of the running faucet as each contraction crested. We ended up giving birth in the water as well since it was so soothing. Both times, my babies slipped out easily and gently. We gave our friends a scare since our daughter came out quite blue, but that was perfectly normal and she was perfectly beautiful. I've found that water babies don't cry as much because the transition from womb to world is less of a shock since they are birthed into a water environment and they get a softer first glimpse of lights and sounds.

I recommend a water birth to anyone who is looking for more natural pain management while in labor and during delivery. It's been a method for pain management for hundreds of years. There are studies that show that immersing in water during labor can reduce the length of labor and can help the mom save her energy for pushing out her baby. Who doesn't want those things right?

For more information you can visit http://www.waterbirth.org/.