How to Prepare for a Natural Labor and Delivery
Birth Classes & Plans During Pregnancy to Help Ensure a Smooth Birth
Apr 29, 2009
More and more women are opting for natural labor and delivery. Even though their due date may be weeks away, there are several things they can be doing such as attending birth classes and planning ahead to increase their odds for a relaxed birth. Selecting a doctor/midwife, choosing a hospital or birthing facility, and attending child birth classes are all important events that should take place long before the first contraction.
Birth Information to Help Select a Doctor or Midwife
The first important decision of the pregnancy which will drastically impact delivery day is choosing who will bring the baby into the world. The best way to start the search is on recommendations from friends who’ve been through the process.
As soon as a woman decides she wants to experience a natural childbirth, she should discuss her plans with her doctor/midwife. It’s important to gauge the physician’s comfort level, since his or her support is critical in the delivery room.
Questions women will want to ask their doctor/midwife:
- What are your thoughts concerning natural child birth?
- What percentage of your patients deliver naturally?
- When do you feel it is necessary to induce labor?
- Under what conditions do you administer pitocin during labor?
- Under what conditions would you break the water to speed up labor?
- Under what conditions would you resort to forceps or vacuum extraction to assist the delivery?
Birth Information to Help Select a Hospital or Birthing Center
Choosing a hospital or birthing center wisely can make the difference between a birth that’s a treasured memory and one a woman would rather forget. Hospitals often offer semi-annual tours. These can be fun events complete with aisles of vendors, door prizes, and workshops. But if expectant moms miss the big group event they can always call and ask to be shown around privately.
Questions women will want to ask on their tour:
- What percentage of women give birth naturally at this facility?
- Does this facility offer private birthing rooms?
- What emergency care does this facility offer if there’s a complication during or after birth?
- Are women permitted to walk or take a shower, during labor?
- Does this facility have monitors which can track a baby’s heart rate remotely if I want to leave the bed?
- After the baby is born, does he stay in the room for his exams or is he taken to the nursery?
- Can my baby stay in the room with me?
Attend Birth Classes
As their second trimesters draw to a close, women will want to start the search for a good child birth class. While those often joked about stereotypes of couples practicing breathing techniques and labor positions aren’t altogether off base, women will be pleasantly surprised when delivery day arrives to discover how that preparation pays off.
First and foremost, attending a class with the one who is going to serve as a labor coach will provide an invaluable opportunity to discuss the delivery stage by stage. Needless to say, labor and delivery is no time to hash out subtle details of the birth. Classes help both the woman giving birth and her coach feel confident in their delivery role.
Hospitals often offer a one night birth class, but a series of weekly sessions for a small group will be much more helpful to women hoping to learn the ins and outs of natural labor. The instructor will have time to answer everyone’s questions and couples taking the course can provide support and go on to become lifelong friends.
To find a birth class, women can ask their doctor/midwife for a recommendation. They should also talk to friends who’ve experienced labor to scope out classes they found helpful.
Questions women will want to ask birth class instructors:
- What birthing philosophy is this class based on?
- What topics are covered in this class?
- Is the instructor certified?
- About how many couples will be taking the class?
- When is the class offered?
- What is the cost?
Attending birth classes, and choosing the right hospital and doctor will help moms feel prepared when the big day arrives. They also may want to check out articles on packing a labor bag with all the essentials, what labor and delivery will feel like, and tips for making it all the way if they’re hoping for a natural labor and delivery .
 |
