First pregnancy? Want to choose natural birth but fear keeps getting in the way? How about giving fear some reasons to stay away. After all, natural birth is the healthier delivery option. What you need is an understanding of the natural birth process, emotional & physical preparation, and most importantly the support of your family, friends & your doctor. If you have all this then you are very much prepared for a normal delivery!
Why & what to understand about the birth process?
The answer to why to understand is simple. It is human insight to fear the unknown & to be ready to face what they have knowledge about.
Now, coming to what you need to understand about the birth process. The first thing that you need to know is what is the process of natural birth and what you need to be ready for at each stage of labor. This can be attained by many methods. You can go for counselling from pregnancy experts, enroll yourself in natural birth related group classes and get guidance from your loved ones. The elderly in the family are, generally, well versed about the do’s & don’ts of pregnancy and the natural birthing process. The better you are prepared ;the more calm you can be during childbirth. ‘Ignorance is bliss’ is not a phrase meant for childbirth.
How to be emotionally prepared?
Understanding and knowledge about the birthing process itself gives you some amount of emotional preparation. You can go a step ahead by getting all the doubts and queries you have in your mind, regarding natural childbirth, addressed by your doctor & also, experienced midwives. It helps! Also, you need to prepare yourself for the unexpected. Some last minute situations may arise which could lead to caesarean being the only option. So, keep yourself a little flexible regarding this. However, be positive & confident about your pregnancy and yourself. You need to keep yourself mentally calm & give as little space to anxiety as possible.
What all is counted in physical preparation?
Well, as the word says physical preparation, you basically need to prepare your body for childbirth. You can do some light exercise for normal delivery, such as walking, swimming and yoga. But remember to keep your doctor in the loop before you start on any sort of exercise.
To be physically prepared you need to keep yourself active throughout your pregnancy and keep the muscles toned & strong. Consult a physiotherapist, specializing in pregnancy exercises, to learn techniques for pushing effectively and safely. You can also opt for acupuncture. Ask your doctor to suggest you one, because acupuncture techniques differ from situation to situation. Acupuncture is different during pregnancy in comparison to other situations.
Whose support do you need the most?
Well, this is a question where the answer is totally dependent on you. Who is the person whose presence calms you down? You decide! It is vital that you trust your doctor, but the presence of the support person you choose should reflect the emotion that in his/her presence you can relax totally. An environment where you know you just have to care for yourself & your baby, the trust that the people surrounding you will take care of everything else.
Concluding it all, you need expert guidance and emotional support. To know more about natural childbirth consult our experts. Visit www.apollocradle.com
