Natural Childbirth vs. Birthing Naturally
How would you define natural childbirth? A vaginal birth? No pain medication? No interventions of any kind? Squatting in a rice paddy to birth, and then going back to work? Somewhere in this world, each of these definitions has been applied. Birthing naturally can mean different things to different people; that’s what having a choice is all about. What I’d like to suggest through this article is that you consider ways to birth “naturally” by tapping into your body’s inner wisdom and strength.
Natural Method
Create your own Natural Method by combining your Natural Resources, Natural Flow and Natural Comforts. Finding the right blend of strategies that works best for you is the key.
Natural Resources
- Your body is made to give birth. Your anatomy and physiology is wonderfully designed to make, carry and birth a baby. Your body will send you messages; you just need to be open to hearing. The phrase “listening to your gut” really applies in this case.
- Your body releases special hormones called endorphins to combat the pain of birth. By keeping you as relaxed as possible, your birthing team can reduce the amount of adrenalin (the ‘fight or flight’ hormone) that may also be released in labor, which cancels out your endorphins. Also, when adrenalin is released, a lot of oxygen goes to your feet and hands so you can fight or flee as the nickname implies. This affect of too much adrenalin can cause less oxygen to go to the baby.
- Your body has specific areas full of acupressure and reflexology points (especially the hands and feet), and when these areas are touched, held, or massaged during labor, you feel less pain. You don’t need to have an expert in the room to benefit from the ancient form of pain relief.
- Your body has certain places that when acupressure is applied, contractions pick up but feel less painful. One is called the ‘Ho-ku point,’ which is on the meaty area of the hand between the thumb and pointer finger. Press steadily into the bone at the base of the index finger for 10-second intervals during the contraction. It is a sensitive spot, so it may hurt a bit when pressure is applied. Also try the inner aspect of the ankle – a location 3 or 4 finger widths above the ankle bone called ‘Spleen 6.’ Press with one finger on the “sweet pain” spot (slightly behind the bone), also using 10-second intervals.
- Your body has “hairless” parts (lips, soles of feet and palms of hands) and when they are stimulated during labor, you feel less pain. Many women are quite oral during birth – wanting lip gloss, popsicles or even kisses. Moms often march in place with bare feet on the cool linoleum or grip their partner’s hand rhythmically.
- Your body’s largest organ is the skin. Its nerve endings are very close to the surface, so we sense hot, cold, sharp, etc. instantaneously. This contributes to our safety and survival as humans. If the skin is stimulated by touch, massage, pressure, vibration, warmth, cold and/or water during labor, for example, you will feel less pain from the contraction. The “Gate Control Theory” kicks in and reduces the amount of pain you feel from the contraction traveling along deeper nerve pathways to get to the brain. After receiving the skin’s messages, the brain begins assimilating those stimuli. So by the time the contraction pain arrives, the brain is busy: a gate drops and less pain gets in. Try not to use the same level of Gate Control in between contractions so you do not become sensitized to its benefits. For example, if you’re having your feet massaged during the contractions, your partner should do something different in between. Maybe he could just hold your feet or put pressure against them if you really feel the need for some touch/massage during rest periods. Hydrotherapy affords great Gate Control value because so much of the skin can be affected in water.
Natural Flow
Have you ever noticed that all of nature is repetitive? The pattern of the waves, the cycles of the moon, the changing of the seasons, the mating behaviors of animals, just to name a few examples. So, why not use rhythm to enhance your own birth? If you allow yourself the freedom to find your birth groove, your natural flow will take over. That means you need to be a woman, not a lady, to give birth. If you want to moan or verbalize rhythmically during a contraction, it often helps. Many women find listening to music or repetitive sounds to be helpful, too. Movement can also add to the rhythmical nature of birth. Rocking or swaying back and forth are normal ways of self-soothing. These movements often calm a fussy baby because it’s rhythmical, thus calming.
Natural Comforts
When people are asked what things bring them comfort, many answers are given: a beautiful sunset, homemade chicken noodle soup, classical music, the smell of bread baking or a soft blanket. Use your five senses to think about what might bring comfort to you in labor. Making that space yours – more homey and safe – should be a priority. The human environment is also very important. So, be sure to bring the right birth team. If they distract you, reduce your confidence or put themselves first, they are not a constructive addition. Remember, you are “Queen for Day” so your birth team should make every effort to serve you and meet your needs!
Putting It All Together
So what you’ve learned is that the right mix of your natural resources, natural flow and natural comforts will become your own natural method of birthing. Don’t get hung up on natural childbirth and how people define it; rather, focus on your body’s messages, the rhythm of labor and what makes you feel safe, content and relaxed. Natural Resources, Flow and Comfort offer a winning combination of strategies. Happy birthing!
