More and more, we see women choosing to have a natural birth, also known as an “active birth”, whether at home or at the hospital. When it comes time for you to give birth, you will find you now have a list of options, ranging from traditional and in-hospital birth to birthing rooms to water births and so on. The option you go with will be based on a number of factors. For instance, if you had a C-section previously, a natural vaginal birth may not be possible. Therefore, work with your doctor to determine if a natural birth would be a good choice for you.
When choosing a natural birth, you will again need to determine if the baby will be born at home or in the hospital. If at home, will you use the services of your doctor or a mid-wife? In most cases, a natural birth is safe and the more enjoyable way to go but just as with any baby, there are times of unexpected complications. When this happens, obviously the best place to be would be in the hospital where the latest and greatest equipment is at the doctor’s disposal. However, many mothers-to-be will choose an at-home natural birth, knowing they may need to make an emergency trip to the hospital, which is also “on-call”.
If you decide to have your baby at home, via natural birth, this means you will be going through the labor and delivery process without the aid of pain medication. Some women do very well with a natural birth. These women know there will be pain but they are focused and determined to bring their new baby into the world naturally. However, there are times when a woman’s pain overtakes her desire, in which case a trip to the hospital may also be warranted.
The most important thing to remember when choosing a natural birth is that if for some reason you need to be admitted in the hospital to give birth, you have not failed. It simply means your little baby had some other ideas and perhaps wanted a larger audience upon arrival. Therefore, you cannot feel disappointed or frustrated because the ultimate event is having the chance to hold your beautiful and healthy baby in your arms. A natural birth is a wonderful experience, something that mother and child share and bond with but it can be more challenging as well. For this reason, understand all your options and be realistic about your expectations with a natural birth.