Normal Delivery: Be Natural try Normal ..
According to research, 85% of pregnant women can have a natural birth, but, statistically, one in three pregnant women (more than 30%) goes through a C-section. Women may choose a C-section to avoid pain and anxiety during labour. but it may pose future complications, unlike a normal delivery.
What Is Normal Delivery?
Normal delivery is a natural way of bringing the baby into this world. It is not difficult to have natural and normal childbirth unless you have some medical conditions. Moreover, the natural birth process helps in having a healthy baby and speedy recovery for the new mom. Though there is no formula or shortcut to have a normal delivery, some measures can improve your chances of having a healthy and natural delivery.
What factors improve your chances of a Normal Delivery?
Certain factors determine your ability to have a normal delivery. They may not guarantee a 100% result, though. You may have increased chances of a normal delivery if:
- You had a normal vaginal delivery in your previous pregnancies.
- You do not have any underlying health issues, such as asthma, which may aggravate during pregnancy and labour.
- You have an ideal weight, as being overweight could increase the chances of having a large baby and lower the chances of normal delivery
- Your pregnancy is going smoothly without any complications.
- You are physically active throughout your pregnancy. The more physically fit you are, the higher are the chances of normal birth.
- Your physiological conditions, including blood pressure, blood sugar, and haemoglobin, are in control.
The above are the general health factors during pregnancy that influence your chances of having a normal delivery.
Tips For Normal Delivery
Normal vaginal delivery is the best way to give birth, both for the mother and child. And if you are hoping to go natural, you may follow these tips for a better outcome:
- Stay away from stress: It is common to feel stressed during pregnancy. It is advisable to avoid stress, anxiety, and random thoughts, because negative emotions can turn the process of childbirth into a nightmare.
- Try any form of meditation that helps you feel comfortable.
- Read books, listen to music, and involve in visualization techniques.
- Remain in the company of good and friendly people.
- Stay away from people and situations that make you feel uncomfortable or negative.
- Stay positive and refrain from negative birth stories: You may come across both easy and difficult childbirth stories. Listening to negative stories would make you more anxious and may result in a panic attack.
- If a fellow mother happens to share her bad experience of childbirth, just walk away from her.
- Say no to gossips.
- Remember that not everyone has the same story of labour. Just because your friend had an unfortunate delivery does not mean you will have one.
- Acquire knowledge about birthing: Knowledge is power. Acquire as much knowledge as possible about labour and the delivery process.
- Get all your doubts about pregnancy and childbirth cleared during your visit.
- Read books about childbirth.
- Talk to your mother or other older women in the family who can help you with their experience.
- Grab information on natural management techniques such as relaxation, breathing, and coping techniques.
- Enroll in antenatal classes.
- Build a strong support system: Have enough emotional support. Have your partner, mother, and close friends around so that they are there to boost your confidence and allay your fears about normal delivery.
- Make sure you and your partner are on the same page when it comes to childbirth.
- Your family will stand by your side, but if you have any different views or ideas about pregnancy, do share them with them and come to a consensus.
- Having a support system can help take away the stress.
- Hire an experienced doula: If you can find an experienced doula to help with your childbirth, that’s half the battle won!
- An experienced doula can be invaluable during labour and delivery.
- She can help you stay calm and be your advocate during labour.
- Post-birth, she helps you breastfeed the baby.
- Regular perineal massage can help your body get ready for normal delivery.
- You can start doing perineal massage once you enter the seventh month.
- It helps you deal with labour and manage stress too.
- To massage the perineum, hook your thumb inside, and gently pull the lower part of the vagina outward and forward .
- Stay hydrated: Water is vital for your health, more so now that you are pregnant.
- Labour is hard for the body, and you’ll need extra water to stay hydrated. Your body gets a lot of stamina and energy with water, and you will be less likely to need intravenous fluids.
- You can also stock up on some fresh juices or healthy energy drinks to get your daily quota of fluids. This is one of the best tips to have a normal delivery.
- Use water: Apart from drinking water, you can also use it to make the labour process easier.
- Hydrotherapy can help beat stress and reduce discomfort and pain during labour.
- Fill the bathtub with water and soak in it for relief. Also, showers, birthing pools, and hot compresses could help ease pain and offer relaxation.
- Keep the water at room temperature to avoid any harm to your unborn baby.
- Try the ice game: If you want to know how best to cope with the birthing process, try the ice game that requires your partner’s participation too.
- Take turns to hold an ice cube in your hand for 60 seconds.
- The first time around, you can try holding the ice cube while talking to each other.
- Next, try holding the ice cube while walking around.
- Finally, hold an ice cube in complete silence for 60 seconds.
- It is a great way to gauge how long you can take the pain and cope with labour pain.
- Keep a watch on your postures: Keep your body aligned so that the baby can glide smoothly. Standing and sitting for extended periods, sleeping in awkward positions, and wearing high heels and tight belts could misalign your body.
- Sit with proper support to your back. There would be added pressure on your spine during pregnancy, and mishandling your body can only increase the pain.
- Sit with folded or stretched out legs as hanging them for too long can lead to swelling.
- Do not slouch when sitting or bending to lift things. Do not rush down or up the stairs.
- Try not to put on excess weight: Yes, it is important to achieve a decent amount of weight during pregnancy, but you don’t need to pile on the pounds. Overweight women can have problems during labour and may end up with a C-section.
- Obesity can make it difficult to monitor the baby during labour, making normal delivery difficult.
- If you are obese, your baby could be big, making it difficult for the baby to come out.
- Go for chiropractic adjustments: Some people believe in chiropractic adjustments; some don’t. But you can give it a try and continue if you see good results with regular visits to a chiropractor.
- Chiropractic adjustments can help relieve stress.
- A good practitioner can provide relief from tense and painful muscles as well as pinched nerves.
- You can also get relief from back pain and strengthen your thighs and back with regular adjustments. It can be a big help during normal delivery.
- Chiropractic adjustments help fix an out-of-line pelvis and assist in normal delivery.
- You can see a chiropractor once a month in the first and second trimesters, and more often in the final trimester.