Birth Plan Au Natural

Who would have thought that you would need a plan for labor? But it's highly recommended and given I want to have an all natural labor, it's about time to put a plan into place.

Why natural Labor?

-Delivering a drug free baby
-Faster recovery for mom
-Being fully present during labor
-No medical invention side effects
-Less chance of getting csection or use of forceps,vacuum... Ouch!
-Alert baby once born
-Over all best for mom & baby
-Placenta births naturally and less chance of having it break off and some left inside leading to postpartum hemorrhage (happened to me :/)
-shorter labor
-better chance at breastfeeding
-Gods original plan(with a little pain haha)

With epidural's and medical interventions on the rise only 10% of women who birth in hospitals give birth naturally!

While the rest of the world is having natural labors, more developed parts of the world have sadly shied away from the God intended way of laboring and copped out for something much 'easier'.
But is it really?

Now this isn't to put down any woman who has had an epi or some sort of medical intervention because sometimes they are 100% necessary.  But most of the time they aren't.

A lot of women sell themselves short of the sheer joy and exhilaration natural labor can bring, out of fear of pain and the unknown.

From my very first pregnancy natural labor has always intrigued and inspired me.  But sadly I was induced (medical intervention) and the pain was so great an epidural was NEEDED.

My second, I was on a roll and laboring naturally in the hospital for 5 hrs and probably 3-4 at home first.  I was strong and completely ready for a labor au natural.  But my little one pooped in the womb and I wasn't dilating as fast as they wanted and once again induction and an epidural were needed. Though the epidural didn't work that time. Pitocin(induction drug is a beast)

I was left feeling let down.  I know I could do this. It's what my body was made to do...but I wasn't given the opportunity.  I am praying this time I am.

I saw this one video of this women laboring... Pushing that baby out and she was as calm as ever.  Not even a cry.  By watching the video(search painless natural labor on YouTube) you wouldn't even know she was in labor.  My favorite part about what I have seen and read about natural birth is the mother's reaction once the baby is born.

You see once you have medical intervention or pain meds your alertness is altered.  Your hormones are played with and your bodies natural endorphins and pain releasing hormones are not released.  Moms who deliver naturally have a far different reaction to their child's birth than moms who had epidurals.  (Though we are all equally happy and relieved once it's over lol)

The joy and pride on their faces is priceless. These women feel like champs... Like they have just conquered the world!  And on a small scale they really have. Labour is no easy feat!

Natural labor for those who plan for it seems to be a wonderful endeavor.  Then there are the women who had every intention to have pain meds but just were too late to be offered them.  These women often feel like this was a living hell.  Seeing as they weren't mentally prepared for it.  

That being said for the next 12 weeks, myself and my hubby will be mentally preparing for a natural child birth.

Ways I plan on preparing:

Preparing mentally for a great deal of pain.  I have actually experienced a pain that is worse than labor over the summer when I had emergency surgery.  Gives me some hope I can cope!

Practicing relaxation techniques.  Breathing, visualization,  focusing.

Learning and teaching my husband of what brings me comfort in times of pain.  A big one for me is heat. So applying heat packs, back rubs and the like.

So here's hoping all goes well

Something's that will be included in my birth plan are:

1) Little to no monitoring while in labor.
I want to be able to have the freedom to move as much as possible.

2) Not to be offered any drugs or meds.  This is all under the assumption my baby is thriving. When drugs are off the table there is no back up plan.  True strength comes when you feel you have no choice but to be STRONG!

3) Ability to push in position I am most comfortable with and 15 minutes of skin to skin contact once baby is born. No whisking away for weight and a million tests that truthfully can wait provided baby comes out crying and thriving:)

We have a few other things in our birth plan plan but this post is getting long. I also forgot to mention I plan to labor at home for as LONG as possible.  They say this is one of the best ways to pull of a natural labor in a hospital setting.  As most hospitals don't have the time or energy to deal with a naturally laboring mom. 

Of course all of this is really up to the good Lord.  I have learned labor is not something you can plan.  Plan for yes... But how it goes down it altogether different.

Being my 3rd pregnancy I am much more aware of my options.  Knowledge really is power and the more you know the better you feel going into labor  and when hiccups come. 

However should God forbid I need to have any sort of intervention, me and that epidural will be reuniting one last time ASAP.  Not trying to be a birthing martyr... No thank you!

This post is in no way to put down those who have had or plan to have a medically intervened pregnancy.  But I do hope it at least inspires you to research more about natural labor and it's benefits!!