My 7 Secrets To Getting Through A Natural Birth
When it comes to childbirth, nothing is predictable. Everything might be going well for you. Yet, even the most accomplished doctor cannot tell you for sure what kind of birth you’ll end up having. There are different medical interventions available to help you in case of any complications. However, natural birth is still the most preferable type of birth. But the thought of undergoing labor pains can scare even the most courageous women. Not that it’s impossible, but the thought of venturing into the unknown can be unnerving. And let me confess, I was no different either. I was pregnant with my first child and kept asking the doctor at every visit if I’ll be fine; if the pain will be bearable at all. Eventually, I did give birth the natural way. Here, I’m sharing my experience and my 7 little secrets of getting through it:
1. Accepting That It’ll Be Painful
The first thing that I did was conquer the fear of labor pains. I began by accepting that it’s going to be painful either way – whether C-section or natural birth. I had heard from fellow mothers who had already been through it; how even the administration of anesthesia for a surgery hurts as well. Not to mention, the post-op pain following the C-section surgery.
2. I Knew I Wasn’t Alone
Accepting the reality of labor pains was one part of it. The other part was remembering that there was one more person who’ll be experiencing the birth pangs along with me – my baby! Yes, we often think that no one can understand what a woman is experiencing at that point. But we forget that our little baby is also struggling with it. Once this realization dawned on me, I kept telling myself and my baby that we were a team and we’ll do it together.
3. The Power Of Breathing
You might have heard this a gazillion times. Yet, at the cost of sounding repetitive, I’d still say that deep breathing helps. And how! Childbirth is probably that one situation in life where you realize how powerful breathing can be – something we often underestimate.
4. Labor Is Not For Bed Rest
I had often come across people asking a woman in labor to rest. But thankfully, my doctor advised me otherwise. She told me if I can, then I should move about instead as it’ll help to shorten my labor by helping the baby come down. While in throes of labor pain, I did exactly that. I kept moving up and down in my room while breathing deeply simultaneously. My husband helped me by massaging my back when the pain got worse.
5. No Food? Go For Water
My labor pains lasted for quite a while – 20 hours to be precise. And the last time that I had eaten anything before that was almost 16 hours back. But to keep my energy up, I kept drinking water and even tender coconut. Yes, I did make quite a few trips to the loo, but I convinced myself that those trips too would help me move about instead of lying on the bed.
6. Finding Your Motivation
Hours of being in excruciating pain with no food and restlessness were beginning to creep up on my motivation. I was about to give up. But then, I started telling myself how its the best thing for me to do. I kept saying ‘I can do this, just like million women around the world’! With each passing hour, I tried to think of getting to see my baby rather than concentrating on the pain intensity.
7. Visualizing Helps
Visualizing helped me a lot. It was another way of diverting my attention from the pain. I visualized the journey of my baby – from a tiny speck to a little human – and how divine it was. It gave me a sense of achievement and also humbleness. Being a person with a spiritual mind, I was grateful to the Lord for this life-changing miracle.
Natural childbirth is not easy and neither is any other type of birth for a woman. I know this because I’ve been through it. And going by my experience, I can say that only a woman can do what she does for the sake of her child. That’s why mothers are so special!
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