With so much choice now available for mums-to-be, an important part of your birth plan is deciding how you would like to give birth. When choosing what is right for you, it helps to find out about all the options available. Always bear in mind though, that birth doesn’t always go according to plan, and sometimes last minute alterations are unavoidable!
Home Or Away? An increasing number of mothers are opting for home births attended to by a professional midwife. Reasons range from having the comfort of familiar surroundings, continuity of care and a relaxed atmosphere. As home births are for uncomplicated pregnancies, check if it would be safe in your case with your doctor. If problems do arise during a labour at home, you should always be prepared to get moved to a hospital for both you and your baby’s safety.
The majority of pregnant women in the UK give birth in hospital. Greater access to pain relief, and having facilities on hand for immediate intervention should the need arise, give many parents a sense of reassurance. Although it's also fair to say that finding an NHS Trust ready and willing to support a home birth may be an uphill struggle - which may skew the figures.
Laid Back
Although every woman has a different birth experience, one of the most common positions to give birth in this country is lying on a hospital bed. If you're planning a hospital birth, check that you're allowed to move around during labour. You may find you're more comfortable giving birth in a semi-sitting position, using a birthing ball or even on all fours.
Water Babies
One popular labour option is using water to help with the birth. During a water birth, you immerse yourself in a birth pool of warm water throughout the labour and sometimes the birth. The warm water relaxes your muscles and sometimes speeds up the labour, making it a more comfortable experience. More and more hospitals now offer birthing pool facilities, but you may need to hire one out, for a home birth for example. If you do, remember that their use must be supervised by a qualified attendant. If it's not, there's a danger of the baby being delivered underwater and not lifted out right away.
Nature’s Way Some women want to experience birth in its purest form, as a wholly natural experience, without the use of drugs as pain relief. This is what's known as a 'natural birth'. If you choose this path, it's important to learn about natural methods of coping with pain. Although these vary, they usually focus on breathing techniques and learning how to relax your body efficiently.
Join Our Antenatal Club! Why not join our free online Antenatal Club? Registration is completely free and once you're registered, you'll be able to attend an online antenatal class with Raisingkids.co.uk's midwife the month before your due date. It's also a great way to chat with other mums expecting around the same time as you. Click here for more information.
With so much choice now available for mums-to-be, an important part of your birth plan is deciding how you would like to give birth. When choosing what is right for you, it helps to find out about all the options available. Always bear in mind though, that birth doesn’t always go according to plan, and sometimes last minute alterations are unavoidable!
