Share
Home › Experts › Ensuring Natural Labour and Delivery ›

Ensuring Natural Labour and Delivery

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
I am 26 years old and 36 weeks pregnant with my first child. I am passionate about having the most natural birth experience possible (although, having said that, I am not having a home birth for this one - I'd like one "under my belt" before going that route!).

I am very interested in knowing any advice you may have on going into labor without taking drugs for induction, ensuring that labor progresses at a good pace, and avoiding C-section (unless there's a cord incident or other emergency, of course).

While I realize that even with the maximum possible amount of preparation, unforeseen circumstances can arise during birth, I'd like to have the certainty that I did everything I could to ensure the most natural delivery possible.

From what I've read and discussed with my OB, I am in good shape to have a normal delivery - only gained 12 lbs this pregnancy, great blood pressure, no swelling in hands/feet, good fetal movement and heart rate, and the baby is head-down (although the head hasn't dropped yet).

Thanks for your advice!

ANSWER

Congratulations! It sounds like you are doing great so far. You might want to watch the YouTube my student did. It has lots of good ideas packed into a small space!

-- Cynthia, CNM. PhD.

Comments

anti-c-section video

Submitted by sdmarshall77 on Thu, 07/21/2011 - 19:57.

I'm sorry- I understand that there are definite risks associated with having a c-section (I have had one by medical necessity), however I find this video one-sided and bordering on fear mongering. The comment that one woman makes about "they cut your abdominal muscles and then you can't walk" it blatently untrue. Another woman talks about how cold and alone you are is also untrue. My OR was full of caring people, all of whom i got to meet before the procedure. My husband was also with me every step of the way. while this video may be a useful tool for future midwives, I don't think it is fair or responsible to show it to first time mothers that are already scared and unsure.

Cynthia Flynn

Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, is the General Director of the Family Health and Birth Center which provides prenatal, birth, postnatal, gynecological and primary health care to underserved women and their families in Washington, D.C. Recently Cynthia served as Associate Professor of Nursing at Seattle University. There she not only taught, but remained in full scope clinical midwifery practice at Valley Medical Center where she cared for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.