If you have decided on a home birth or a birth center, I am so happy for you! You will be receiving different attention than most mothers. I would love to have a home birth, but that is not what works for our family. Most mothers deliver in a hospital with multiple mothers needing care. Nurses are assigned to multiple patients. These are positive statements about the expecting or laboring mom, their baby and their birthing process and, through repetition, they can turn any negative thought that you may have about giving birth into a positive one. This will reduce any stress and anxiety, and boost your self-esteem and self-confidence. As a consequence, your body will follow by relaxing and birthing more easily, thus dramatically reducing any labor pain.

Beyond basic benefits are the more nuanced benefits of allowing for uninterrupted time and connection. By asserting a pause after birth through delayed cord clamping, you set the tone for that Golden Hour of bonding and pure bliss between you and your baby. Working with your body to help encourage and support the natural induction of the birthing process can be very effective while also lowering the risk for future interventions. That said, there are several natural ways to induce labor that are not invasive at all and, usually, the worst that can happen is that they don’t work and you just keep waiting for the signs that labor is going to start soon. So, you might want to give these a try! Since every new mom has different needs for their birth plan, we’ll tell you if each plan fits specific needs.You should start thinking about your own birth plan and what kind of birth your wish for from the beginning of your second trimester of pregnancy. However, you don’t really need to get it ready until you are about 32-36 weeks and approaching full term. Don’t wait until the very last minute and the first signs of labor!

Good for: Those looking for a comprehensive, very specific list of interventions. Mama Naturals Visual Birth Planner There are several studies that confirm how using aromatherapy during labor can help manage pain and manage anxiety and, as a result, create a greater satisfaction with the childbirth experience. So, if you are hoping for a natural birth and exploring some pain management techniques, have a look into it. There's an array of labor props that moms use in the delivery room, such as a shower, tub, birthing ball, birthing stool, squatting bar, and so on. (You may want to ask your provider what kinds of props you're allowed to bring with you and which ones the hospital can provide.)Be sure to MAKE A COPY, as you cannot edit the original, then save as a Google Doc, a Word doc, or a PDF.)

Just like good childbirth education, the process of creating a birth plan helps eliminate some of the fear and anxiety surrounding birth because it erases a bit of the unknown. Creates an opportunity to learn more about your birthing place’s policies and standard care procedures Nitrous oxide does not completely eliminate pain, but it can help reduce it and, most importantly, it can help lessen your anxiety and relax. So, it is a very good option for women who are prone to anxiety or want the ability to move around during labor. As your pain level increases, and the hormones course through your body, you might have the feeling that you are the most important patient that these medical professionals are assigned to.Make fully informed choices. Every birth is different, and many choices will have to be made on the day itself. But with your plan, you will always be reminded that you have options and are part of the decision-making process. It's important to remember that giving birth doesn't always go perfectly to plan, and things may have to change at the last minute. This point is closely related to the previous one, but I left it separate because this is an induction method that’s often offered to women, and there’s this false assumption that if your water breaks, then labor has to start. However, having your healthcare provider rupturing the bag of waters does not guarantee labor will start soon at all. Plus, it can have side effects such as increased pain, more intense contractions, and an increased risk of infection. Natural Birth/Unmedicated Birth: Natural birth is widely accepted to mean birth without an epidural or C-section. And for some, it means without any medical interventions (100% all-natural pain management strategies) Inspires research on various interventions, options, policies, and norms associated with labor, delivery, immediate newborn care, and your hospital stay after birth