How to Have a Natural Hospital Birth

If you are a pregnant mama who is wanting to learn more about how to have a natural hospital birth, then this is the article for you. 

First off – CONGRATS on your pregnancy and on wanting to pursue an unmedicated hospital birth! My unmedicated hospital birth was one of the most empowering experiences I’ve had in my entire life, and I am confident that yours can be too!

RELATED: My Birth Story: Unmedicated Hospital Birth Using the Bradley Method

Giving birth is an incredible journey. It’s not easy, however, it is something I believe that we are designed to do. In most cases (I say “most” because there are always exceptions), a woman does not need medical intervention in order for her to deliver a perfectly healthy baby.

Below, I’m giving you ten of my top tips on how to have a natural hospital birth.  I want you to always remember though, with or without my tips, YOU are completely CAPABLE of birthing your baby. YOUR BODY knows how to deliver your baby. You are THE BEST mama for your baby.

Remember that. 

Read all the birth stories, educate yourself, tune into your intuition, bring your birth affirmations, listen to the opinions of others, but always remember that you know innately how to birth your baby. Be empowered in that. 

Ten Ways to Prepare for Your Natural Hospital Birth

1. Choose a Provider Who Supports Your Decision to Have a Natural Hospital Birth

Having a natural birth in a hospital can often prove to be a challenge, simply because many providers are not supportive (or educated on) low intervention, unmedicated birth.  So the NUMBER ONE thing that I recommend for mamas who want to have a successful unmedicated birth in a hospital is to have a provider who will support you.

It’s a game changer. 

If possible, choose a practice with Certified Nurse-Midwives.  The word Mid-Wife means “with-woman”, and midwives tend to be much more educated around helping women have a successful natural birth.

Midwives can often offer tips to help you naturally get relief during labor, they know tricks to help your labor progress naturally with different positions, and they believe that women’s bodies are designed to give birth. 

There are also supportive OB’s out there, so definitely don’t rule OB’s out, but just make sure to do thorough research on the OB’s you are considering. What are their C-section rates? Are they educated on how to help a woman give birth naturally without pushing unnecessary interventions?

One of my favorite ways to find a provider who is supportive of natural birth is to ask local moms who have had natural hospital births! You can usually find women like this in local “natural/crunchy mom” groups on Facebook.

2. Educate Yourself on Giving Birth Naturally

 Education is power, right? If you are a pregnant mama wanting to have a natural birth (hospital or not), I highly recommend that you educate yourself on labor and birth.

Read natural birth books, take natural birth classes, and watch positive birth story videos. 

Bringing your baby into the world is most likely going to be one of the biggest moments of your entire life. So please prepare and educate yourself so feel knowledgeable and empowered that you CAN DO THIS.

3. Hire a Doula or Have an Educated Partner

If you have a partner who wants to be very hands on and involved in your birth, consider taking Bradley Birth Classes. 

My husband and I took Bradley Birth classes with a local instructor during our pregnancy, and I think it was a game-changer for our birth experience. We went into our birth feeling very prepared and knowledgeable about my body and the entire birth process. I felt so safe knowing my husband was educated and prepared to defend our birth plan if any unnecessary interventions were pushed on us (luckily they weren’t!). 

The Bradley method is also called Husband-Coached Childbirth and helps teach your partner many different techniques and calming methods that he can do to help you during your contractions. If you are interested in finding a class in your area, check out their website. http://bradleybirth.com/ Many of the classes offer remote learning through video calls too. 

If your Bradley birth classes don’t sound right for you and your partner, I would highly recommend hiring a doula. 

According to DONA, a doula is defined as, “a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to a mother before, during and shortly after childbirth to help her achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible.”

Doulas are incredible supports for mothers and I believe they are especially helpful and important if you are planning to have a natural hospital birth. A trained doula should come alongside you AND your partner, and help empower your partner to support you (not replace them).

4. Have a Detailed (but easy to read) birth plan

A birth plan is a piece of paper that you bring to the hospital with you, detailing all of your preferences for your birth. 

Your birth plan should be detailed, clear and concise so there is no confusion on what you do or don’t want.  

Do you want a quiet room where hospital staff will keep their voices low while you labor? Write that down. 

Do you want your baby to be placed on your chest for immediate skin-to-skin when they’re born? Write that down too. 

Consider keeping your birth plan to one page only and using bullet points so it is easy and quick for hospital staff to reference.

5. Listen to Your Instincts and Intuition 

There is so much noise – so many opinions – so much research and so many options. It can feel overwhelming. It’s deafening.

Practice getting quiet and trusting your intuition while you’re pregnant. What feels instinctual?

Always do research, always listen to trusted counsel, but ABOVE ALL, remember that birth is embedded in your DNA. You have everything you need inside of you to bring your baby into the world.

It’s okay to trust yourself, mama. 

6. Practice Relaxation Techniques During Your Pregnancy

Relaxation is my number one secret to having a natural birth.

When we are in pain, we tend to tense our muscles without even realizing it. It’s so important to consciously make the effort to relax every part of your body and surrender to the waves of the contractions.

During my birth, I didn’t even realize I was holding tension in my neck during contractions. My husband would gently rub my neck to help remind me to relax.

Relaxing during pain does not come naturally to most people, so it’s important for pregnant mothers to be practicing relaxing every day during their pregnancy so they are well-practiced when labor comes!

Here’s what I recommend:

Dim the lights, lay down on your bed, close your eyes, and focus on your breath.

Breathe in through your nose deeply, and exhale through your mouth slowly. 

Slowly allow all tension to melt away from your body. 

Observe every part of your body starting with your feet. How do your feet feel? Are they completely loose and relaxed?

What about your legs? Your wrists and arms? Are they relaxed?

Scan up to your shoulders and neck – are you holding any tension in your neck? Breathe it out. Relax. 

What about your face? It’s so easy to hold tension in our face. Relax every muscle in your face.

Focus on your breath. Stay completely relaxed for 60 seconds (which is about the time of one contraction).

Practice this relaxation technique in different positions to help prepare you for labor. Practice it standing up, laying down, sitting on a ball, leaned over a chair, etc. 

7. Labor at Home for as long as possible 

Home is your safe environment. It’s where all your belongings are, where no one is bothering you, and where you can easily get comfortable. You can do whatever you want in your own home! You can take a shower, a bath, you can go on a long walk, eat food, light candles, get in your pajamas, etc.

The earlier you go to the hospital, the longer you will have to be laboring at the hospital. And the longer you are laboring at the hospital, the more likely you will have interventions suggested to you to speed up labor; Not usually because your labor actually needs to be sped up, but more because you are on the timeline of the hospital staff. 

It’s very recommended to NOT get admitted to the hospital before you’re in active labor. Basically…you want to be in full-on, active labor before being admitted. 

In my experience, it’s ideal to be 7 or so centimeters dilated when you arrive (always ask your provider what they would prefer – if it’s your first baby, most will probably say to come in once you have had contractions 5 minutes apart, lasting for 1 minute each, for at least 1 hour).

Use your own judgment on deciding when to go to the hospital because you know your body best!

8. Move Around and Labor in Different Positions

There is (typically) no reason you need to be hooked up to an IV during labor if you are well hydrated, well nourished, and planning to avoid an epidural.

This is great, because then you are free to move around and labor in different positions.

Many women naturally have their own “labor dance” which involves standing and swaying back and forth during a contraction. 

Try different positions – sit on the birth ball, lean onto the birthing ball, lean against your partner, sit backwards on the toilet, etc. 

9. Decorate your Room in a Way That Makes You Feel Comfortable and Supported

Some women like to make their hospital room feel cozy and welcoming. Here are some ideas for things you could bring to help achieve a calm atmosphere in an otherwise cold hospital room. 

A diffuser and some calming essential oils 

A salt lamp

Dim fairy lights

Birth affirmation cards to hang up

A speaker to play gentle background music

Slippers and a comfy robe

Plenty of snacks and water

10. Use the Bath

Hydrotherapy is very effective at calming and relaxing the body during active labor. 

When I was in transition, I decided to get in the bath and it immediately helped calm and relax my body so I was able to progress into the pushing stage.

Most hospitals typically don’t allow you to give birth in the bath, but they do allow for laboring in the bath, and I absolutely think women should take advantage of that!

I hope that these tips helped encourage you that it is completely possible for you to have a beautiful, unmedicated birth in a hospital. Know your rights, be prepared, and have a supportive team around you, and I know you will have an incredible experience!