Hey mama, I’m going to throw you a curveball on how I introduce this topic. During my pre-nursing days, I got into a car accident which resulted in a torn ligament in my spine. This happened while I was volunteering in an ICU setting and would occasionally assist with lumbar punctures and found myself cringing as that exact spot was a pain point for me. A few years later working as an RN in the emergency department, lumbar punctures became a pretty routine thing I would be involved with and continued to seriously dislike the notion of getting stabbed in the back with a needle – despite all the other blood and guts I was used to seeing. So before I ever became pregnant, I joked on several occasions that I would rather go through natural childbirth than have an epidural. Turns out this was the foundation of my decision that I was not going to have an epidural.

Here I give you my list of (some unusual yet effective) methods I used to have natural childbirth for my babies.

1. Decide that having an epidural or medication is not an option and it doesn’t exist. Even though I’m a medical professional and I very well know what is available. I psyched myself into being more apprehensive about an epidural than doing it au naturel. If you’re more of a realist an this doesn’t work for you, perhaps consider the reality that, in most cases, less intervention equals less complication. Of course every birth is unique and circumstantial and I’m definitely not discrediting the necessity of intervention for certain circumstances.
2. Often reflect on how many women throughout history and in your family have done this before you. I recall going for long walks during my pregnancy and would often think about my mom and her mom who had natural childbirth experiences. I would admire how tough they are/were, and I wanted to be tough like them.
3. This might rub you the wrong way, but it’s just the truth. I considered my sins and decided that the pain I would endure in childbirth was my punishment. In reference to Genesis 3:16, when God dishes out the consequence of Eve’s disobedience to His command, saying, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children.”
4. I was a masochist (get your head outta the gutter- not like that!). I considered in my mind and spoke outloud to others, that I decided it was about time I understand the meaning of true physical pain. I’ve broken my pinky and torn a ligament in my spine, been sore from falling off my horse and landing on my face. One could say those events didn’t leave me feeling great, but I felt as though I needed to go through some healthy suffering.
5. Finally, some more normal tips: I listened to positive natural birth stories. There are many resources for this, but I especially enjoyed the Built to Birth Podcast.
6. I educated myself. I read books on natural childbirth and watched YouTube videos. The Built To Birth channel (click here to view on YouTube) is an amazing resource and Bridget has such an empowering energy about her.
7. When I felt doubt from people, I used it to fuel my motivation. I recall reading how “trying to prove that you can do it” is not enough of a reason to sustain you through natural childbirth, but I can say that it was definitely part of my reason and it worked for me.
8. I was aware that once you hit the point where you feel like you can’t take it anymore, “transition phase”, baby is soon(ish) to arrive. Now that wasn’t necessarily how it played out in my birth stories, but my point is, it is get-throughable. It will eventually be over. If an epidural is given this late in the game when you’re at transition, it may not have enough time to take full effect.
9. Tell the people in your birth team your plans, but realize it is possible they might break when they hear you wailing and still offer it up. I went into labor predetermined to not use medications and I let the team know. I don’t recall them offering me anything because I was so focused, but my husband recalls that they did try to offer me pain medication.
10. Allowing yourself to get primal and instinctual reinforces in your mind that birth is natural and that you are capable. Do this by advocating for and having your partner and team aware of the environment you want to labor in.
11. Pray for and meditate on the childbirthing experience you want to have. Spend time visualizing in detail how it will go, how calm and ready you will be. While we’re on the point of mediation, doing deep breathing exercises is very beneficial. While practicing deep and slow breathing, visualize yourself getting through surges and putting into action and focus the breathing techniques – this is where the mind body connection comes into play. With consistent practice not only doing the action of deep breathing, but meditating on how you will breathe during the surges of labor and visualizing yourself doing so, when it comes to the final event your body and brain will have a sense of familiarity- a neuropathway that you’ve created a channel for. The more you practice, the deeper the groove of this pathway in the brain, the more prepared you will feel.

Natural childbirth is a beautiful thing; but so is any childbirth. At the end of the day, the goal is to bring baby safely into the world. While you can have all the best intentions to do a natural childbirth, things can change and it’s also important to be mentally prepared for flexibility.

Remember, mama, you are strong, capable, and you have been given everything you need to bring your baby into the world. Fear is not helpful here, so replace it with positivity, hope and by empowering yourself with mental, physical and spiritual preparation. Whether your birth unfolds exactly as you envision or takes unexpected turns, know that you have the strength and resilience to navigate it all. May you find peace, comfort, and reassurance in this exciting time while you are so close to meeting baby. I hope that this mindset advice can be helpful for you to achieve an excited and healthy approach to bringing baby into the world.

Let me know what you think down below… am I a masochist or can you relate to the sentiment of feeling like you’re meant to feel the feels of childbirth? xoxo