If you’re an expecting mother, you know that pregnancy is a long, physically and mentally grueling experience. But a normal delivery allows moms to get back a healthy body quicker than deliveries performed through a cesarean. The mother is stronger post childbirth and so is the baby since the natural birth has given him time to fully develop his organs. It also prevents the risk of complications in future pregnancies. If you’re hoping to avoid the stitches and have a normal delivery, follow these tips for a positive outcome.

Here are 7 Tips For Normal Delivery During Pregnancy

1. Believe in Your Body

Your body is designed to grow a baby in it for nine months and unless you have any serious medical problem diagnosed by the doctor, it will be able to do it. You pelvis and vaginal tissues are built in a way to sustain delivery. Your brain releases endorphins at the time of labour to help with pain, and the fetus also has a soft spot on her head so it can mold to fit out of the birth canal.

2. Use Coping Mechanisms

Participate in classes that show pain management techniques for natural labor, such as breathing, self-hypnosis and relaxation. Meditate, move, get a massage and listen to music to de-stress and relax your body. Natural deliveries are more painful than cesareans so make sure that you can deal with the pain.

3. Pick a doctor who is pro-natural birth

Some are and some aren’t. Talk extensively with your doctor to ascertain his ideology. It’s also important to talk about this with your partner. Your chances for achieving your goal are increased if the people taking care of you are on the same page.

It’s important that you and your doctor talk extensively about vaginal delivery complications
Photo Credit: iStock

4. Limit weight gaining activities

Labor is smoother and without complications for women who aren’t overweight. Make sure you include protein and fiber-rich vegetables in your diet and push high sugar foods out of it. 340-450 extra calories in your second and third trimester are enough for the baby so don’t go binging. A 10-minute walk everyday will ease out any pain during labor.

5. Spend early labor at home

When your contractions are consistently less than five minutes apart and have been getting stronger for at least a couple hours no matter what you do, then you can check in with your doctor. If you go to the hospital and you’re not dilated enough, go home.

6. Use water

Taking a shower, bathing in a bathtub, birthing pool and using hot compresses are tools that can ease pain and help you relax. Make sure you also drink 10 glasses of water everyday to avoid constipation. Digestion slows down during pregnancy and so it’s vital that you remain hydrated to ease it.

7. Stay Healthy

Natural birth is usually only a safe option for low-risk moms, so do everything you can to stay healthy! Focusing on keeping a healthy nutrition and exercise plan can go a long way to accomplishing that goal. That isn’t to say that you have to be perfect. With the challenges of nausea and exhaustion that some women experience during pregnancy, it’s usually enough to just do the best you can.