When we hear the phrase “Natural Birth”, we all imagine a woman who is screaming her lungs out to give birth to a child, right? Well, let me tell you what I always say to moms I meet, “What you see on television is not real, it is called acting!”.  Every mom has her own unique experience, and there are a lot of things that a mom need to be aware of before giving birth, so she can have an amazing one. So before making up your mind about the course, you want to take regarding your birthing experience. It is vital to know what is true and what is not about Natural Birth.

That’s why, I have written this article to show you 6 main misconceptions about Natural Birth, that will ease your worries and make setting up your birth plan much easier.

1. Our bodies need medical help to give birth

Women have come to believe that their bodies cannot give birth without medical assistance. In most cases, this is simply not the case. It is obvious that sometimes medical intervention is necessary and extremely valuable; We’re considered quite lucky to have access to some wonderful facilities in the Middle East. However, we have come to doubt our birthing abilities due to negative images of labor and birth in the Media and on Television.  Do you only hear negative birth stories from family and friends? Women love to talk about their bad experiences; rarely do we hear people talking about their wonderful birth stories. Try to avoid people and situations that don’t make you feel good about your upcoming labor and birth. Remember, everyone has different experiences; feeling confident and optimistic beforehand will most definitely lead to a better experience for you. Good health, emotional support, and privacy during labor are generally all that women need to give birth in a beautifully natural way. Women need to trust and listen to their bodies, it is what we are born to do! Pregnancy and birth are not medical conditions!

2. Medical interventions should be avoided and are seen as a failure by the mothers

It is important to be aware that sometimes interventions such as forceps delivery occur for good medical reasons outside a mother’s control.  The decision by medical staff to implement any kind of intervention is often done to prevent complications arising later in birth.  It is crucial that mothers are well informed about labor and birth, and that they feel confident to ask questions about what is happening to feel that they are a part of the process. A woman who feels that she took part in any decision-making process will feel much more satisfied with her birth experience. Medical interventions do not mean you have failed!

3. It is more difficult to get back into shape after natural birth

This simply is not true.  Birth is a natural process that is bodies are designed to deal with. Breastfeeding your baby is a wonderful way to burn calories and get back into shape.  A cesarean section is a major operation that your body will need to recover from slowly.  You will get your pre-baby body back if you follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly as a part of your lifestyle. Don’t rush to get back in shape; take your time, enjoy your new baby, and embrace your new mothers’ body!

4. Natural birth is way too painful to endure

Of course, you will feel some discomfort during childbirth, but each woman has a different experience, pain is very subjective.  Don’t listen to negative stories about pain in childbirth.  Use of techniques such as hypnobirthing are incredibly helpful and can lead to a wonderful childbirth experience.  Why would the uterus be the only muscle in the body that causes excruciating pain when it is doing its job?  Fear and anxiety are huge contributors to pain in childbirth.  Use breathing, relaxation and distraction techniques!

5. “I may not have the strength to deliver a child naturally.”

If you concentrate on breathing and relaxing during your labor, staying in control then your body’s natural instincts will take over. Take it slow, rest when you need, be as active as you feel appropriate, trust your body and you will find the strength!  Staying upright and active during labor can really aid baby’s descent and help with an easier birth.

6. Using drugs in labor is a failure

Women who desire a natural childbirth do sometimes decide to use pain relievers such as gas, air, and epidural on the day.  This is NOT any kind of failure on the part of the woman.  It is incredibly important that a woman comes away from her labor and birth feeling good about the experience.  A woman who feels that she was well informed about what options that were available to her tend to feel much more positive about her birth experience. Labour and birth are unpredictable, it is good to go into it with an open mind, have clear intentions but understand that it can take many twists and turns, always aim for “the right birth on the day for you and your baby.”