How to prepare for an autonomous hospital birth

Here are some of my personal opinions and tips and tricks to having a “home birth hospital birth”. 

   Although I love home birth. Sometimes it is not what everyone wants or needs. I want mamas to have a wonderful birth experience regardless of location. There are multiple reasons that you may not want a home birth and that’s okay. Good births happen in the hospital too.

 Hire a doula

 A big recommendation would be to hire a doula 🙃 we can help with resources, education, and we will be there to support you throughout labor. We will help make sure everyone is communicating on the same page, help ensure your birth is going the way you envisioned mostly. 

 Write a birth plan or preferences 

The earlier in your pregnancy, the better in my opinion to write a birth plan or preference list. Start dreaming of what your birth looks like. What the environment will look like, who will be in the room, what does it smell like, is it dark, what do you hear, what does your pain management look like, what interventions are you okay with or opposed to. Watch birth videos, maybe specifically positive hospital birth videos. Surround yourself with people that like birth and have positive opinions about birth. 

Research and interview providers

Find a provider. Look up obs, midwife’s, groups, hospitals in your area or even an hour out. Look up reviews, C-sections rates, talk to people including people you don’t know to get real references. When you go in for your visit, if you already have your preference list/birth dream plan bring that with you and write down any questions you have on an actual piece of paper not notes tab and ask them. At the end of every visit ask for a copy of the visit and whatever lab work was done. You may have to sign a medical release and wait for this. Or it may be uploaded on a portal. But this will make it easier for you to interview several providers without having the same things done over and over that aren’t needed. After your appointment, think about how you felt. Were you listened to, did they seem weird about your birth plan, what medical “advice” did they give, did you want to cry, are you excited about meeting them again. Try to write this down too. Write down a pros and cons list.  And if there were any red flags go ahead and start researching another provider.

    Interviewing a doctor or midwife

at a hospital is just as important as interviewing one for a homebirth. Also keep in mind a lot of practices have rotating providers, which kinda sucks. You may like one and not like another and you cannot choose who will be with you when your labor starts or if shift changes. Those practices are only as good as the worst provider. Keep in mind if you find someone you love and they are an hour away, labor typically lasts longer than an hour. A tip I like- as soon as you know you are in labor, is to reserve a hotel/airbnb close to the hospital and go to the hotel room until you are ready to go to the hospital. 

   Okay you found a provider or you are still having trouble that’s okay too you can switch as often as you feel the need to. You are allowed and it is your right to get a second, third, even a tenth opinion. Also remember you are the one paying your insurance and paying the doctor, they work for you, so only hire the best. 

Education

 Now is the time to start researching and educating yourself. Look into different interventions, the risks and benefits of them. Ask questions. Listen to podcasts.Block things you don’t like to see on your Instagram feed that go against your beliefs. Education is your biggest line of defense, the more you know the less likely you are to end up in a birth situation you did not see coming.

    Get yourself as healthy as you know to be. 

I’m not saying start lifting 100 lbs if you never lift away weights. But I like the saying “know better do better.” Knowledge is power. Start walking or eating healthier. Being healthy will only help and could help for an easier labor. I really like Spinning Babies. They have tips you can follow throughout your pregnancy and these movements are designed to help babies be in an optimal position. If you want to eat better Westin A Price and Brewers diet are both commonly highly recommended. A good diet is so beneficial to fetal development, and can keep you healthy overall and avoid interventions later on, and many other benefits. Drink water! Drinking water with electrolytes and minerals is beneficial. Look into supplements to take. Try to avoid daily toxins in your life that can be found in food and products around your house and that you put on your skin. Research and do what feels right and ask questions if you are unsure of something. 

   See a Webster certified chiropractor and a pelvic floor pt

These providers will help keep your pelvis aligned, can help with other things, and help you feel better overall. They will also help with the baby being in a preferred position, which can make labor easier for you. 

   Watch labor videos and practice breathing techniques 

If you have a doula they will typically do a prenatal visit and go over different labor positions and help teach you breathing techniques. And pain coping mechanisms. Your partner can help with a lot of these when labor actually starts until extra support is wanted. Bridget Teylor is one of my favorites to watch on YouTube, she is a doula and childbirth educator. Her videos are short and easy to watch. 

Okay you made it to the end! Whoo hoo! You have picked out a provider you trust, that will honor your wishes, You have educated yourself and honored your body during this pregnancy! Next week we will talk about what to do when labor starts and how to have a beautiful hospital birth.