A natural birth is a birth without pain medication. Instead of pain medicine, people who have a natural birth find relief in methods like massage, water therapy, and breathing techniques.
Whether you want a natural childbirth or pain medication, UPMC supports and respects your choices during labor. We provide a range of alternative pain relief and comfort options throughout your natural birth in the hospital. We also welcome your support people and your doula.
Here's what you should know about a natural birth and how to prepare for a natural birth.
People usually define a natural birth as a vaginal birth without pain medication (like an epidural). There are different ways to define a natural birth, however.
Some see medication to induce labor (oxytocin) as acceptable for a natural birth because it is like a natural hormone. Others think a birth that's induced or sped up with synthetic oxytocin is not a "natural birth."
Some people see vacuum- or forceps-assisted deliveries as natural, while others perceive these to be at odds with the natural birth philosophy. Likewise, some people who don't want an epidural during birth may determine that nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is a pain relief option for a natural birth.
Benefits of giving birth without pain medication include:
A natural birth also comes with risks, however. It may not be the right decision for everyone.
You may choose a natural birth if you think the benefits of a natural birth seem worth the extra pain. It may help you to talk to people who had a natural birth, as well as people who had a medicated birth, and hear about their experiences.
A natural birth is most likely to be successful if you research natural pain relief and breathing techniques ahead of time. You will need a doula or partner who will coach you through a natural birth. If you're not interested in this preparation process, a natural birth may not be for you.
If you have a high-risk pregnancy that requires continuous fetal monitoring throughout the labor, a natural birth may be difficult. It is hard to walk, change positions, or use water therapy if you require continuous fetal monitoring.
If you have never been in labor, it may be hard to know if a natural birth is right for you. Many people interested in a natural birth may decide to try to labor without medication, knowing they can request pain medication at any time.
If you're having a natural birth in a hospital or a birthing center, the risks are the same as a vaginal delivery with pain medication. In most, but not all, cases, the risks of vaginal delivery are lower than the risk of a C-section.
The risks of a vaginal delivery include:
Compared to a vaginal birth with pain medication, a natural birth brings the added risk of experiencing extreme pain. However, a natural birth doesn't have the risks that pain medication side effects can pose. Though side effects from pain medication are usually mild, they can include nausea, a fever, an allergic reaction, a drop in blood pressure, and more.
It is important for your health and your baby's health to be flexible. Things can go wrong in labor. You may plan for a natural birth but end up requiring an intervention, like labor induction, vacuum delivery, or even an emergency C-section.
Refusing interventions that you need during labor can pose serious risks to you or your baby.
A home birth is riskier than a natural birth at a hospital or birth center. That is because, at a hospital, doctors can intervene if necessary for your health or your baby's. If labor doesn't go as planned, they can provide medication to speed up labor or an emergency C-section, for example.
Birth centers cannot provide these interventions but are often located near hospitals. They also include trained professionals who can recognize the early signs of problems and transfer you to a hospital in time to get help.
People may choose to give birth at home because the environment is more comfortable. However, it is important to know the risks of home births.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the risk of a baby dying during birth is two times higher with a home birth compared to a hospital birth. The risk of seizures and brain damage in a baby due to a lack of oxygen is three times higher with a home birth compared to a hospital birth.
Here's what you should expect before, during, and after a natural birth and how you can prepare for a natural birth.
Weeks to months before your due date, you should talk to your provider about your choice for a natural birth. They can discuss the benefits and risks based on your unique health situation. You can also write a birth plan and give your plan to your midwife or doctor.
Early on in your pregnancy, you should identify who your main support person or people will be during labor. You may want your partner, your mother, a friend, or more than one supporter by your side.
You may also wish to hire a doula who has training in supporting people emotionally and physically during birth. Doulas do not have medical training. But they can provide massage, advocacy, words of encouragement, breathing coaching, and more.
Ensure your supporters respect your choices, listen to you, and keep you calm during your labor. At UPMC, we allow up to two support people and a doula to be in the room with you during the labor and birth.
Before you decide on a natural birth, read up on natural pain relief options, like breathing techniques, water therapy, counter-pressure, and more. You should also read about medical interventions that can happen during labor, including pain medication. That way, you know what to expect and what choices you may have in case you end up needing a medical intervention.
Here are some ways you can prepare for a natural birth:
A natural birth is very similar to a birth with pain medication. In early labor, you may be able to stay at home. If you have a doula, they can meet you at your house.
You'll go to the hospital or birthing center when your contractions become stronger and closer.
Once at the hospital, you can walk around the labor and delivery area. You may wish to sit on an exercise ball or hold on to a chair during contractions. You may find it helpful when your labor partner presses on your lower back (called counter pressure) during contractions.
Your doctor or midwife will check how much your cervix has dilated when you check in to the hospital. They will recheck this later in your labor. It may take many hours for your cervix to dilate to 10 centimeters.
They will also routinely check your blood pressure and baby's heart rate (with a fetal heart rate monitor). As with births involving pain medication, they will only perform exams and tests when necessary.
If the labor process takes too long and your water hasn't yet broken, your provider may break your water. They will use a thin plastic tool to rupture the amniotic sac. This doesn't cause pain, and midwives have used this technique for centuries.
At any time during labor, you can request pain medication despite it not being in your birth plan. An epidural may speed up labor, or it may slow it down. For long labors, pain medication may help the pregnant person rest so they can have more energy to push later.
If your doctor or midwife is worried about the fetus, they may order continuous fetal monitoring. This involves a belt worn around the belly that tracks your contractions and your baby's heart rate.
Once the cervix fully dilates, the baby will begin to descend out of the uterus and down the birth canal. You will feel a strong urge to push.
The pushing process may take 20 minutes to 2 hours. It is usually longer during the first birth. You may wish to sit up, squat, or kneel instead of lying on your back.
If the pain is too much, some women who don't have an epidural request nitrous oxide (laughing gas). This can help with the pain but is very temporary; the effects go away when you remove the mask.
Your care team will guide you through the pushing process and let you know when they can see the baby's head crowning.
After the birth, you can choose to hold the baby right away as long as your baby doesn't require immediate medical care.
Some say you recover faster if you have a natural birth compared to having an epidural during labor. However, a 2023 study of 300 women found the recovery was no different between the two groups.
That said, with a natural birth, you don't have to wait for the effects of an epidural to wear off. You'll be able to walk as soon as you feel ready.
You may also feel alert from the adrenaline of the birth. This can be a good time to try breastfeeding.
You will need to stay in the hospital for another day or two after giving birth. Your care providers will check in on you and monitor your blood pressure, temperature, and other vital signs. They will also help you with bathing and changing your baby.
It takes six to eight weeks to fully recover from a vaginal birth. You may have stitches if you tear, but they'll dissolve and fall out on their own. During this time, you'll be sore and have vaginal bleeding for a few weeks, called lochia.
Last reviewed by a UPMC medical professional on 2024-09-05.
