Before we decided to start a family, my knowledge of the birthing process came largely from what I'd seen in movies. Birth began when your water broke and it was time to rush to the hospital. There'd be a lot of pushing and screaming, whilst on your back, and there'd be a man at the end of the bed ready to catch the crying baby. Shortly after, you'd be holding your sweet baby, smiling down at her, while looking flawless as ever. Sound about right? Did I miss anything?

Needless to say, once I was pregnant with our daughter, I had my work cut out for me! I knew long before I was pregnant, that I wanted to give birth in the most natural, non-invasive way possible. I can share the "why" another time. For now I want to share how I prepared for my natural birth in Rochester Hills, MI. Side note: I gave birth in a hospital, so some of my tips are geared towards that route; although, many of them apply whether you give birth at home, in a pool, or anywhere else.

Tips For Preparing For A Natural Birth in Rochester Hills MI

One | Attend a natural birthing class. This is my number one, if-you-do-nothing-else suggestion. Pay attention, participate, ask so many questions. The class Erik and I attended covered labor signs (…so there's more than just your water breaking?), the stages of birth, techniques for dealing with the pain (beyond the ooo-ooo-ahh-ahh noises), and misconceptions about natural birthing. Knowing what to expect at the various stages helped me remain calm, and having practiced a lot of the methods for dealing with the pain prepared me when the time came to utilize them. Without this class in Rochester Hills, MI, I don't know that our daughter's birth would have gone so smoothly.

Two | Read Baby Designed by God and, if you have time, Women Designed by God by chiropractor couple, Drs. Jeremy and Amanda Hess. Baby Designed by God was immensely empowering and informative on the subjects of having a natural pregnancy; home-birthing options; and raising a drug-free child. Weaved throughout are powerful natural birth stories that will inspire anyone contemplating this path. Women Designed by God was equally powerful, challenging the attitudes the health care industry has about women. Rather than needing to be cut open, poked at, and heavily medicated, Dr. Amanda shares an alternative story: that God designed woman perfectly with the ability to heal naturally and from within.

Also, if you're giving birth naturally in a hospital setting, read Natural Hospital Birth: The Best of Both Worlds by Cynthia Gabriel. Holy smokes, did this book cover it all: possible objections to expect in a hospital, writing a birth plan, the stages of birth-you name it!

Three | Make sure your birth partner is on board and educated in natural birthing. Attend the classes in Rochester Hills, MI together, share the highlights of the books you read, and practice the techniques together! The last thing you need to be doing when the time comes is coaching your coach!

Four | Get adjusted. #nobrainer This isn't a just a plug for my husband. I got adjusted throughout my entire pregnancy. It is a must. I could write a post and a half on why this is so important. But, briefly, adjustments allow for a quicker birth; they alleviate that excruciating back pain that goes along with creating life; and, most importantly, adjustments relieve in utero constraint. In pregnancy (and life in general), a woman's ligaments can get too tight on one side. When these ligaments are too contracted, the baby can be prevented getting into the natural position for birth. We know this, of course, leads to all kinds of unwanted interventions, and complications.

Five | Write your birth plan. I received this advice from every website, blog, and mom I knew, but I still questioned it. As a meticulous planner and Type A controller, I was afraid that in writing my birth plan, I would become stressed and anxious when plans went awry. I'm glad I went ahead and wrote it anyways. Essentially, this document includes an overview of mom's ideal birth, with details on everything from the lighting and music to how you want your baby cared for after birth (e.g. vaccines, skin-to-skin, etc.). While this was an easy, clear-cut way to inform the countless people involved in my birth, more than anything, this allowed me to meditate on the big day-how would I feel, what would I be doing, what would my husband be doing, and so on; it made the whole thing feel so real.

Six | Visualize. Along with writing your birth plan, meditate on it, picture it, dream of it. This was so important. When it came time, I wasn't blindsided, and therefore, it wasn't as scary-I'd already been there a million times in my mind.

Seven | Choose a midwife or OB in Rochester Hills, MI who supports your decision and choose a birthing center that specializes in natural birthing.  Fortunately, the hospital nearest my home at the time has a whole wing dedicated to this!

Eight | Trust your body. Have faith that you were designed for this very moment. There is a time and a place for medical intervention, of course! But, time and time again, it's been proven that doctors can be too quick to default to intervening, whether via C-section or induction and so on.

Bonus Tips | Surround yourself with supportive women, whether they gave birth in a pool, at the hospital, or not at all. You will rely on these women so heavily in those early days! Get adjusted at Embrace Life Chiropractic in Rochester Hills, MI (did I mention this yet-so important). Relax and realize you don't have to do it all; you just have to do this one thing! You got this, Mama!