Owning your birth philosophy: What does ‘natural birth’ really mean to you?
Quick Overview:
Ready for a deep-dive into what ‘natural birth’ might really mean to you? In this blog, we’ll walk you through why your birth philosophy - your inner beliefs and values about birth - matters before preparing your birth plan. We share reflections from moms and questions you can use to prepare!
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Beyond physiology, your birth philosophy will define what ‘natural birth’ means to you.
Deciding you want a ‘natural birth’ is an empowering decision — one that ultimately grows from your inner beliefs and values about birth. These beliefs and values make up your birth philosophy and will influence your natural birth decisions.
But what do we mean by “natural birth”? It’s common for mamas to have different definitions, so it’s best not to assume what any mama means when she says she wants to go natural. But you will need clarity on what ‘natural birth’ means to you to best communicate with your birth team and prepare for your birth vision.
In this blog, we’ll explore more deeply why definitions of “natural birth” vary, how to clarify your definition from your birth philosophy, and how you can use it to create an authentic and empowering birth plan.
There’s not a one-size-fits-all definition for ‘natural birth’.
We once asked a group of mamas planning a natural hospital birth what “natural birth” meant to them, and we heard back from 40 mamas. They all had insightful and varying ideas about how to define ‘natural birth.’
Half of the mamas said that ‘natural birth’ meant a vaginal outcome, and 75% explicitly stated that ‘natural birth’ meant an unmedicated birth experience. Sometimes these ideas overlapped (e.g., vaginal unmedicated), but mamas also defined “unmedicated” in different ways.
For example, some mamas said “unmedicated” meant without an epidural but thought medications like Pitocin were acceptable to use if needed. For other mamas, “unmedicated” meant not using any pharmaceuticals, including epidurals, Pitocin, or other induction or pain medication.
Mamas also varied in whether ‘natural birth’ meant using no interventions (about 28% thought this), or if ‘natural birth’ was simply as intervention free “as possible” with a vaginal outcome.
Some mamas preferred the phrase “physiological birth,” believing it was more direct and self-explanatory than “natural.” Physiological birth can be defined as a birth led by a mama’s hormonal processes and guided by her and her baby’s partnership in labor.
But even this description varied, as some mamas emphasized that “physiological birth” needed to be “undisturbed,” while others did not emphasize this.
Looking over the responses, we wondered what led to this much variation. Was it simply that there’s not one definition to go by, or was something deeper happening?
How ‘natural birth’ is defined depends on your birth philosophy.
We saw an important pattern emerge in many of the responses we received:
Most mamas didn’t just talk about ‘natural birth’ in terms of physiology (e.g., vaginal) or interventions (e.g., intervention-free, unmedicated). They also talked about how their definition of ‘natural birth’ related to their identity, beliefs, and values.
Mamas described ‘natural birth’ as an experience that made them feel safe and gave them the most freedom. ‘Natural birth’ also meant being informed, empowered, and free from unnecessary pressures within the medical system.
Some mamas even considered their definition of ‘natural birth’ based on how they thought other mamas might feel about the term. One mama, for example, defined ‘natural birth’ as having a vaginal outcome based on her birth philosophy, but she was hesitant to define it that way, concerned that it might be hurtful to mamas who’ve had a cesarean experience.
So it became clear that defining ‘natural birth’ was more than just the physiology of it. It was also about each mama’s birth philosophy — what she valued, wanted, and believed would feel most ‘natural’ to her. Her birth philosophy also influenced the physiological benefits she wanted to prioritize in her ‘natural birth’ definition (e.g., vaginal, unmedicated, intervention-free, spontaneous, undisturbed, etc.).
As you think through your natural birth plan, you may also notice that your decisions aren’t only about evidence or data. That’s because you also have a unique birth philosophy, and it can help you better prioritize what you want for your birth experience.
Your birth philosophy will influence your physiological priorities.
Your natural birth vision might include having your baby vaginally without medicated pain relief, using various comfort measures, and working with your body's rhythms. You may envision skin-to-skin contact and other meaningful details.
These aspects relate to the physiological benefits of natural birth for you and your baby, and they are not only valuable physically but also emotionally and spiritually. Your birth philosophy will influence what physiological benefits you want to prioritize, so knowing what “natural birth” means to you can help you prepare for your birth vision with more clarity and confidence.
For example, if you have a birth philosophy of trusting your body, supporting your body's normal hormonal processes at birth may be a priority. So you may choose to wait for a spontaneous start to labor and avoid pain medications like epidurals to avoid any disruption to your normal hormonal patterns. You might also focus on movement during labor to progress naturally without interventions like Pitocin.
Or, if you primarily believe that 'natural birth' is mainly about having a vaginal outcome, you may be more open to interventions that a different philosophy might avoid.
So while definitions of 'natural birth' may vary, clearly defining your philosophy and physiological priorities can help you become more confident and empowered about your vision.
Here are 3 steps to clearly define what ‘natural birth’ means to you.
Step 1: Begin by clarifying what you believe about birth to describe your birth philosophy.
Your birth philosophy is the collection of beliefs, values, and needs that are meaningful to you about birth and for this particular birth to come. You can use the questions in the toggle below to give language to what’s in your birth philosophy for a natural birth experience.
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When I think of what feels natural to me about birth, what comes to mind?
What aspects of a natural birth experience appeal most to me or are most important to me?
What has influenced my beliefs about birth in general and natural birth in particular?
How do my beliefs about natural birth relate to my beliefs about safety and the use of medical interventions in birth?
What do I believe is essential for me to have a natural birth experience that feels most true to my current vision?
Can those essential things be realized in a hospital setting? If so, how? If not, what do I believe I need to do?
What are the non-negotiables beliefs I hold in my birth philosophy?
How do I want to advocate for those non-negotiable beliefs?
Step 2: Decide what physiological priorities relate to your birth philosophy and natural birth vision.
Once you’ve thought through your birth philosophy and have written it down in your own words, consider what your physiological priorities will be based on your birth philosophy. Your physiological priorities are more about your birth preferences, for what you want to happen with your body and baby at birth. As we described, mamas often define ‘natural birth’ with different physiological priorities in mind. You can determine yours by considering these physiological priority questions in the toggle below.
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Unmedicated priorities:
What are your priorities related to the use of medication for your natural birth?
Will it only mean no medicated pain relief?
Or will it also exclude the use of elective induction medications like Pitocin or cervical ripeners?
What will you need to progress positively through an unmedicated labor experience?
Intervention priorities:
What counts as an intervention to you for a natural birth experience?
What interventions do not align with your birth philosophy and natural birth vision?
Which ones might be acceptable to you?
Are they only acceptable under certain circumstances, and if so, what are those circumstances for you?
Being undisturbed priorities:
What does undisturbed birth mean to you? What would that look like to you?
How would those priorities be supported or challenged in a hospital setting?
Vaginal birth priorities:
What do you want before and during labor related to cervical checks?
What options do you want during your pushing stage?
Step 3: Decide when your birth would stop feeling “natural” to you.
We, of course, want our birth experiences to be uncomplicated and to flow as smoothly as possible. But sometimes an unexpected challenge or complication emerges that will need to be navigated. It’s best to consider upstream how you would want to handle complications — defined as medical concerns rooted in evidence and not just suggestion or failure to wait — in a way that’s consistent with your birth philosophy.
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A few questions you can explore are:
Under what circumstances would my birth experience stop feeling ‘natural’ to me?
Where do unexpected complications fit into my birth philosophy?
How can I navigate unexpected challenges in a way that still feels true to my birth philosophy?
These questions can also help you think about how you would want to advocate for yourself if you experienced a challenge in how your birth is managed by hospital staff, as well.
By taking these three steps, you’ll be better equipped to prepare an empowering and unintimidated birth plan because it won’t be a collection of randomly chosen ideas about natural birth. Instead, it’ll reflect your thoughtful and intentional birth philosophy and the natural birth priorities that only you can define for yourself.
Knowing your natural birth philosophy and priorities will help you prepare an empowering and unintimidated birth plan.
In conclusion, defining "natural birth" is a deeply personal journey that stems from your unique birth philosophy. It's not just about physiology, but about your beliefs, values, and priorities for your birth experience. By understanding and communicating your birth philosophy, you empower yourself to make informed choices that align with your vision of a natural birth.
Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all definition. What matters most is that you feel confident and unintimidated about your natural birth vision and supported in your journey. As you prepare for your birth, use your personal definition of natural birth to guide your decisions, communicate effectively with your birth team, and create a birth plan that truly reflects your values.
Ultimately, by honoring your birth philosophy, you're not only preparing for the natural birth you envision but also setting the foundation for a positive and empowering birth experience, even through the unexpected.
