How to Avoid Unnecessary Interventions in Birth
Hi Mama!
Here at Anointed Births, we have worked effortlessly in learning about all the ways to increase every woman’s chance of having her best and ideal birth so that she can experience an empowered birth and enter her motherhood feeling empowered and confident to mother her baby/babies. However, as experienced doulas, we constantly see and hear of unnecessary interventions occurring in the birth setting and these interventions are often leaving women feel like their birth was traumatizing rather than empowering. So let’s chat about this -
Understanding Interventions: What Are They?
Interventions in birth are medical procedures used in the birth process (common interventions are induction of labor, artificial rupture of membranes, epidural anesthesia, continuous electronic fetal monitoring, episiotomy, forceps or vacuum-assisted deliver, cesarean section, etc.). Interventions should be looked at as options and you should always be reminded that you are in control and the ultimate decision is always up to you. Check out my detailed list of labor & birth interventions HERE. While these interventions can be lifesaving in certain situations, many can be avoided or minimized with the right approach. Let’s chat about the stats -
California Birth Intervention Statistics
California, like many states, has varying rates of birth interventions across different types of birthing locations. According to the California Department of Public Health:
Cesarean Section Rate: Approximately 31.6% of births in California are delivered by C-section, slightly below the national average of 32.1% (2020 data).
Epidural Usage: About 70-80% of laboring women in California hospitals receive an epidural during labor.
Labor Induction: Around 25% of births involve labor induction, where medical interventions are used to stimulate labor.
How to Avoid Unnecessary Interventions
Diet/Nutrition and Exercise
Proper diet and nutrition during pregnancy is commonly underestimated. A heavy focus on diet and exercise can help prevent things like gestational diabetes, high blood pressure (pre-eclampsia), low platelets and/or iron, which may lead to unnecessary interventions during birth. Regular exercise strengthens the muscles used in labor, promotes endurance, and improves overall well-being, which can help in smoother, shorter labors and reduce the need for medical interventions like inductions, augmentations, or C-sections. Together, nutrition and physical activity can contribute to a more positive birthing experience. Check out my blog on nutrition in pregnancy HERE.
Choose Your Birth Setting Wisely
The birth setting you choose can greatly influence your birth experience. Birthing centers and home births often have lower intervention rates than hospitals. In California, hospitals tend to follow more standardized medical protocols, which can lead to a higher likelihood of interventions. On the other hand, birthing centers are designed and prepared to support natural birth, with a more homelike environment and fewer routine procedures. Consider visiting multiple locations to find the best fit for you.
Select a Supportive Care Provider
Choosing a healthcare provider who respects your birth preferences is crucial! Whether you're working with an obstetrician or a midwife, it's important to ensure they align with your goals for a natural birth. Ask potential providers about their philosophies, their rates of interventions (and be specific about which ones you want to know more about) and how they handle labor that doesn’t progress as expected. As experienced doulas and birth educators, we guide and educate all of our clients on how to pick the right provider for them based on their birth goals, what questions to ask, and can even make recommendations based on our experience in the area. We can offer this service in a birth planning session, one of our birth classes, and/or our birth doula services.
Hire a Doula
Doulas are trained professionals who provide emotional and physical support during labor. Studies show that having a doula present can reduce the need for interventions like epidurals, Pitocin, c-sections, etc. According to a report by the Journal of Perinatal Education, continuous support during labor, such as from a doula, results in a 25% decrease in the likelihood of a c-section. With Anointed Births, less than 1% of our clients have experienced a c-section and over 50% of our clients have had unmedicated births.
Create a Birth Plan
A birth plan is a document that outlines your preferences for your labor, birth, postpartum, and newborn care. While it's essential to be flexible, a birth plan helps communicate your desires to the birth team, ensuring everyone is on the same page. Discuss your plan with your care provider during prenatal visits to address any concerns in advance then again at the birth. Check out my blog on how to create a birth plan HERE.
Educate Yourself
Understanding the birth process can help you make informed decisions during labor. Consider taking a reputable birth course that emphasizes natural birth practices. Our birth courses were designed to educate moms and dads on what to expect in their birthing locations and how to properly prepare to achieve their birth goals. Check out our upcoming Born Naturally Birth Classes HERE.
Practice Comfort Measures
Learning and practicing comfort measures like counter pressure, hydrotherapy, breathing techniques, relaxation techniques, massage, movement, etc. can reduce the need for interventions, especially epidurals. In California, many birthing centers offer tubs for water births, a wonderful tool for unmedicated births. Here’s a list of my favorite go-to comfort measures HERE.
Build a Strong Mental Fortitude
I believe a great labor experience is more mental than it is physical. A strong mental fortitude can help you cope with discomfort, it can help you stay flexible and adapt to changing circumstances with labor being unpredictable, it can help you stay focused and persevere through each stage of labor (especially if your labor ends up being “long”), and it can make the experience more fulfilling and empowering. Check out my blog on how to build a strong mental fortitude for a positive birth experience HERE.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to birth, it’s important you understand your options and you’re confident in making informed choices. Birth is a mystery and there are many unknowns of what you can expect in the birth setting but all of the things that were mentioned can definitely decrease your chances of experiencing unnecessary interventions and increase your chances of a positive birth experience. If you’d like to consult with us for services to help you achieve your birth goals, we’d love to help! Schedule your free consultation HERE.
Anything stated in this blog is not medical advice.
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