Pain-free Childbirth

I'm not going around recommending this to everyone. If it's your first or second birth and you still feel you don't quite know what to expect, don't even consider going it alone. But for some people, unassisted childbirth can be the most incredible and empowering experience life has to offer.

I had been blessed with four somewhat uneventful births, and progressively easier as well. My husband was extremely supportive and believed in me all the way. I consulted with my midwife, who is also one of my best friends, and read all of Ina May Gaskin's books on midwifery.

What I loved most about birthing at home with no one in attendance but my husband, was the freedom to let absolutely everything hang out. Birth can be a uniquely sexual experience if we let it - and this goes a long way toward reducing the sensation of pain.

These were unplanned-unassisted, which is quite a bit different from planned-unassisted, as you can imagine! I'm thankful I was prepared by all the reading I'd done, as well as my first two births, which were learning experiences. When labor came on strong, there was no stopping it! I knew it was time to let my body take over and do its thing.

I cannot speak highly enough of Dr. Bradley's amazing book, Husband-Coached Childbirth. While I've never taken a Bradley class and couldn't speak to the "method" as a whole, this book is what started me on the road to understanding how natural the birth process is. Which is the first step to rising above the fear. And pain.