Here is a variety of answers and opinions for the most frequently asked questions about unassisted birth.
Is unassisted birth legal?
Absolutely legal. Haven't seen any legislature yet that bans UC, and if they tried, it would be difficult due to all the accidental UC's. They can't charge people who's labor really goes too fast to get somewhere...
~Sara~
Mom to Makaela Rae (1/6/01) completely natural hospital birth
and Alanna Bree (12/12/03) UC water birth
There are no laws in the US that prohibit a woman from giving birth without medical help. In Nebraska however it is a misdemeanor for the father to catch his baby. (Weird huh?) ~Shauna mom of 5, three unassisted births
How do I get a birth certificate?
Here in Georgia, you go the county vital records office. in addition to filling out their form, you need signed affidavits from two people (above age 18) who were present at the birth (the mom can be one of them), along with proof of pregnancy. it was very easy. -Christina
In my state (VA) I contacted the state health dept and asked what the requirements were for a baby born at home with no professional. I was told to bring my baby within a week of birth to the nearest health dept with a witness of the birth and fill out the necessary paperwork. I then called my local health dept, and they gave me the run around, finally saying it would just make it easier and less complicated if I had some kind of witness. I explained that my hubby and mother would be at the birth.
~Sara~
Mom to Makaela Rae (1/6/01) completely natural hospital birth
and Alanna Bree (12/12/03) UC water birth
You contact your health department / vital statistics office they will tell you what you need. It was really easy for me in Missouri. They mailed me the application for live birth and I had to have it notarized with two witnesses that saw me pregnant and attest to me having a live baby after birth. It’s really too easy to obtain a birth certificate.
~Shauna mom of 5, three unassisted births
How do I get prenatal care?
My prenatal care consisted of eating and drinking well, sleeping well, staying active, and knowing the symptoms of certain conditions and home-based methods of treating them. i didn't regularly take my blood pressure, but when i had some symptoms that were pointing toward elevated blood pressure, i confirmed it with a drugstore blood-pressure testing machine, and treated myself accordingly. i wasn't interested in the other things that are usually available with conventional prenatal care, such as ultrasound or afp testing. it felt nice not having to work my (very busy) life around pesky appointments.
-Christina
I did my own prenatals. I started out checking BP and temp and fundal height, and checking HB. By about 6 months, I quit as I knew baby was fine and I was fine. I decided that if anything felt different, I would check again. I also had a few trips to a FP friend/doctor just for cover-my-butt (thanks to my mom's concern. I don't feel a need to do that, though. I didn't allow any vaginal checks or anything, so it was just a chat and a wave =)
~Sara~
Mom to Makaela Rae (1/6/01) completely natural hospital birth
and Alanna Bree (12/12/03) UC water birth
I did my own prenatal care. I took a whole food prenatal vitamin, drank lots of red raspberry, nettle and alfalfa teas. I had a stethoscope to listen to heart tones in the last trimester (this was more for fun than anything). I went to the pharmacy and took my blood pressure a few times to make sure it was normal. Some women buy urine strips to test the protein in their urine. Most women that have UC’s don't have ultrasounds and diagnostic tests. Some women chose to see a Dr or midwife, especially if they are known to have trouble during their pregnancies.
~Shauna mom of 5, three unassisted births
That depends on the "something". i made sure i knew warning signs to look for, and most importantly, kept my trust in my own sense of what's right or not in my body. i also made sure i knew, to the best of my ability, home-based methods of dealing with non-emergency problems, and lastly, i made sure to know where to go if i needed to transfer to hospital care (as in, which hospital, the best way to get there, which entrance to use when i got there, and so on). -Christina
I decided that if anything was to happen, I would feel safer at home taking care of it myself, then trusting someone who barely knows me and my body's reactions. I prepared by looking up all the "complications" I was worried about, had heard of. Then I learned all the things I could possible do in each situation. I felt very prepared, and no fear about the birth. =)
~Sara~
Mom to Makaela Rae (1/6/01) completely natural hospital birth
and Alanna Bree (12/12/03) UC water birth
There is a fear that “something” will happen, but most people don’t know what that something is. It’s fear that causes most complications. Birth is not inherently dangerous.
~Shauna mom of 5, three unassisted births
What about the mess?
That's what husbands are for! (just kidding! :-) ) seriously, we used a mattress pad on the floor of our living-room, and covered the pad with lots and lots of towels. when the birth was done, my husband tossed everything in the washer with a good amount of hydrogen peroxide. that was it. -Christina
I had a water birth in a pool. Hubby drained the "mess" into the backyard where it fed our lovely tree. It had some awesome bloom that spring... We double bagged the placenta and threw it in the trash. I would have buried it, but I had a winter birth, and our freezer was always full.
~Sara~
Mom to Makaela Rae (1/6/01) completely natural hospital birth
and Alanna Bree (12/12/03) UC water birth
More times than not it's not the dripping blood and piles of fleshy matter the movies make it out to be. All births are different, but in truth they aren’t all that messy. My first birth I labored on chux pads (square plastic backed cotton material). This captured bits of fluid and a small amount of blood. Not a big deal. Then for the birth I was in the bathroom squatting over the floor covered with a small rug. The birth wasn’t that messy and when the placenta was born I was in the shower so all extra blood was washed down the drain. We put the placenta in a bowl. My husband got the laundry together and wiped down the shower.
My second UC I found myself in the bathroom again giving birth over towels. It wasn’t that messy. Nothing got on the carpeted bathroom floor (I have dark carpet in there so it wouldn’t have mattered much). After she was out I got into the bathtub to wait for the placenta. That didn’t feel good so I moved to the toilet and sat down. It was born and we scooped the placenta out and put it into a bowl. We flushed the toilet and there was no more mess. I gave birth at 6:07am, I had so much energy and such an easy birth that all the laundry/messy towels I gave birth on I had washed and folded by 10 am!
My third unassisted birth was more bloody. But it wasn't un-containable or anything. We had the carpet covered with sheets, blankets, and towels. It was not hard to clean up.
~Shauna mom of 5, three unassisted births
What supplies do I need?
Something less than a week before i gave birth, i bought our supplies, which consisted of a half-dozen new towels, two cotton/polyester mattress protectors (one for the bed, the other for the living room floor), scissors for the cord (we already had scissors, but i wanted a pair just for the cord, so i could keep it as a keepsake), shoelaces for tying off the cord, emergen-c for me to drink while in labor, cayenne pepper powder for after the birth, and a big bottle of hydrogen peroxide for clean up. -Christina
I only needed scissors, something to catch the placenta in, and lots of towels and baby blankets. I did buy a cord clamp from a midwife service, but it was just for convenience.
~Sara~
Mom to Makaela Rae (1/6/01) completely natural hospital birth
and Alanna Bree (12/12/03) UC water birth
I have found you don’t need really need anything to give birth. Scissors are handy (you can boil them to clean them), a bowl for the placenta and towels and blankets. It’s a good idea to have some herbs on hand in case of emergency. Cayenne pepper can stop hemorrhage immediately. (Giving you enough time to seek help if needed, it’s not always a “cure”)
You don’t need pots of boiled water like they yell for on movies and TV lol. I don't know what that is all about.
~Shauna mom of 5, three unassisted births
How do I cut the cord?
We waited to cut the cord until after the placenta had been born. the cord was limp and white. we tied a freshly boiled new shoestring around it about a foot from the baby, and cut between the shoestring and the placenta. a couple of days later, i retied the cord with some dental floss about 2 inches from the baby, and re-cut the cord. the stump fell off when our son was about six days old. –Christina
Wait till the placenta comes, or at least till it stops pulsing. You can feel the pulse in it by holding it between your fingers and thumb or in your fist. I waited till the placenta came out, then cut. I used scissors, and clamped the baby's end first.
~Sara~
Mom to Makaela Rae (1/6/01) completely natural hospital birth
and Alanna Bree (12/12/03) UC water birth
You just cut it, close to the babies skin, leaving a tiny stump. The stump will fall off in 3-6 days.Wait for the cord to turn white and cold. If it is pulsating and has not turned white and cold then baby is still receiving blood from it.
Don’t cut the cord until the placenta is born. Use raw honey, tea tree oil or peroxide to keep it dry and bacteria free. You don't need to clamp it if it's cold, white and done pulsating.
~Shauna mom of 5, three unassisted births
What if the baby is breech?
If there aren't any signs of anything being wrong with the labor or the baby, i'd give birth at home anyway. -Christina
I had determined to stay home, even if it was breech. In the hospital, they will most likely try dangerous turning techniques, or flat out give you a scheduled c-section. I read a manual by Gregory White, and he said the most important thing to do with a breech birth is....nothing. Let the baby come out, and don't grab it or pull on it. If it is slow coming, or seems to get stuck, hands and knees on the floor/bed is the best position to let baby "dangle" to get the head in a good position to slide out.
~Sara~
Mom to Makaela Rae (1/6/01) completely natural hospital birth
and Alanna Bree (12/12/03) UC water birth
Use your intuition. If you feel good and there are no signs of complication or severe distress then you stand or squat and you allow the baby to be born calmly without force. Babies are born in breech positions it’s not unheard of and it's not a "complication" it's a variation. ~Shauna mom of 5, three unassisted births
Doesn't it hurt?
It hurt for me, but it's not insurmountable. i would definitely do it again, the same way.
-Christina
I had no pain at all with my first birth, but hubby was performing counter-pressure, which acted as an epidural for my back labor. The second time, I had back labor again, but I wouldn't call it pain, just serious intensity. Very uncomfortable and difficult to deal with if I didn't just let go, and let it happen.
~Sara~
Mom to Makaela Rae (1/6/01) completely natural hospital birth
and Alanna Bree (12/12/03) UC water birth
It's not the worst pain I've ever felt. The calmer you are the less it will hurt. Some women have completely pain free births, some even feel pleasure.
The most important thing is to not let the pain take control of you. Walk, rock back and forth, take a shower or bath. Change positions. Don't just helplessly lie down and scream because that causes more pain.
My first UC I was moaning and rocking back and forth on my knees with my butt in the air. That felt good. My second UC I walked and did leg squats during contractions creating a fierce working rhythm. I told myself over and over I had to work to get this baby out. And so I walked, and breathed and told my self over and over I was opening up and this baby was going to be born quickly. Both of those UC's were within 2 hours from start to finish. My third UC was longer (5-6 hours) and I went in the tub, paced, and said "owe" a lot! LOL. My husband rubbed my back, and him stroking my forehead calmed me during the last stage. The actual birth itself is not painful, it's so exciting! There is a intense amount of pressure when the baby's head is born. This is normal and if you accept it then your birth will be easy.
~Shauna mom of 5, three unassisted births
What if I hemorrhage?
Since I had a previous birth, I knew I wasn't prone to hemorrhage, but I had bought shepherd’s purse tincture just in case. I never used it, and gave it to someone else after the birth.
~Sara~
Mom to Makaela Rae (1/6/01) completely natural hospital birth
and Alanna Bree (12/12/03) UC water birth
Hemorrhaging is often caused by forceful removal of the placenta, induction drugs like pitocin, and sometimes in women with weak c section scars on their uterus. Don't ever tug or pull on the cord or placenta, this tears it from the uterine wall before it's ready to detach causing bleeding. Does hemorrhage run in your family? Or with your other births? That is a big factor when considering how much you need to prepare yourself for this potential problem. Some women just bleed more than others. It has been said that when you give birth you should not lose more than 2 cups of blood. Blood mixed with water looks like A LOT of blood so this is hard to determine in a bath or shower even. But some women just have bloody births.
If after the birth you have a slow trickle, are bleeding through pads heavily (soaking more than one an hour), dizzy, unresponsive or passing out then you should get to the hospital.
Typically shepherds purse tincture, angelica or cayenne pepper can be used as remedies.
Drinking a lot of alfalfa and nettle tea will ensure you have plenty of iron and vit K, essential in blood clotting. Drinking red raspberry tea through your pregnancy which will tone and strengthen your uterus.
~Shauna mom of 5, three unassisted births
What if the baby's cord is wrapped around his neck?
Most of the time, it's not a problem. it can simply be unlooped while the baby is being born or shortly after. i've read stories of the cord impeding the descent of the baby, and those mothers have felt that something "isn't right" with the progress of the labor, and transferred to a hospital for help. i trust that if the cord were truly causing a problem, i'd be able to tell and take action accordingly. otherwise, i'm not worried about it. –Christina
I was born in the hospital with my cord wrapped 3 xs around my neck! I was blue at birth, but quickly pinked up, and smiled all the while. =) If my UC baby had a cord around it's neck, I would have pulled it over the head, or if it was too tight, I would have "somersaulted" the baby as it came out, so it didn't put pressure/pull on the cord.
~Sara~
Mom to Makaela Rae (1/6/01) completely natural hospital birth
and Alanna Bree (12/12/03) UC water birth
What if baby is not breathing at birth?
Some babies need encouragement/stimulation to start breathing after birth, but if the cord isn't cut, and is still pulsing, then the baby's getting oxygen from the mother, so there's no need to panic immediately. knowing infant cpr in case you might need it is a good idea, but it's more than likely not necessary. -Christina
At first, we thought my baby wasn't! She was limp and not crying at all, but I knew that you could just rub the baby and the sensation would make baby gasp, or cry, so I did that. She gave a little grumbled "leave me alone" cry (more a fuss, really) and stayed/went back to sleep! She stayed asleep for the next 30 minutes as I waited for the placenta, then woke up to nurse. She was breathing fine and pinking up, so we weren't worried about her. If the rubbing hadn't made her fuss, and we hadn't seen that she was actually breathing, I would have sucked her mouth/nose with my own mouth and tried infant CPR if that hadn't got her to breathe.
~Sara~
Mom to Makaela Rae (1/6/01) completely natural hospital birth
and Alanna Bree (12/12/03) UC water birth
First of all not all babies are born making noise, breathing and screaming. So don’t panic when your baby isn’t immediately crying and flailing about. It may take a moment for a baby to come to after being squeezed through the birth canal. The squeezing expels fluid in the lungs. (That’s why c section babies are suctioned so fiercely, they still have all that fluid.)
Something to remember is that a baby is getting oxygen as long as his or her cord is still attached to the placenta inside of you, this can be 15 minutes or longer. Once the placenta is born the baby may be receiving oxygen for a short time as well, at least until the cord stops pulsating and it turns white and cold. Not all babies do cry! My little girl came out with a quick wail and then just looked around. I rubbed her periodically so she’d make a noise. She was just happy, had no trouble taking air into her lungs for the first time, and didn’t need to cry.
If your baby is not responding to rubbing on the back try blowing in the face lightly. Tilt him or her so that any excess mucus can run out of the mouth and nose. You can try light suctioning of the nose and mouth with a bulb syringe, but this is rarely needed. Some other things you can try: place baby’s feet in cold water, tickle the feet, and of course administer infant CPR. If you are not getting any response call for help. Call 911 if baby is very blue, pale and unresponsive.Your baby should be born very purple and then pink up as they take their first breaths.
~Shauna mom of 5, three unassisted births
If you have had an unassisted birth and you would like to answer any or all of these questions please e-mail to Shauna@birthandmothering.com and I will add your answers thank you!
What if "something" happens?
