Tips for a natural pregnancy

Live a natural pregnancy

Choose a trusted person (liberal midwife, doula, etc.)

Living a pregnancy naturally means first of all doing everything possible to be as serene as possible during this period full of upheavals. Not easy, especially for a first baby. To put the odds on your side, we call on a trustworthy person who can answer our questions and reassure us throughout these nine months. A friend, a member of your family or even a doula, can well take care of this mission. It is also ideal to be accompanied by a birth professional, always the same. Liberal midwife or obstetrician-gynecologist, it’s up to us to choose the one with whom we feel best. Some midwives offer comprehensive support at birth. This means that they follow us throughout the pregnancy, carry out childbirth and are present in the postpartum period. This follow-up is very popular with mothers who want a more natural childbirth and birth.

What is natural food?

What we eat has an influence on our health and that of our baby. When it’s possible, we favor fresh, organic and seasonal foods, and we vary the cooking methods. We avoid additives, industrial products, low-fat, aspartame… By opting for a more natural diet, we are rediscovering the nutritional and unsuspected virtues of certain foods. Did you know ? Nuts are rich in omega-3, green vegetables in vitamin B9 (folic acid), lentils in calcium. There are alternatives to white sugar, such as mascobado, agave syrup, rice or barley syrup, which are more beneficial to health. There is no question, however, to fixate on natural food: just because we crack on a chocolate bar or snack cookies from time to time that we will not put the health of his baby in danger.

We favor natural cosmetics

Endocrine disruptors are ubiquitous in the products we use every day, especially in beauty products. These synthetic or natural chemicals interfere with the hormonal system and cause more or less serious disturbances. Our babies, because they are in full development, are particularly vulnerable to these substances. The best known is Bisphenol A, but there are dozens of others. To limit the risks, choose organic cosmetic products. The main labels, BDIH, COSMEBIO or ECOCERT, guarantee a minimum of ingredients of natural origin, no GMOs, no synthetic dyes, silicone, paraffin or paraben. Be careful, choose fairly well-known brands (Essentiel care, Weleda) and always check the composition. Note: the Omum range offers organic care specifically adapted to pregnant women.

Treat the minor ailments of pregnancy with alternative medicine

Faced with the reduced range of drugs allowed when we are pregnant, we often tend to take our troubles patiently, telling ourselves that these inconveniences will eventually pass. This is a shame because there are natural remedies available to relieve common pregnancy ailments. Herbal medicine and some probiotics help fight digestive issues like heartburn. Homeopathy helps calm nausea and vomiting. This is also the case for several essential oils (be careful, others are prohibited during pregnancy). Less known, Bach flowers (flower essences made from flower essences) help us manage our stress and our fears as a future mother. However, be careful with self-medication, just because a remedy is natural does not mean that it is safe during pregnancy. It is important to seek advice from a specialist (doctor, midwife) before using these products.

Prepare for childbirth naturally

Like all future mothers, we can follow the preparation for birth offered by our motherhood. In addition to these sessions, or instead, you can also try other disciplines. Yoga, haptonomy, sophrology, prenatal singing, being born enchanted, watsu (to name only the most famous), all these preparations are intended to help us live your pregnancy better by restoring your self-confidence. In particular, you will learn to listen to your body and to manage your emotions.

Make a birth plan to be an actress during her childbirth

The birth plan is the basis when we want a natural pregnancy and birth. It’s important to anticipate, to know what’s good for us and what is expected on the day of childbirth: ask to dim the lights, be able to walk during labor, wait before cutting the umbilical cord … The idea is obviously not to go against the grain. medical imperatives, but to assert your desires as concretely as possible.

Choose a maternity hospital that meets our expectations

If you want to give birth naturally, it is better to choose a maternity unit which offers an alternative to medical childbirth. More and more establishments now have natural birthing rooms where women give birth to their child without an epidural, in a warm and soothing environment. Otherwise, we opt for a birth center, or for a home birth, accompanied by a liberal midwife. Maternities which have obtained the “baby-friendly” label favor breast feeding and respect for the needs of mother and baby. But apart from these specialized services, many establishments are open to different practices. Just talk about it with the team when you meet them!

Find out more …

Thanks to Mélanie Schmidt-Ulmann. His website www.lelaitdemaman.com