This week we are giving you all the info on a Vaginal Birth!

What is a vaginal birth?

A vaginal delivery is when a person gives birth through the vagina, usually between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy. About 2 in 3 women deliver vaginally, whereas another 1 in 3 deliver via cesarean section (C-section): a surgical delivery of the baby through incisions in the abdomen and uterus.

A spontaneous vaginal birth occurs naturally, when you begin to have contractions on your own, whereas if you’re induced, you’re given certain medications that help prepare your cervix for labor.

Vaginal births tend to be the safest form of delivery for both mother and child if you do not have a high risk pregnancy or if baby's position at the time of birth will make a vaginal delivery unsafe.

How do you prepare for a vaginal birth?

While it’s impossible to plan for every aspect of your labor and delivery, it never hurts to be prepared. Here are a few things you can do:

Create your birth plan, so you and your practitioner are on the same page as to how you’d ideally like your birth to go down (keeping in mind, of course, that things rarely go exactly as planned)
Pack your hospital bag
Make a visit to the hospital or birthing center where you want to deliver
Take peek at a few common labour positions and discuss with your gynae
Read up on breastfeeding basics, since you’ll most likely be able to give it a shot the moment your baby arrives
Know the signs of labour so you’ll be aware when baby’s almost here

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