Preparing for a Natural Birth: Tips for Expectant Parents
- Makayla McRorie
- Sep 11
- 5 min read
Preparing for a natural birth is an empowering journey that combines physical readiness, practical skills, and emotional confidence. By learning which exercises, nutrition choices, and mindfulness practices support labor, expectant parents can feel prepared and capable. Education and a trusted support team are key to turning intentions into a positive birth experience.
Below you’ll find clear, practical labor readiness tips and resources to guide your natural birth preparation.
What is a Natural Birth?
A natural birth focuses on the body’s innate ability to labor and deliver with minimal medical intervention, guided by evidence-based care and personalized support. It emphasizes comfort measures, movement, and techniques that foster a calm, confident labor.
Natural birth can take many shapes—water births, unmedicated in-hospital births, and birth center births—and is defined by informed choice and a supportive environment.
Natural Birth vs Medicated Birth
A natural birth prioritizes physiological labor, non-pharmacologic labor aids (breathing, positioning, movement, massage), and continuity of care from midwives and support persons. Many families choose natural birth to remain active in decision-making and to use coping skills learned in childbirth education.
A medicated birth may include epidurals or other pain-relief options to help manage sensations. Medication can be an empowered choice at any point in labor and does not diminish the value of prior natural birth preparation.
Both paths are valid. Childbirth education and a flexible birth plan help families choose what feels best during labor and adapt with confidence.
How to Prepare for a Natural Birth
Prenatal Exercise
Exercising in any capacity can help keep your body loose and ready for labor and can help you maintain stamina. While we don’t want you to suddenly begin an intense workout regime, it’s important to incorporate safe exercise into your lifestyle.
Here are some ways you can prepare through prenatal exercise:
Aim for regular, pregnancy-safe movement: walking, prenatal yoga, and swimming support stamina and circulation without being too strenuous on your body.
Pelvic mobility and strengthening: deep squats, lunges, hip openers, and cat-cow sequences encourage optimal fetal positioning and help labor progress.
Pelvic floor care: practice gentle pelvic-floor engagement and relaxation (rather than over-tightening) to support coordinated pushing and recovery. Consider guided prenatal fitness classes, chiropractic care, or a pelvic health physical therapist for personalized exercise plans.
Practice positions and movement: rehearse birthing positions (hands-and-knees, side-lying, supported squats, etc.) to build familiarity and comfort.
Prenatal Nutrition
Eat a balanced, nutrient-dense diet to support hormone balance, cervical readiness, and energy for labor.
Focus on:
Protein and iron-rich foods: lean meats, legumes, and eggs are great foods for stamina and healthy blood levels.
Healthy fats: avocado, olive oil, nuts, and fatty fish support hormone production.
Complex carbohydrates and fiber: whole grains and vegetables provide steady energy.
Vitamin C–rich foods: citrus, berries, and bell peppers to support tissue health and immune functionality.
Hydration: sipping water throughout the day and during labor to maintain hydration and energy (add a small sprinkle of sea salt or a squeeze of lemon for an additional electrolyte boost).
Foods with some evidence for aiding late-pregnancy readiness: eating dates in late pregnancy has been associated with favorable labor progress in some studies.
Talk with your provider before starting supplements like evening primrose oil or herbal remedies. Personalized guidance from your clinician or a nutritionist ensures safety and effectiveness.
Birthing Classes
It’s important to know what to expect when planning to have a natural birth experience. Whether it’s your first or fifth baby, we recommend brushing up your birthing education.
Here are some birthing classes and educational components to explore:
Choose childbirth education that matches your goals: explore Lamaze, Bradley, HypnoBirthing, and center-specific classes all teach coping skills, comfort measures, and partner support.
Prioritize classes that include hands-on practice: this includes breathing, positions, massage techniques, and working with your support person.
Partner and support-team-focused training is vital: when birthing partners rehearse comfort skills, they feel confident and effective in labor.
Look for classes or resources that cover everything: stages of labor, how to read your body’s cues, non-pharmacologic options, and informed decision-making.
Haven’s childbirth education offers supportive, evidence-based birthing classes tailored to natural birth preparation and partner involvement.
Building Your Support Team
You do not have to labor alone. Creating a village to come alongside you in this momentous event can give you the additional support and encouragement to carry you through.
Here are some support team elements to consider:
Assemble a team aligned with your vision: a supportive partner, midwife or trusted clinician, and—if desired—a doula for continuous emotional and physical support.
Communication is key: share a positive, clear birth plan and discuss preferences with your care team early.
Consider continuity of care: working with providers who attend your birth center or who practice collaborative care helps ensure consistent support during labor.
Your support system should also include whoever delivers your baby. At Haven, we proudly support you through your birth and beyond, ensuring you get the most in your birthing experience.
Mindfulness Techniques
While labor certainly requires physical stamina, it’s also a mental game.
Want to help prepare your mind? Try these tips:
Breathing practices: patterned breathing, extended exhales, and slow breath work help regulate the nervous system and increase calm.
Visualization and affirmations: rehearse mental images of openness, movement, and progress to create a positive mindset.
Body awareness and meditation: short daily meditations or body-scan practices build focus and resilience for labor.
Movement and comfort routines: combining gentle movement, music, warm showers, and touch creates a familiar, soothing environment for labor. Consider exploring guided hypnobirthing audios or mindfulness apps tailored to childbirth.
What to Avoid
We want you to feel empowered as you approach your natural birth. But, some things can quickly get in the way of that.
Avoid focusing on fear-based or negative birth narratives that undermine confidence: instead, seek balanced, positive stories and evidence-based education.
Avoid last-minute cramming: consistent practice over weeks builds readiness far more effectively than intense one-time sessions.
Avoid isolating your support team: early conversations and rehearsals help everyone feel prepared and aligned with your birth goals.
Supporting Your Natural Birth at Haven Women's Health and Birth Center
Haven Women’s Health and Birth Center offers a warm, home-like environment designed to support physiological birth with skilled midwives, compassionate staff, and evidence-based comfort measures. Our birthing suites, childbirth education programs, and hands-on coaching help families practice labor readiness tips and build confidence. From birthing classes tailored for partners to individualized prenatal visits, Haven’s educational resources empower women to prepare for the birth they envision.
Schedule a tour to see our suites and meet our team. Come envision your natural birth at Haven and learn how our supportive environment can help make your intentions a reality.
FAQs
What is the best way to start natural birth preparation?
Begin with regular prenatal exercise, enroll in childbirth education, and build a support team that shares your goals. Small, consistent steps lead to confident readiness.
Which childbirth classes are best for natural birth?
Choose classes that teach hands-on comfort measures, partner involvement, and confidence-building skills—options like Lamaze, HypnoBirthing, and Haven’s center classes are excellent choices.
Can nutrition really influence labor readiness?
Yes—a balanced whole foods diet, adequate hydration, and certain habits (like eating dates or drinking red raspberry leaf tea in late pregnancy where appropriate) can support energy, hormones, and tissue health. Discuss any supplements with your provider.
How can partners best support a natural birth?
Practice comfort techniques together, attend birthing classes, learn massage and positioning, and be the steady voice and collaborator during labor.
Are mindfulness techniques effective for labor?
Mindfulness, breathing, and visualization are proven to help manage sensations, reduce anxiety, and increase a sense of control during labor.
What if I change my mind during labor?
Flexibility is a strength—your care team supports informed choices at every stage. Preparing in advance with a birth plan makes adapting feel calm and intentional.
When should I tour a birth center like Haven?
Visit in the second or third trimester to explore the space, meet staff, and ask how our childbirth education can support your natural birth preparation.
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