Childbirth: Life's Most Natural Moment

Giving birth is one of the most natural things in the world, yet many women aren't taking full advantage of all that Mother Nature offers in supporting the process.

There are many readily available natural therapies that strengthen and nurture expectant women and their developing babies. In this article, Bastyr Magazine reviews some of these therapies and the many ways women can take advantage of the gifts Nature offers the mother-to-be and the new life within her.

Naturopathic Physical Medicine
Physical medicine includes any naturopathic modality that incorporates agents such as hands, light, water or electrical/energy applications. Consequently,

physical medicine therapies can range from the most scientifically advanced to age-old remedies. And thanks to society's renewed interest in natural health, many of the old standbys are now enjoying renewed attention.

According to Dean Neary, ND, chair of Bastyr's physical medicine department, one such therapy beneficial for expectant mothers is body massage. "Gentle body work, like Swedish massage, is especially good for relieving tension and stress," says Neary. It can also help relieve back and leg pain as well as swelling. Neary suggests that during the latter part of pregnancy, a naturopathic physician or qualified chiropractor could help with the structural changes in a woman's body through gentle spinal manipulations.

Another natural modality that's especially useful-yet is virtually ignored by the general public-is hydrotherapy. "The buoyancy of water relieves pressure," says Neary. "It makes pregnant women feel light, and warm water helps open up the birth canal by relaxing pelvic muscles." Ultimately, the effect is less pain and trauma for both baby and mother.

Anything that helps relax the mind inevitably helps relax the rest of the body. But hydrotherapy goes beyond just soothing warm water. Neary points out that alternating between the application of hot and cold water-known as "contrast hydrotherapy"-would be particularly appropriate for treating leg edema, a common complaint among pregnant women. However, because expectant mothers should be careful to avoid excessive heat or cold to their abdomens, contrast hydrotherapy should be supervised by a qualified health care practitioner.

A therapy that blends modern physical medicine with the ancient techniques of acupuncture is the use of a TENS (transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation) unit. While they're most commonly used by physical therapists for pain control, they're useful as well on laboring women, especially when placed on specific acupuncture points. Neary encourages women to explore some complementary and alternative modalities that have proven helpful but may not be as well-known. Healing touch therapies that harness the body's or the universe's own natural energies (such as Reiki or cranio-sacral work) often can deliver unexpectedly good benefits to the mother-to-be and her baby.

Yoga and Breath Work
According to Linda Gough, a registered yoga teacher who works with pregnant women at her Discover Yoga studio in Redmond , Washington , yoga's philosophy of integrating body, breath, mind and spirit can support the expectant mother in many ways. Gough, who is mother-in-law to Bastyr graduate Leslie Charles, ND, encourages women to avoid being physically overactive during the first trimester when the body is creating a "nest" for the egg/baby. "I recommend women begin yoga around the tenth week," she says. "This is when the anatomy begins a remarkable journey of change."

Classes at Discover Yoga Studio are taught in a circle to encourage participants to talk about their joys, challenges and specific needs. "Simply exchanging information is very comforting," says Gough. "This helps the mothers-to-be develop a sense of community and security, which integrates the emotional piece of the practice with the stretching and strengthening aspects."

Each session begins with intentional breathing to bring focus into the body and attention to the baby. Breath work is an important feature of the prenatal practice of yoga, as it is in any yoga class. Once prepared mentally, students proceed to the prenatal "asana" (physical) practice, which varies depending on the needs of the general class. Focus is on reducing back pain by lengthening the torso for better posture and easier sleep and on strengthening the legs. Teachers also include a variety of hip-opening movements appropriate for stretching and strengthening the pelvic floor. Upper back, shoulder girdle and neck postures help develop the strength needed for eventually nursing, cuddling and carrying the baby.

The practice ends with a time of quiet relaxation under dimmed lights with women supported by pillows and blankets. Gough explains that this "meditative state of peace and tranquility" is an ideal time for mother and child to bond.

Gough's class welcomes women in various levels of pregnancy after ten weeks. "They each participate according to their needs and desires. We give them permission to be in the moment with their practice and their pregnancy. It's a beautiful journey."

Acupuncture
"Acupuncture can be very useful prior to and during a woman's pregnancy and at delivery," says the chair of Bastyr's acupuncture and Oriental medicine program Terry Courtney. She points out that many women-even before pregnancy-are already energetically depleted. The use of acupuncture and Chinese herbal remedies can improve a woman's energy level. This in turn can, as Courtney says, "enhance the ability to conceive and have a positive pregnancy experience."

Acupuncture is perhaps most appreciated by mothers during the delivery itself. It has been proven that acupuncture not only greatly reduces the pain of childbirth, but it helps control exhaustion as well. Says Courtney, "With acupuncture, the woman can feel her contractions, but she doesn't feel such an intense crescendo of pain." This is, in fact, one of the big advantages of acupuncture over pain medications-it's easier to push when the body isn't totally numb.

In addition to helping combat the overall fatigue so often associated with pregnancy, acupuncture can also help relieve the pains and problems created by the strain of pregnancy on the body, especially the lower back, hips and legs. According to Courtney, the use of acupuncture during pregnancy usually requires that the woman also be under the care of an obstetrician or midwife, especially since acupuncture can have some powerful effects on the mother and baby. Surprisingly, acupuncture can actually be used to induce labor and help turn breach babies around.

So when is the best time to start acupuncture treatments? "As soon as you know you're pregnant," says Courtney. "Work with your physician on determining any preexisting conditions, then plan an acupuncture program with a licensed practitioner based on individual needs."

Nutrition
According to Debra Boutin, MS, RD, Bastyr Center for Natural Health clinic nutrition coordinator, "Nutritionally speaking, pregnancy is one of the most critical life cycle stages for eating the right combination of foods." Simply put, "building" a baby requires the right kind and the right amount of "building materials." Some of the nutrients required in higher amounts during pregnancy include the following:

Folic Acid (important for the normal development and of babies)
Vitamin B6 (works together with the extra protein required for baby building)
Vitamin C (necessary for building collagen, a necessary ingredient for skin, teeth and bones; also improves iron absorption)
Magnesium (involved in the production of proteins)
Zinc (supports growth, healing and the fighting of infection)
Iron (helps the body transport oxygen to cells and is important for metabolism)
Fiber (helps pregnant women with regularity)

Says Boutin, "This is the perfect time for the expectant mother to practice eating habits that will assist her in role-modeling a healthy lifestyle once her baby is born."

Midwifery: The Second Oldest Profession
Although hospitals have come a long way in warming up the ambience of the delivery room, for many women it's still a far cry from the comforts of home. For those who find the bright lights and stainless steel of hospitals off putting, there's another option that's just as viable-delivery by licensed midwife (LM).

Since the dawn of time, women have been helping each other through the agony and the ecstasy of childbirth. Those women deemed particularly skilled at attending births eventually earned the honored title of midwife-a term handed down from Old English; "mid" meaning "with," and "wif" meaning "woman."

According to Morgan Martin, ND, LM, chair of Bastyr's naturopathic midwifery certificate program, the U.S. is pretty much alone in its virtual abandonment of this age-old tradition. "The rest of the developed world utilizes midwifery much more extensively," she says. "There are something like 12-18 midwives to one obstetrician in England . In Holland , 30-40 percent of births are home births attended by midwives."

The World Health Organization (WHO) backs this up. According to the Midwives Association of Washington State, "WHO declared in 1990 that birth was actually safer for mothers and babies when utilizing midwifery for pregnancy and childbirth." One of the reasons for such excellent outcomes is the care by the midwife, which goes beyond just attending the baby's birth. A well-trained midwife is closely involved in prenatal care, education of the mother and father, and postnatal support for the couple and their child.

Bastyr emphasizes this full range of care through its midwifery certificate program. Established in 1982, it is available to the university's naturopathic students, who take the course concurrently or as an add-on to their naturopathic studies. Licensed naturopathic physicians from other accredited schools also may apply. Graduates of the program are known as naturopathic midwives. "I myself was drawn to it," says Bastyr alumna Martin, "as a way to assist women as they educated and empowered themselves in the process of childbearing. Discovering the miracle of babies was a humanizing process for me. It warmed and matured my heart to be with women and babies at such a vulnerable time."

Not surprisingly, Morgan's compassionate philosophy runs throughout the training of Bastyr midwives. The university's midwifery students are taught to approach childbirth holistically and to use the least invasive medical therapies. They're taught the science of childbirth as well as the psychological, social and spiritual elements that can affect mothers-to-be. Because midwifery approaches childbirth naturally, the use of drugs is avoided or minimized, although modern medical techniques are employed and relationships with other health care providers are maintained to safeguard the process.

"We're prepared for emergencies," says Martin. "But each woman needs to be informed of all the risks and all the options before determining where she'll be most comfortable delivering her baby."

For expectant mothers not quite ready to deliver at home, women may consider giving birth at a free-standing birth center with a licensed midwife. Or they may choose to birth at a hospital while being attended by a certified nurse-midwife (CNM). As the title implies, these practitioners are trained in nursing as well as midwife techniques; they're most often employed by hospitals and birth centers.

Martin recommends that if expectant mothers choose this latter option, or any other involving a hospital delivery, they can help create a more natural and home-like ambience for themselves. "Bring your own music, use relaxing aromatherapy like lavender or rose, and labor in warm water if possible. Try to hire a birth 'doula' to stay with you in the hospital; they've been trained to provide emotional support during labor. And because they're not affected by hospital shift changes, they can remain at your side."

Overall, Martin suggests that women prepare for the "athletic event" of giving birth through good nutrition, prenatal vitamins, appropriate exercise and stress reduction. "It's a normal, natural event, not an emergency waiting to happen," she says. "With careful monitoring you can have a safe experience; and with a midwife, it can be an even more meaningful growth opportunity."