Alternative Methods of Birth

EMILIO AGUINALDO COLLEGE
Gov. D. Mangubat St., Brgy. Burol Main, City of Dasmariñas, Cavite 4114, Philippines
Tel. Nos. (046) 416-4341-42www.eac.edu.ph
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SCHOOL OF NURSING
MCN WRITTEN REPORT ON

ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF BIRTH
SUBMITTED BY:
BEBERINO, DIANE NICOLE L.
BSN 2-1
SUBMITTED TO:
OBDULIA M. ALMAREZ RN, MAN, MAED
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ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF BIRTH
Few things in life are more exciting than the birth of a new baby. This has been the
case throughout human history, but childbirth options for new mothers have advanced
to make the experience more safe. Choosing the right birth method for childbirth can be
a daunting task. There are so many different options, it can be easy to get lost in the
medical jargon and confused by the countless delivery practices.
1. THE LEBOYER METHOD
Frederick Leboyer was a french obstetrician who postulated moving from a warm,
fluid filled intrauterine environment to a noisy, air filled, brightly lit birth room creates
major shock for a newborn. With the Leboyer method, the birthing room is darkened so
there is no sudden contrast in light; the environment is kept pleasantly warm, not
chilled; soft music is played, or atleast harsh noises are kept to a minimum; the infant is
handled gently; the cord is cut late; and the infant is placed immediately after birth into
a warm bath water.
Some neonatologists question the wisdom of warm bath because it could reduce
spontaneous respirations and allow a high level of acidosis to occur.
2. HYDROTHERAPY AND THE WATER BIRTH
Lounging in a warm tub or bubbling Jacuzzi is a relaxing, feel-good experience—

and, for many women, that doesn’t change when you’re about to give birth. With a
water birth—also known as hydrotherapy—you progress through labor in a waist-deep
pool of clean, warm (typically a few degrees higher than body temperature) water.
Hydrotherapy’s biggest benefit is that it can take the edge off the pain. “The
buoyancy helps with movement and discomfort. In fact, hanging out in a birthing pool
during the first stage of labor (when the cervix is dilating but hasn’t reached 10
centimeters yet) has been shown to decrease the use of an epidural. Some women
choose to hop out of the bath once they’ve dilated, but with a true water birth, you stay
in the tub until you deliver the baby.
Water birth is the process of giving birth in a tub of warm water. Some women
choose to labor in the water and get out for delivery. Other women decide to stay in the
water for the delivery as well. The theory behind water birth is that since the baby has
already been in the amniotic fluid sac for nine months, birthing in a similar environment
is gentler for the baby and less stressful for the mother.

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Midwives, birthing centers, and a growing number of obstetricians believe that

reducing the stress of labor and delivery will reduce fetal complications. Waterbirth
should always occur under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider.
What are the risks to the mother and baby?

Over the last 30 years, as water birth has grown in popularity, there has been very
little research regarding the risks of water birth. Some studies in Europe have shown
similar perinatal mortality rates between water births and conventional births.
According to an article written by the Royal College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists, there might be a theoretical risk of water embolism, which occurs when
water enters the mother’s bloodstream the baby is experiencing stress in the birth canal
or if the umbilical cord becomes kinked or twisted, the baby might gasp for air with the
possibility of inhaling water.
This would be a rare occurrence because babies do not normally inhale until they
are exposed to air. They continue to receive oxygen through the umbilical cord until they
start to breathe on their own or until the cord is cut. The final potential risk is that the
umbilical cord could snap as the baby is brought to the surface of the water. This can be
prevented by using caution when lifting the baby up to the mother’s chest.
What situations are not ideal for water birth?

If you have Herpes: Herpes transfers easily in water, so you should discuss this risk
thoroughly with your health care provider.
If your baby is breech: Although water birth has been done with bottom or feet first
presentations, you should discuss this risk thoroughly with your health care provider.
If you have been diagnosed with one of the following: excessive bleeding or maternal
infection.
If you are having multiples: Although water births have been successful around the
world with twin births, you should discuss this risk thoroughly with your doctor.
If preterm labor is expected: If a baby is pre-term (two weeks or more prior to due
date), water birth is not recommended.
If there is severe meconium: Mild to moderate meconium is fairly normal. Since

meconium floats to the surface in a tub, your health care provider will watch for it and
remove it immediately, or help you out of the tub. Meconium usually washes off the
face of the baby and even comes out of the nose and mouth while the baby is still
underwater. If the water is stained and birth is imminent, the woman can lift her pelvis
out of the water to birth the infant.

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3. UNASSISTED BIRTHING
Unassisted birthing, free birthing or couples birth refers to women giving birth
without health care provider supervision. It differs from home birth because, using this
technique, a woman learns pregnancy care from reading books or articles found on the
internet and then arranges to have her child birth at home, perhaps accompanied by
her family of friends, but without health care supervision.
Some women chooses this birth method because they believe birth is such a natural
process that no medical supervision is necessary. Others choose it because they have no
health insurance and so can’t afford either hospital or alternative birth setting.
Unassisted birthing is potentially dangerous because, if complication should occur, the
woman may not recognize that was happening is serious until damage to her child or
herself results.
4. NATURAL VAGINAL DELIVERY
Natural vaginal delivery is when your baby is born through the birth canal. This is
the most common way to give birth because it is the body’s natural method. In fact,
roughly sixty-eight percent of women give birth vaginally every year. Vaginal delivery
reduces the risk that your infant will develop respiratory problems, asthma, food
allergies, and lactose intolerance. That’s not to say that this birth method isn’t without
risk. The baby can undergo physical trauma while passing through the birth canal. This
can lead to bruising, swelling, and, in rare cases, broken bones. Complications during
labor can also lead to additional problems if not properly handled.
As mentioned, natural vaginal delivery is a very common birth method. Sometimes,
though, the mother needs a bit of assistance. This is where the first variation of this
birth method occurs.
Benefits of vaginal delivery:

 shorter hospital stays
 lower infection rates
 quicker recovery
 babies born vaginally have a lower risk of respiratory problems
Variations of Vaginal Delivery:

Induced Labor
A doctor will induce labor for a wide variety of reasons. Chief amongst these
reasons are a past-due pregnancy, ruptured membranes, a smaller-than-average infant,
or high blood pressure in the mother.

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Episiotomy
An episiotomy is a surgical incision made in the skin between the vagina and the
anus. It allows the baby’s head to pass more easily through the birth canal and helps
prevent the skin from tearing.
Amniotomy
An amniotomy is the purposeful rupture of the amniotic sac. This rupturing is done
for multiple reasons: to induce labor, to assess the baby’s health, or to check for the
baby’s first stool.
Forceps Extraction
A forceps delivery is a type of operative vaginal delivery. It's sometimes needed in
the course of vaginal childbirth. In a forceps delivery, a health care provider
applies forceps (an instrument shaped like a pair of large spoons or salad tongs) to the
baby's head to help guide the baby out of the birth canal.
Whether you decide to deliver at home, in a birth center or even at a hospital,
these pain management techniques can help make your labor and delivery experience
more tolerable.
Vacuum Extraction
A vacuum extraction is a procedure sometimes done during the course of vaginal
childbirth. During vacuum extraction, a health care provider applies the vacuum (a soft
or rigid cup with a handle and a vacuum pump) to the baby's head to help guide the
baby out of the birth canal.
5. CESARIAN SECTION
Of course, we know that not all births happen the way we plan. When
complications arise, other methods of delivery are available.
A cesarean section or C-section is the delivery of a baby through a surgical incision
in the mother's abdomen and uterus. In certain circumstances, a C-section is scheduled
in advance. In others, it's done in response to an unforeseen complication.
Events that may require C-Section:

 Multiples (twins, triplets, etc)
 A very large baby
 Previous surgery, C-Sections, or other uterine conditions
 Baby is in breech (bottom first) or transverse (sideways) position
 Placenta previa (when the placenta is low in the uterus and covers the cervix)
 Fibroid or other large obstruction

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The process is pretty straightforward. First, the mother is anesthetized. Then, an

incision is made through the abdomen and the uterus to reveal the baby. Delivery
occurs through the incision. The entire process can take anywhere from one to two
hours and will require an extended hospital stay—between two and four days—after the
baby is born.
Because a cesarean section is an invasive surgical procedure, delivery will occur in a

hospital. Additionally, the pain management techniques associated with a vaginal
delivery are largely moot because the mother will be placed under anesthesia.
As choices go, a cesarean section is pretty straight forward as you’ll be in a hospital

under anesthesia. A vaginal delivery, on the other hand, can be a much more tailored
experience. You can choose where you want to give birth and how you want to manage
pain along with a whole host of other variables. Let’s explore some of those options
now.
METHODS TO MANAGE PAIN IN CHILDBIRTH

Beginning in the late 1950’s, many specific methods for non pharmacologic pain
reduction during labor were developed. Most approaches to reducing discomfort in
labor are based on the following three principles:
1. A woman needs to come into labor informed about what causes labor pain and
prepared with breathing exercises to use to minimize pain during contractions.
2. A woman experiences less pain if her abdomen is relaxed and the uterus is
allowed to rise freely against the abdominal wall with contractions.
3. Using gating control theory of pain perception, distraction technique can be
employed to alter how pain is received.
BRADLEY (PARTNER COACHED) METHOD
The Bradley method of childbirth, originated by Robert Bradley, is based on the premise
that pregnancy and childbirth are joyful, natural process and that a woman’s partner
should play an active role during pregnancy, labor and early newborn period. During
pregnancy, a woman performs muscle toning exercise and limits or omits foods that
contain preservatives, animal fat, or high salt content.

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HYPNO BIRTHING
Think you could talk your brain out of feeling the pain of labor? Some women claim
that self-hypnosis methods (or HypnoBirthing) take the “ouch!” out of childbirth. The
technique uses audio, visualization, meditation and relaxation techniques to help make
labor more comfortable. “The curriculum starts early in pregnancy, and women listen to
meditation-type tracks and picture giving birth in a peaceful and relaxed state. Then
they can access that meditative state in a moment of intensity, like labor.
The process of HypnoBirthing is based on the power of suggestion. The laboring
woman uses positive affirmations, suggestions, and visualizations to relax her body,
guide her thoughts, and control her breathing. She can either do this herself (self-
hypnosis) or receive assistance from a hypnotherapist. Sometimes women work with a
certified hypnotherapist to learn self-hypnosis. They often play a tape of verbal
affirmations that help them enter a calm state of self-hypnosis. Alternately, they might
use a visualization – such as a flower opening its petals – to picture what's happening to
them and achieve relaxation.
A hypnotherapist may or may not be present during the birth, depending on the
needs of the laboring woman. For some people, self-hypnosis is easy to achieve, while
others respond better to the assistance of a therapist.
The Benefits of HypnoBirthing

 It's a natural form of pain management. There are no medications with potential
side effects for you or baby.
 It can provide comfort, relaxation, and relief during labor.
 It can decrease stress and fear during childbirth.
 It allows you to remain alert and awake.
THE PSYCHOSEXUAL METHOD
The psychosexual method of childbirth was developed by Sheila Kitzinger in England

during the 1950s. The method stresses pregnancy, labor and birth, and the early
newborn period are some of the most important points in a woman’s life. It includes
program of conscious relaxation and levels of progressive breathing that encourages a
woman to ‘’flow with’’ rather than struggle against contractions.
THE DICK-READ METHOD
The dick-read method is based on a approach proposed by Grantly Dick-Read, an

english physician. The premise is that fear leads to tension, which leads to pain. If a

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woman can prevent fear from occuring or can break chain between fear and tension or
tension and pain, then she can reduce the pain in labor contractions.
ACUPUNCTURE AND ACCUPRESSURE
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese method of stimulating points on the body

(usually with strategically placed thin needles) to help balance the natural flow of
energy (or qi). Acupressure stimulates similar spots manually (such as by pressing on
them with the hand or fingertips). People have used the practices to help with pain,
digestion, sleep issues and more, and now women are taking acupuncture and
acupressure to the delivery room.
Just like with yoga, tai chi, meditation, and countless other ancient Eastern wellness
practices, we Americans are finally catching on to the health benefits of acupuncture.
This traditional Chinese therapy, which involves inserting hair-thin needles into specific
points throughout the body to boost energy, can ease chronic pain,
migraines, anxiety, depression, digestive troubles, and other woes. And there’s actually
a good shake of research to prove it.
It’s no wonder, then, that more women are trying acupuncture during pregnancy,
when they’re often achy, nauseous, and stressed. A small but growing number of moms-
to-be are also receiving it during childbirth, something the Chinese have done for
millennia. Acupuncture, along with acupressure, which targets the same points but
doesn’t use needles, has been shown to induce labor, reduce pain, and help push that
baby out. Normally, acupuncturists begin working with women in the weeks or even
months leading up to labor to help them prepare.
THE LAMAZE PHILOSOPHY
The Lamaze method of prepared childbirth, a philosophy based on the gating

control theory pain relief, is the one most often taught in the United States. It was
originally termed the psychoprophylactic method because it focuses on preventing pain
in labor.
Lamaze preparation is not so much a method to help a woman cope with labor as it
is a total philosophy of how to enjoy a safe and satisfying childbirth experience.
REFERENCES
http://blog.johnsonmemorial.org/blog/what-type-of-birth-is-right-for-
you-and-your-baby
https://americanpregnancy.org/labor-and-birth/water-birth/

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EMILIO AGUINALDO COLLEGE

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