Tips for having the best childbirth experience

While nobody can guarantee that labour and childbirth will be as you imagined, you can take these important steps to make your delivery experience as positive as possible.

When it comes to childbirth providers, you probably have quite a few options available to you. You can find a midwife or an obstetrician/gynaecologist by asking friends and family for a recommendation. But just because your friend liked her provider, there's no guarantee you will feel the same way. How satisfied you'll be with your childbirth experience depends on how much your preferences are considered. That's why it's a good idea to find a provider who shares your beliefs about:

• Routine episiotomies
• Inductions
• Labouring position
• Pain medication during labour and birth

If you want to have a natural childbirth, then you need to find a provider who avoids unnecessary interventions. Low cesarean and episiotomy rates are a good sign that you have found the right person.

While the overwhelming majority of Canadian women give birth inside of a hospital, there are other options available to you. You can give birth at a birth centre or at home. Birth centres cannot be found in every province, but home births are available to most healthy women who meet certain criteria. Some provinces are still in the process of regulating midwifery, but in order to be a possible candidate for a home birth:

• You have to be healthy.
• You have to have a singleton pregnancy.
• Your baby needs to present head first for labour and birth.
• Your baby must be born at full-term (not before 36 weeks).

It's a good idea to meet with a midwife in your area and explore the possibility of giving birth at home. In case of complications, your midwife will refer you to a physician at a local hospital to ensure your safety and that of your baby.

• Whether you give birth at the hospital or at home, with a physician or a midwife, the most important thing is that you and your baby are healthy. In order to give birth to a healthy baby, you need to focus on having a healthy pregnancy.
• You can do this by eating a varied diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain products, low-fat milk, and lean meats. You should also supplement with folic acid and iron (can be taken as part of a multivitamin).
• It's necessary for you to gain weight throughout your pregnancy to allow your baby to grow, but the additional calories should come from predominantly healthy foods.
• Finally, don't forget to enjoy your pregnancy.