It is usual for new parents to feel nervous and a little apprehensive about the birth of a new baby but there are many ways you can feel more in control and empowered to make decisions alongside your Midwife to plan for your birth.

Overcoming the fear factor of childbirth comes with confidence in you ability to birth, having the information and support you need to make relevant decisions during your labour.  Learning how to control our level of fear can be helpful by using simple techniques of relaxation, massage and breathing and making the most of our birth supporters.

The fear response is a natural reaction we have to a dangerous or unknown situation.  When we are in labour it tells us it is not safe to have our baby...more often than not our fear level rise when we change environment or have strangers in attendance and our labour slows down or stops until we feel 'safe' and comfortable with our environment again. Despite this being a safely mechanism for labour, if mum is feeling very anxious about the event, her environment or the people with her, her labour may progress slowly and in an irregular way which can lead to medical intervention

By using relaxation techniques and breathing we give our body a change to stay calm and let the labour progress in a beautiful and natural way, empowering mum and giving her more energy aswell as a calmer more positive experience.

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Your birth supporter will be there for you throughout much of your labour and birth so it is important for them to understand what you expect of them and for them to know what they may experience in the birthing room.

Most women would like the comfort of their partner in attendance and many partners will be willing to be there.  However there are many men who feel unsure about their role and ability to provide what their partner needs at such an intense and womanly time.

You may want to discuss the role of your supporter and having a second supporter at your birth to support both you and your partner or to relieve your partner during a long labour for refreshment breaks or sleep.  Mum rarely wants to be alone and in a hospital birth the midwife probably won't be with you all the time.

Often women feel secure and confident having another woman or  'mother' at the birth.  Someone who can reassure and empathise throughout the birth, helping to maintain a calm and relaxed environment, seeing to you and your partners practical and emotional needs at such an important time.  If you don't have anyone you could call on, you might consider employing a birth supporter or 'Doula' to help enhance your birth experience.

There are many benefits to using upright positions for your birth

• Staying mobile in labour can help you to deal with the discomfort of contractions, relieving the pressure in your pelvis or lower back with movement.

• Use of upright positions in labour can open the pelvis and create 30% more room for the baby.

• Upright positions make the most of gravity and can help reduce the length of both first and second stages of labour

• Reduces need for pain relief

• Keeps you in control of your body and choice of position for birth

Choosing where to have your baby is often straightforward and most people look toward the nearest Maternity unit for their birth.

If you are booking a homebirth it will normally be your local community midwife that provides your care.  Alternatively you can employ an Independent midwife of you choose to.

You can choose which unit you have your baby at locally and the best way to decide where you would like to go is to visit all the units early in your pregnancy and get a 'feel' for them and then tell your midwife your preferences.  In most areas there is an option of Consultant or Midwife led units along with birth centres or homebirth options.   You have the option to change your mind at any time.

Wherever you decide to have your baby your comfort is paramount.  The more comfortable you feel the more relaxed you will become and the easier you may manage your labour and birth.  You need to feel free to move around, use the bathroom, bath or shower and have access to food to maintain your stamina.  Many women choose to stay at home as long as they can because of the extra comfort and security related to their home.

When you do arrive at hospital you can make that environment your own, and there are many things you can do to make your self more comfortable:

• Take your duvet from home for comfort and security
• Take food and drinks with you
• Take a flask of crushed ice to drink or crunch
• lower the lighting in the room, using the overhead lamp directed toward the wall
• Take your birth ball with you
• Remember to stay mobile and raise the bed to lean over, not lay on
• Make sure your room is private...ask people to knock on entry
• Use aromatherapy to comfort and remove 'hospital' smells
• Play music - almost all rooms have CD player
• wear your own clothes in labour - not a hospital gown.

The use of water to ease pain in childbirth has been known for centuries. Many midwives have been encouraging women to get into baths for pain relief. The idea of relaxing in a pool of warm water, in tranquil surroundings, is very appealing to many women. 

According to Janet Balaskas, in her book Water Birth, there are legends of South Pacific islanders who gave birth in shallow sea water and of Egyptian pharaohs born in water. At the First International Home Birth Conference at Wembley in 1988 a woman from Guyana, South America, described how the women in her home town go down to a favoured spot in the local river to give birth to their babies. http://www.aims.org.uk/choosewater.htm