Labor induction is so common that most doctors won’t hesitate to suggest it as a solution to even the slightest pregnancy concern. Some will even endorse it just for the sake of conveniently-timed labor and birth.

Midwife Michelle Brain, founder of Birthing in Trance, wants to change this. She believes that unnecessary inductions are an epidemic. Her years of experience as a midwife and nurse have taught her that most of the time, birth works!

Like Michelle, more and more women are coming back to the understanding that birth is something their bodies are capable of without the interference of induction or other interventions. If you are one of these women, you might be wondering how to avoid unnecessary interventions and plan for the natural birth you desire.

Here are three ways you can prepare for a birth that starts when your baby is ready, not before:

Learn All You Can

Taking the time to learn about what a normal, intervention-free birth can look like, and how to facilitate that, is incredibly important. Not only will this help you prepare for what to expect, but it will also help you shift your mindset from one of fear to one of excitement as the big day approaches.

There is any number of available birthing classes, and some of them can be time-intensive and expensive! Hypnobirthing is a very popular type of class, but many parents feel intimidated by the need for extensive daily practice to get the results they want.

Birthing in Trance was created to give women and their partners an easily-accessible, cost-effective way to learn about natural birth and self-hypnosis as a means of pain management. The simple, proven techniques for entering quickly into a trance during labor are paired with education about the birth process to leave you feeling empowered and confident in your choices.

Hire a Doula

Doulas are trained to provide emotional and physical support to you during your pregnancy and labor. While not a medical professional, a good doula can make a world of difference in your birth experience, and help encourage you to come back to your “why” when you reach tough decision-making moments.

Doulas can bring a calm, experienced presence to the birth room. You can share with them the techniques you plan to use from a class such as Birthing in Trance so that they can help remind and guide you back to them along the way if you need them to.

Have a Labor Plan

Having a plan to cope with the sensations of labor, knowing what interventions you will be offered along the way, and sharing your desires with those on your birth team are all important reasons to have a labor plan.

If you are not sure what to put in your labor plan or would like to learn more about how to avoid unnecessary inductions and have a natural birth, watch this FREE 30-minute Natural Birth Video Guide by experienced midwife Michelle Brain today!