From start (when to conceive) to finish (how to deliver), pregnancy is full of personal choices. No matter how you deliver — unmedicated, with an epidural, via an induction, or by C-section — you should feel in awe of what you've accomplished.

When it comes to welcoming your baby, if you don't picture giving birth in a hospital setting or you hope to deliver with little to no medications or interventions, a natural birth might be right for you.

But what exactly is a natural birth, and are you a good candidate? Here’s more about it so you can make an informed decision about your birth plan, if you wind up having the choice when it’s go-time.

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Key Takeaways:
  • Natural birth means a drug-free labor and delivery. Deciding on a natural birth usually means you’re aiming to have a vaginal delivery with little to no pain medication or other interventions.
  • There are real benefits — and real challenges — to having a baby via natural birth. You may move more freely, push effectively, and recover faster if you’ve opted for a drug-free birth — but you’ll also feel every contraction and labor pain, and may need back-up care if complications arise.
  • Preparation is key, whether you have a natural birth, deliver with an epidural, are induced, or have a C-section. Educate yourself, practice coping techniques, and lean on supports like your labor coach or a doula to help make your birth experience as positive and safe as possible.

What is natural birth?

There's no right way to welcome a baby into the world, and all types of childbirth are “natural.” The term "natural birth" has historically been used to refer to vaginal labor and delivery with limited to no medical intervention.

Natural birth can involve a variety of choices, from the practitioner to the pain relief you use.

Here are the most common options usually involved in a unmedicated birth:

  • Delivering at a birthing center or at home rather than in a hospital (although you can definitely request to have a drug-free birth in a hospital)
  • Working with a doula, midwife, or an OB/GYN who has a preference for using minimal interventions (ask your practitioner if and how often they’ve assisted in natural births, or look for OB/GYNs who work at birthing centers)
  • Instead of lying on your back in bed, opting for alternative delivery positions including squatting, all fours (hands and knees), kneeling, or leaning against something, like a chair or your partner
  • Having a water birth, which means laboring in water but for safety reasons, should never include delivering the baby under water.
  • Using alternative drug-free labor pain relief, including hydrotherapy, hypnosis, massage, relaxation techniques, mindfulness meditation, breathing exercises, and acupressure
  • Placing your baby immediately on your stomach after delivery for skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding instead of taking her away for the first checkup and weigh-in (although many hospitals now encourage this regardless of how you give birth)
  • If possible, avoiding routine IV, labor induction, routine episiotomy (which, fortunately, is rarely used these days anyway), assisted delivery with forceps, vacuum extraction, and C-section — unless one of these medical interventions is deemed medically necessary

What are the benefits of a natural birth?

Many moms who opt for a natural birth find benefit in discovering what their bodies are capable of without medication.

“The feeling you get after an unmedicated birth is unbelievable,” says What To Expect Community mom chelseam1122. “You are so proud of yourself, your baby and your body … it’s truly empowering and amazing that our bodies can do this without any interventions!”

Here are a few other benefits to consider.

  • You'll be able to move. Many women find comfort in the ability to move during labor as a way to cope with pain. Whether it's walking the halls, taking a hot shower, or sitting on a birthing ball, you'll have the freedom to move about pretty much as you please with a non-medicated birth — whereas with an epidural, you're usually confined to bed once it kicks in.
  • Pushing may be more effective. Because you won't get any pain-relieving drugs, you won’t be numb anywhere and may be able to push more effectively.
  • You may be able to walk sooner. You’ll be able to get out of bed and walk around sooner post-birth, since you won’t lose any feeling from the epidural or be groggy from medication. In turn, walking may help speed up your postpartum recovery and can help avoid constipation (a common post-birth ailment).

“I want all the hormonal and biological benefits of spontaneous, physiologic labor and the quicker recovery time that accompanies no epidural (up and walking faster),” says What to Expect Community member and first-time mom readwalkcook, who is planning to have an unmedicated birth.

What are the risks of a natural birth?

As with any health-related decision, natural birth comes with some challenges and risks that should be considered, including:

  • You’ll feel everything. Some women find the pain is much more intense than they anticipated. However, you can certainly plan for a birth without pain medication and ask for an epidural at any time during the process if the pain gets to be too much.
  • You may need general anesthesia. If an epidural isn't in place and your baby's heart rate drops, you develop cord prolapse, or another unexpected complication or emergency occurs, you may be put under general anesthesia (or receive medication to make you unconscious) for your safety, since a C-section will likely be necessary.
  • You may be at increased risk of complications. If you're planning for a home birth, know that there's a two to three times greater risk of perinatal death when compared with a hospital birth, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) — though the risk is still very low (1.3 per 1,000 babies die during labor and delivery during planned home births vs. 0.4 in 1,000 for low-risk hospital deliveries). This is likely because if complications do arise and a mom doesn't live within close driving distance of a hospital, her baby may not get the necessary life-saving treatments quickly enough. However, many hospitals and especially birthing centers are open to natural birth methods, and they offer access to essential medical interventions in case you need them.

“It was an amazing experience!” says What to Expect Community mom MamaDMm212720 about her natural birth. “It was actually attached to a hospital, so it was the best of both worlds in case there was an emergency.”

Is natural birth right for you?

Talk to your practitioner about your options and whether a birth without pain medication is safe for you. You're likely a good candidate if you:

  • Are expecting one baby
  • Are considered full-term, or are at least 37 weeks along in your pregnancy
  • Have no chronic health problems and have experienced no pregnancy complications

In some cases, you may be at risk for complications during birth, so your practitioner will want to ensure you receive extra medical attention to be on the safe side. Unmedicated birth is probably not for you if you:

  • Are expecting multiples
  • Are preterm, or less than 37 weeks pregnant, when you go into labor
  • Are considered overweight or gained too much weight during pregnancy
  • Experience other pregnancy complications like preeclampsia
  • Are a group B strep carrier (you’ll be tested during week 36 of pregnancy), which means you’ll need IV antibiotics during labor to decrease the risk of neonatal infection
  • Have diabetes or gestational diabetes, since you may need an IV and insulin drip during birth
  • Have a baby in the breech position when you go into labor — for your safety and your baby’s, you’ll likely require a C-section

How to prepare for a natural birth

The best way to prepare for an unmedicated birth? Get as informed as possible. Here are a few steps you can take before you go into labor:

  • Talk to your practitioner. Make sure your care team is on board with your choice.
  • Get educated. You wouldn’t take an exam without studying, so you won’t want to try natural birth without reading up on it and talking to friends and family members who have gone through it. Take classes, too, to practice techniques that can be useful.
  • Find out about natural pain management techniques. Then practice, practice, practice. In the weeks leading up to your delivery, try a variety of drug-free pain management techniques with your birthing coach (e.g., massage therapy, reflexology, relaxation and breathing exercises, and aromatherapy). By rehearsing the same techniques over and over, it becomes second nature when you need it most — plus it's a good way to see what has the best effect on you before the big day.
  • Consider hiring a doula. While your OB/GYN or midwife’s job is to get your baby delivered in a healthy, safe manner, a doula is the cheerleader-in-chief for you — and you might want the extra support when the pushing gets more intense. During pregnancy, your doula will talk to you about a birth plan, and when you're in labor she'll work hard with you to execute it.

Tips for a natural birth

Once labor is in full swing, a few steps can help increase the odds that you make it all the way to the last push without medication or interventions:

  • Take it one minute at a time. A wave of contractions lasts about one minute, and then you get relief. If you take things minute by minute — and try to keep your mind off of the journey ahead — you're more likely to make it through without pain medications.
  • Visualize a successful birth. Many Olympic winners rehearse the race in their heads before they compete. Do the same: Picture your baby coming out of your body easily. Visualize a successful outcome, have faith in it, and keep going back to that picture during the labor process. Believe in the power of positive intention, and know that you are strong and your body will get you through.
  • Limit the number of people in the delivery room. While it might seem encouraging to have all of your closest friends and family by your side, too many people can ultimately be more of a distraction than assistance. Research has shown that having more people in the birthing room actually slows down labor, which could make it harder to stay medication-free. There's a reason why dogs and cats instinctively hide somewhere to be alone when delivering their young — to focus on the task at hand.

“I look back on my birth and feel so empowered and confident!” says What To Expect Community mom kh3131. “It is one of the best feelings in the world. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done but also so beautiful and amazing and not at all traumatic.”

Thinking about a natural birth? Connect with other parents, explore birth stories, and get personalized tips in the What to Expect app.

Just remember: At the end of the day, there’s no one-size-fits-all way to bring a baby into the world — only the way that’s right for you. No matter how your little one makes her big debut, you’ll walk away with the most incredible prize — your baby in your arms — and that’s what matters most. You’ve got this!