Preparing for Natural Birth at a Birthing Center: My Journey and Resources
Preparing for labor and birth can feel overwhelming, especially when you're stepping into something you've never experienced before. When I discovered I was pregnant, I had known that I wanted to birth in a space that honored the sacred, intuitive, and instinctual nature of bringing a baby earthside.
I didn’t want the standard hospital experience.
I wanted warmth. Presence. Trust. I wanted to feel held. I wanted to feel like my body was allowed to lead.
That intention guided me to a birthing center, and ultimately, to a deeply empowered birth — including a swift 5-hour labor & birth that I truly believe was shaped by the practices and preparation I leaned into during pregnancy.
In this post, I’m sharing my entire journey: the resources that shaped me, the rituals and evidence-based practices I used to prepare my body and nervous system, and the spiritual + practical tools that helped me approach birth with confidence and trust.
My hope is that something here resonates with you and supports you in creating your own empowered birth experience — whatever path you choose.
What You’ll Find in This Post
Why I chose a birth center and midwifery care
My pregnancy and labor journey
Body, mind, and soul preparation that supported my 4-hour labor
The most impactful educational resources that shaped my experience
Choosing Care at a Birth Center
When I found out I was pregnant, my soul immediately knew where I wanted to birth. Pure Births Birthing Center called to me. Its serene, home-like atmosphere felt grounding — like exhaling into a space that already understood what I was stepping into.
My husband Patrick and I scheduled a consultation with Tiffany Gallo, the midwife at Pure Births. Sitting with her, learning about water birth, unmedicated birth, and the kind of intimate support her team provided, felt like doors opening.
Tiffany’s presence was steadying and illuminating. She didn’t talk at me — she talked with me. She offered grounded wisdom, deep reassurance, and a clear outline of what midwifery care would look like.
We left the center with a folder full of resources, like books and documentaries to explore, and I remember feeling the first spark of: I can actually do this.
Understanding Birth Culture in America
One of Tiffany’s first recommendations was the documentary “The Business of Being Born” by Ricki Lake. Watching it felt like puzzle pieces clicking into place — like suddenly understanding why birth in the U.S. looks and feels the way it does.
As I moved through pregnancy, I started noticing something interesting: when I told people I planned to have a natural, unmedicated birth, the reactions were… all over the place.
Some people were wonderfully supportive.
Others were surprised or concerned.
A few were openly skeptical.
But here’s the truth:
In many places around the world, unmedicated birth is simply… birth.
It’s the way women have brought babies into the world since the beginning of time.
The fear-based perception of birth that’s common in America often comes from a lack of education — we aren’t taught to trust our bodies, understand labor physiology, or recognize the natural hormone cascade that supports labor.
Medical care is absolutely lifesaving when needed, but it’s not meant to replace our body’s innate intelligence.
Learning this shifted everything for me.
Birth wasn’t something to fear — it was something to understand.
The Gift of Midwifery Care
Working with Tiffany transformed my experience of pregnancy.
My appointments were 30 minutes long — spacious, unhurried, supportive.
I felt seen, heard, and cared for as an individual, not a number on a chart.
She offered:
timelines for tests
supply lists
newborn and postpartum resources
encouragement to take both a childbirth course and a newborn care course
breastfeeding education
and emotional support
Most importantly, she emphasized education as empowerment.
She wanted me to feel informed, confident, and grounded moving into birth — and I did.
My Pregnancy Journey
First Trimester
The first trimester humbled me.
Your body creates an entirely new organ — the placenta — and mine made sure I felt every moment of that.
“Morning sickness” was a lie; my nausea visited at all hours.
I missed work. I arrived late. I spent shifts feeling queasy and depleted.
What helped:
eating small snacks constantly
sea sickness bands
grace
rest
listening to my body instead of pushing through
Around 14 weeks, things finally eased.
Second Trimester
This phase was full of energy, joy, and preparation.
My best friend Ashley came over regularly. She was learning about being a doula at the time, and she eventually became an essential part of my birth team. Together, we learned, dreamed, and prepared.
I felt alive again — and that energy went straight into birthing education, nesting, and cultivating the mindset I wanted for labor.
Third Trimester
This was my season of deep rest.
I slowed down intentionally.
I turned inward.
I absorbed everything I could about labor, birth, and newborn care.
Rest became a sacred practice — one that I now recognize had everything to do with my labor unfolding the way it did.
My Labor Experience
My labor was surprisingly fast for a first-time mother:
4 hours of labor, 1 hour of pushing.
I truly believe this was because:
my nervous system was regulated
my body felt prepared
I had practiced positions, breathing, affirmations, and visualization
I felt deeply supported
I trusted the process
My labor wasn’t painless — but it was absolutely manageable.
I repeated this mantra constantly:
“You can do anything for 60 seconds.” — Liesel Teen
Each contraction had a beginning, middle, and end.
I stayed present. I breathed.
My body led. I followed.
Everything I did during pregnancy truly came together in those hours.
Preparing Body & Soul for Birth
These are the exact practices that helped me feel grounded, confident, and physically ready. They supported both the physiology of labor and the inner landscape of birth.
Physical Preparation
1. Birth Ball
My constant companion.
It helped with:
hip and back discomfort
baby positioning
labor positions
During labor, I knelt over it while Patrick and Ashley alternated counter-pressure on my lower back. That combination was honestly divine.
2. Tea Tree Oil Sitz Baths (34+ weeks)
A ritual I genuinely loved.
10 minutes
Warm water
2 drops only of tea tree oil
Gentle visualization of softening, opening, and stretching
This increases blood flow to the tissues, may reduce tearing, and supports a healthy vaginal environment.
Evidence: Evidence Based Birth Episode 225
3. Evening Primrose Oil
At 36 weeks: 1000–1500 mg orally
At 37 weeks: inserted vaginally (poke a hole + wear a liner!)
This gently softens the cervix and supports ripening.
Evidence: Episode 134
4. Perineal Massage
Especially important for first-time moms.
My partner did the massage for me using almond or sesame oil.
It helped me build trust, practice relaxation, and prepare the tissues.
Evidence: Episodes 216 & 218
5. Nipple Stimulation
Gentle, intentional stimulation a few times a week starting around 36 weeks.
Evidence: Episode 125
6. Chiropractic Adjustments
A huge relief in the last stretch of pregnancy.
My chiropractor aligned my pelvis, eased tension, and used kinesiology tape to support weight distribution.
7. Movement
My flow looked like:
Prenatal yoga
Daily walks
Swimming in late pregnancy
Swimming with hypnobirthing tracks was one of my favorite rituals.
Soul & Mind Preparation
8. Hypnobirthing
This was foundational.
I used:
affirmations
visualizations
breathwork
relaxation scripts
It helped me dissolve fear, regulate my nervous system, and feel deeply connected to my body’s innate wisdom.
Kathryn Clark’s book is essentially a full course.
9. Rest as Sacred Preparation
I slept. I napped. I slowed down.
Rest allowed my body to build reserves and my nervous system to stay grounded — both essential for labor.
Resources That Illuminated My Path
Podcasts
Evidence Based Birth Podcast — Research explained in a grounded, accessible way. Hundreds of episodes. My #1 resource.
Documentaries & Videos
The Business of Being Born
Bridget Teyler (YouTube) — Doula wisdom and emotional grounding.
Holliday Tyson’s free childbirth class — Loved her metaphor about nerve sensitivity (spaghetti vs. fettuccine nerves).
Courses
Birth It Up: Natural Series (Mommy Labor Nurse)
Giving Birth Naturally (budget-friendly, thorough, includes birth videos)
Real Birth Stories
I watched countless YouTube birth stories, not to compare, but to normalize the wide spectrum of possibilities. It helped me feel emotionally prepared and less afraid of the unknown.
Closing Reflections
My pregnancy and birth journey taught me something profound:
Your body holds ancient wisdom.
Birth is not something you learn — it is something you remember.
The physical practices helped. The education helped. The support from Patrick and Ashley helped.
But the deepest medicine came from trust — trusting my body, trusting the process, and trusting the lineage of women who have birthed before me.
Your birth will be your own sacred unfolding. Whether in a hospital, birthing center, or home… medicated or unmedicated… your path is valid and worthy of support.
My hope is that you walk into your birth feeling informed, empowered, and connected to your inner knowing.
You already have everything you need within you. The preparation simply helps you remember.
Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. I only recommend products and resources I genuinely used and valued.