• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Kopa Birth®

Online Coaching for Pregnancy & Natural Birth

  • ABOUT
  • START HERE
  • NATURAL ONLINE BIRTH CLASSES
    • Pricing
    • Detailed Course Descriptions
    • This Course Is A Great Fit For You If…
    • Course FAQ
  • BLOG
    • RESOURCES
      • Find a Local Kopa Birth® Class
      • Find Other Birth Resources in Your City
    • Pregnancy
    • Natural Hospital Birth
    • Baby Care
    • Testimonials
  • SHOP
  • Search
  • MY KOPA®
  • ABOUT
  • START HERE
  • NATURAL ONLINE BIRTH CLASSES
    • Pricing
    • Detailed Course Descriptions
    • This Course Is A Great Fit For You If…
    • Course FAQ
  • BLOG
    • RESOURCES
      • Find a Local Kopa Birth® Class
      • Find Other Birth Resources in Your City
    • Pregnancy
    • Natural Hospital Birth
    • Baby Care
    • Testimonials
  • SHOP
  • Search
  • MY KOPA®
You are here: Home » Natural Hospital Birth » Natural Childbirth Facts That Are Really Interesting
Natural Childbirth Facts That Are Really Interesting

Natural Childbirth Facts That Are Really Interesting

November 30, 2017 //  by Katie Griffin

From conception to holding your new baby in your arms, the process of pregnancy and birth is full of fascinating surprises.  Likewise, there are many interesting natural childbirth facts that you may or may not know.  Let’s discuss 16 of them!

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Table of contents

  • Natural Childbirth Facts – Statistics
    • 1.  Most Satisfied
    • 2.  Less than Half
    • 3.  Hispanic Majority
    • 4.  Increases With Age
    • 5.  2nd Time Moms
    • 6.  Rates Vary By State
    • 7.  Certified Nurse Midwife
    • 8.  Continuous Labor Support
  • Natural Childbirth Facts – Labor
    • 9. Loose Stool
    • 10. Push or Poop
    • 11. Helpful Hormones
    • 12. No Need to Break Water
    • 13. Amniotic Sac Increases Comfort
    • 14. Ring of Fire
    • 15. Rest & Be Thankful Phase
    • 16. Shorter Pushing Phase

Natural Childbirth Facts – Statistics

Natural childbirth facts statistics infographic1.  Most Satisfied

Despite the discomfort inherent in a natural childbirth, the women who experience it tend to rate their birth as more satisfying than women who choose an epidural (11).

2.  Less than Half

In the United States, approximately 39% of women who have vaginal birth do so without an epidural (1).

3.  Hispanic Majority

Women of Hispanic origin are more likely to have a natural childbirth in the United States than women of any other race (1).

4.  Increases With Age

The older you are, the more likely you are to choose a natural childbirth.  Women aged 40 and over are the least likely to choose an epidural (1).

5.  2nd Time Moms

Moms who have given birth before are more likely to have a natural childbirth than first-time moms (1).

6.  Rates Vary By State

Natural childbirth rates vary widely by state.  Only 22% of women living in New Mexico choose an epidural, while over 78% of women living in Kentucky receive anesthesia (1).

7.  Certified Nurse Midwife

Women who give birth attended by a certified nurse midwife (CNM) are more likely to have a natural childbirth than women who give birth attended by a medical doctor (1).

8.  Continuous Labor Support

Women who have continuous labor support from a well-prepared partner or doula are more likely to have a natural childbirth than women who do not (9).

Natural Childbirth Facts – Labor

9. Loose Stool

Early labor triggers the release of prostaglandins–hormones that help stimulate contractions in smooth muscle.  The intestines and bowel are made of smooth muscle.  As a result, most women who are unmedicated will have loose stool during early labor (13).

10. Push or Poop

The urge to push during a natural birth is commonly mistaken for the need to poop.  As the baby’s head descends into the birth canal, it puts pressure on the same nerves that a bowel movement does.  Thus creating the familiar sensation of having to poop.

11. Helpful Hormones

Mom’s body releases hormones like epinephrine in response to labor pain.  When mom is coping well with labor through the use of breathing techniques, relaxation, or other coping tools, the epinephrine helps her along by promoting alertness and effective pushing (6).

12. No Need to Break Water

In a natural childbirth, the doctor does not need to break the water for baby to be born.  It will likely happen on its own during labor or right before birth as the head crowns.  Rarely, babies are born with the amniotic sac still intact (8).

13. Amniotic Sac Increases Comfort

Most women say that labor is more comfortable and contractions are easier to manage when the amniotic sac is still intact.

14. Ring of Fire

Right before the baby is born, the perineum (the area between the anus and vagina) gets stretched out as baby’s head starts to crown.  The stretching skin causes a temporary burning sensation known as “the ring of fire.”

15. Rest & Be Thankful Phase

After the cervix is 10cm dilated, some women experience a brief period of time without any contractions.  This may be your body’s way of giving you time to rest up for work of pushing, and is often known as the “Rest & Be Thankful Phase.”

16. Shorter Pushing Phase

Women who have a natural childbirth tend to experience a shorter pushing phase of labor and less instrumental deliveries than women who choose an epidural (10).

Kopa Birth’s online birthing classes allow you to prepare for a natural hospital birth from the comfort of your own home, 24/7. Enroll today in our free online childbirth class and start preparing for your natural birth!

Natural Childbirth Facts Resources:

  1. Osterman MJK, Martin JA. Epidural and spinal anesthesia use during labor: 27-state reporting area, 2008. National vital statistics reports; vol 59 no 5. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2011.
  2. Smith, G. C. (2001). Use of time to event analysis to estimate the normal duration of human pregnancy. Hum Reprod 16(7): 1497-1500.
  3. Dekker, Rebecca.  (2017).  Evidence on Due Dates.  Retrieved from https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-on-inducing-labor-for-going-past-your-due-date/
  4. Buhimschi, C.C. & Buhimschi, I.A. (2006).  Advantages of VAginal Delivery.  clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, 49 (1), 167-183.
  5. Childbirth Connection (2012).  Vaginal or Cesarean Birth:  What Is at Stake for Women and BAbies?  New York: Childbirth Connection.
  6. Buckley, Sarah J. Hormonal Physiology of Childbearing: Evidence and Implications for Women, Babies, and Maternity Care. Washington, D.C.: Childbirth Connection Programs, National Partnership for Women & Families, January 2015.
  7. Prior, E., et al. (2012). Breastfeeding after cesarean delivery: A systematic review and meta-analysis of world literature. Am J Clin Nutr, 95(5), 1113-1135.
  8. Caul.  (2017).  Wikipedia.  Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caul
  9. Hodnett ED, Gates S, Hofmeyr GJ, Sakala C. Continuous support for women during childbirth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD003766. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub5.
  10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22161362
  11. Morgan, B., Bulpitt, C.J., Clifton, P., and Lewis, P.J. (1982).  Analgesia and satisfaction in childbirth (The Queen Charlotte 1000-mother survey).  Lancet, 1, 808
  12. Salmon, Y. M., et al. (1986). “Cervical ripening by breast stimulation.” Obstet Gynecol 67(1): 21-24.
  13. Husslein, P. (1984).  The importance of oxytocin and prostaglandins to the mechanism of labor in humans.  Wien Klin Wochenschr Suppl.  155:1-32.

Here are some other birth articles and stories we know you’ll love.

  • How to Have a Natural Birth in a Hospital: The Ultimate Guide
  • Top Natural Childbirth Benefits for Babies & Parents
  • How Long Does It Take For A Natural Birth
  • Natural Childbirth vs Epidural: Side Effects and Risks
  • Labor Breathing & Why it Matters

Category: Natural Hospital Birth

About Katie Griffin

Katie Griffin, Founder of Kopa Birth,® is a Registered Nurse, Lamaze certified childbirth educator, and mom of 6. Using her nursing background and 11+ years of experience teaching birthing classes, Katie has become an expert in the field of natural hospital birth. Kopabirth.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and observation, and all posts are current and evidence-based. Katie is also the instructor for the KOPA® PREPARED online childbirth course and offers online coaching for pregnancy and natural birth.

Previous Post: «Natural Childbirth Dangers The Risks & What to Know Natural Childbirth Dangers: The Risks & What to Know
Next Post: Natural Birth Tearing: How To Prevent Tearing During Birth Natural Birth Tearing How to Prevent Tearing During Birth»

Copyright © 2022 · Kopa Birth®

View Class #1 of my natural online childbirth class for FREE

GET YOUR FREE CLASS NOW!