8 Steps to Having an Amazing Birth in New Braunfels, Texas
Go you for making plans to have an amazing birth in New Braunfels! Not everyone thinks about birth as being amazing, but yours will be since you are ready to prepare for it and make choices that will create the birth that feels amazing to you! (And remember, amazing for one person is not necessarily amazing for another!)
Think about your intentions and research how to get there. Research your local options to find the support you need.
Of course you know that having an amazing birth does not start when you walk into your birth room. It starts as soon as you are pregnant so you have lots of time to learn and prepare in so many ways!
So, first, hire a birth photographer! đ Just kidding. While I wonât be sad if you call me as soon as you see those double pink lines, the 2 things that create the absolute biggest impact on your birth are your birth place and your care provider. Donât just go with whatever. Consider your options thoughtfully and choose well.
Here are my suggestions about how to have an amazing birth right here in New Braunfels, TX!
1. Decide where you want to give birth.
New Braunfels has many options for where to give birth. Of course, the first on the list can be your very own home! We have so many truly wonderful midwives in our area who can make this a beautiful reality for you if you are low-risk.
You can also choose a birth center if you want that more holistic approach to birth, but either simply donât want to be at home or maybe youâd like to be near a hospital, which our local birth centers are situated very close to.
You can also choose the hospital if you want more medical options at your fingertips or want an unmedicated or holistic birth but still feel best in or need to be in a hospital setting. I encourage you to consider various aspects of whatâs important to you for your birth place. Some doctors only work in one hospital, so if the particular hospital is important to you, find a care provider who has privileges there.
One important thing to consider about a hospital is its cesarean rate. You can visit a very helpful website called The Leapfrog Group to search for local hospitals and see their ratings in various aspects. Iâve looked up some of our local hospitals just for their cesarean rates so you can see that information here: (For reference, the WHO recommends a cesarean rate of 10%-15%. Also, your care provider has a big impact on this too, so ask them their personal rate.)
Christus Santa Rosa New Braunfels: 19.5%
Christus Santa Rosa San Marcos: 10.7%
Resolute Baptist Hospital: 39%
2. Choose a care provider who listens and who will support your goals.
When I say âsupport your goals,â I do not mean âwill let you try.â I mean someone who is ready to encourage you and actively help you reach those goals.
If you are interested in an unmedicated and more holistic birth, I highly recommend any of the midwives on this list. Interview more than one so you can find one who feels like the best fit for you. If you are more interested in giving birth at a birth center rather than at home, many of those midwives do both homebirths and birth center births. You can find my list of truly wonderful birth centers in New Braunfels, San Marcos, and San Antonio here.
If you are interested in a hospital birth, there are some excellent care providers to help you there.
Some that Iâm happy to recommend are Tammy Huff (a hospital midwife), Dr. Emily Briggs, Dr. Krystin Mathewson, and Dr. Kevin Blair.
If you are willing to drive to San Marcos (or are closer there!) I highly recommend Dr. Zachary Hamilton and Dr. Aminatu Akande.
3. Sign up for a good childbirth class.
We have a saying at Birth Boot Camp: Donât just hope for an amazing birth, prepare for one!
Youâve got to do some work to make your birth amazing!
And listen, I’m just gonna say it. The free hospital class is not going to prepare you well for your birth. Yes, I know it’s free. That’s a big appeal. And your doctor may have recommended it because they’re part of the hospital system and it’s easy.
But it’s not designed to teach you what you really need. Most hospital classes even spend some of your one class on hospital policy you will “need” to follow rather than making sure you understand informed consent, what your options are, and trying out hands-on comfort measures.
Your birth is crazy important. Like literally change-your-life important. Don’t mess around with not being ready for your birth because you didn’t want to pay for a good class. Sorry not sorry.
If you want to have an amazing birth you simply cannot let other people make decisions for you. You have to know what your options are and the place to learn that is in a high-quality independent birth class.
I recommend taking a class that will finish about a month before your due date. That way you it will feel fresh in your mind going into birth, but without much risk of going into labor before itâs over.
Oh, and definitely do it in-person if possible. There are some good online classes, but going in-person has many benefits for you. (Trying things out, making friends, personal attention, answers to your questions, accountability, doing something fun with your partner, etc.)
My birth class location is right by Centerpoint Mall in San Marcos, so itâs convenient for parents in both New Braunfels and San Marcos.
It’s easy to sign up. Just click here, choose your dates, and click the “Sign Up Here” button to fill out the form. You’ll probably be surprised at how quickly you hear from me. đ You won’t be left hanging.
4. Visit a chiropractor
Chiropractors can make a significant difference in how both your pregnancy feels and the way your labor goes. There are many aches and pains that pregnant women think they just have to deal with because itâs part of pregnancy. But chiropractic care can help a ton with that.
Plus, making sure you are all aligned throughout your pregnancy, can allow your baby to get into his or her ideal position for birth. When your baby starts off in a good position and your body is aligned to move them out well, your labor is likely to go faster and feel easier.
We have so many amazing chiropractors in New Braunfels who are certified to work specifically with pregnant women and babies. (Yes, you and your newborn should both go soon after birth!) Please, please visit one of these wonderful chiropractors to get your body set up for your amazing birth here in New Braunfels.
5. Hire a doula
Where do I begin? Doulas are incredible. People who have a professional doula at their birth are statistically more likely to achieve their birth goals and report feeling more satisfied with their experience.
Especially if you are not confident that your doctor is working with you on your goals, bring a doula in to be 100% on your team to support you and your partner with all their awesome education, information, skills, tools, and focused care.
We have an abundance of fantastic, skilled doulas in New Braunfels. Iâve met with all of these women and would recommend any of them. As with all of these things, interview more than one to see who feels like the right person for you to have at your birth.
6. Hire a birth photographer!
Hi, this is me again. đ (I care a lot about birth here. Thatâs why I do 2 different birth jobs!)
Knowing that youâre going to have all the memories from your birth preserved without having to take your phone out of your bag once or ask your partner to step away from holding your hand or gazing at your baby to take a picture⌠Talk about amazing.
Just be in the moment. Both of you. You can simply enjoy and experience this incredible birth that you have worked so hard for and know that the photos are going to be just as amazing as your birth.
7. Consider who else will be in the room with you!
The people you invite to join you in your room will make a big difference on your experience. Check out these other two blog posts about who you invite to your birth: Part 1 and Part 2
8. Prepare your birth room
If you havenât downloaded it yet, make sure to get my complimentary guide on How to Feel Good in Any Birth Room (Home, Hospital, or Birth Center!). Youâll get so many ideas about how to set up your room to feel like a beautiful, comfortable space to give birth in.
Now go out there and take action! Donât let other people decide how your birth is going to go. Birth can look so many ways and certainly have surprises, but when you are informed and involved in the whole process, your birth will be amazing, whatever path you take!
