what are the benefits of a natural birth? Before delving into the benefits of ‘natural’ birth, I would like to dissect this commonly-used phrase. To some, the term ‘natural birth’ may hold different definitions. Many expectant and new mothers might deem a birth ‘natural’ if no pain relief or medical intervention was required during labour and delivery.
However, health professionals like myself and institutions including the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) use the term “normal” birth and define this as giving birth vaginally – following spontaneous onset of labour – without the aid of medical intervention or anaesthesia. Here, the term ‘medical intervention’ would include inductions of labour (using prostaglandins, oxytocin drips or artificial rupture of membranes), epidural analgesia and/or assisted instrumental delivery.