Learn how you can have a low-intervention birth with the safety of a hospital delivery.

What to know about low-intervention birth options

If you’re looking to have a holistic birthing experience, it may feel as if a hospital delivery is out of the question. This is not the case in today’s healthcare environment. Both OB/GYNs and midwives can support your desire for a holistic or low-intervention (also known as natural or unmedicated) birth within the walls of a hospital – and in doing so, you’re adding an extra level of safety to your delivery. 

Chose your care team carefully

Your hospital and care team have a significant influence on your labor and delivery experience. Whether or not you have a pregnancy provider in mind for your delivery, it can be helpful to first try researching hospitals to find one that offers elements of your desired birth experience. Services can vary widely and not all doctors deliver at every hospital, so it can be a good idea to consider several hospitals and birthing centers near you. Many locations offer in-person tours so can you explore the space and ask questions of the labor and delivery nurses. 

Once you’ve found a hospital you’re comfortable with, you can find an OB/GYN who delivers there. You should talk with them early and often about your wishes to be sure they’re on board with supporting them. After all, the most successful birth plan will always be the plan you create together. 

Consider a midwife or doula 

Midwives are healthcare professionals who are specially trained to provide a range of services for women, including gynecologic exams, contraceptive counseling and labor and delivery care. Midwives also believe in supporting natural childbirth as much as possible. Midwives can work independently or directly with an OB/GYN, so it’s possible to have either or both as part of your birth team.

A doula is a labor and birth support professional who can help you plan for the birth you want, but it’s important to remember they aren’t doctors or midwives. Mainly, that means they cannot perform any medical tasks. Still, they can work in tandem with your healthcare provider by focusing on supporting you emotionally and physically throughout your pregnancy and the birthing process. During your birth experience, they can serve as an advocate for your needs and preferences. They are also skilled with certain techniques to help work through labor pain naturally.

Adding a midwife or doula to your care team is one more way you can ensure a holistic birthing experience, while also helping you feel heard, safe and comfortable. 

Make safety the top priority

Your health, and the health of your baby, is the most important priority during delivery, so your birth plan may need to change. Should a complication arise, your provider will watch it closely and intervene if needed. Having a supportive care team by your side can make all the difference in helping you understand what’s going on and why — and to guide you through the parts of your original birth plan that can still be incorporated.

HCA Florida Healthcare is here for your labor and delivery needs 

Whether you want medication-based or natural pain relief options or the extra support of a doula or 

midwife, at HCA Florida Healthcare we want you to feel as confident and prepared as possible for your birth. That’s why we offer a full range of labor and delivery services, maternity support, birth center tours and classes and more. 

As one of the largest healthcare providers in the state, our childbirth colleagues include specialists like OB/GYNs, anesthesiologists, labor and delivery nurses, certified midwives, pediatricians and neonatologists. They are here to care for you through the delivery experience. 

Our birthing suites feature advanced technology to ensure the highest level of care for you and your baby. We also provide low-intervention birth options including:

• Birthing balls to help you find a comfortable labor position
• Meditation
• Relaxation and guided breathing techniques

If your baby needs extra support after birth, we also provide access to highly trained neonatal care teams. It’s all part of our family-focused care approach — one that puts the well-being of you and your baby at the center.