hey, this is my first pregnancy as well, so i won't be of that much help, but i just got through watching the documentary "the business of being born" and it gave me a huge insight on things. i plan on having an all natural birth in a birth center with a midwife if god allows and all goes well.
between natural, water birth and home birth all refer to the same, just in different locations. they are all intended to be natural meaning without the interference of drugs, but using your own abilities of pain management like breathing techniques and concentration and helping through massages, calming music etc.
hypnobirth requires some sort of education before the birthing process starts. you will learn self-hypnosis techniques to help you stay calm and relaxed through labor. it is just another means of using your natural instincts to the fullest.
by having a hospital birth and getting an epidural you would basically take the "natural" about the birth process out of the picture. as many women are afraid of birth and the pain involved, they take that and other drugs as means of having less pain. in the end it is all about choices, so i'm not judging anybody who thinks they will not be strong enough to do labor by themselves and without drugs.
most likely position to give birth in, in a hospital setting is while lying down on a bed, upper body slightly elevated. even before getting pregnant and educating myself about things, i never thought that looked like the best position to give birth in and after reading a lot about it, i am even more convinced of such. i always see it this way: as we humans are created to walk upright and the baby will be head down in a same upright position inside of us, why not let gravity and our body's construction (everything flowing down and out) help in labor? during home, water and birth center births you are less likely to be restricted on the positions you will be able to take. a position that doesn't look as "comfy" as lying on a bed, but much more useful during labor to me, is the one where you kneel down and slightly bend your upper body forwards, holding on to a railing, the edge of the bath tub etc.. etc.. that way you have more control over helping baby to wiggle it's way through the pelvis and birth canal because you are also able to shift your upper body...
i hope most of that made sense
english is not my first language and it's 1:35 AM over here... hehe
time to go to bed! have a great pregnancy!!!
