This article was medically reviewed by Lacy Windham, MD. Dr. Windham is a board certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist in Tennessee. She attended medical school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis and completed her residency at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in 2010, where she was awarded the Most Outstanding Resident in Maternal Fetal Medicine, Most Outstanding Resident in Oncology, and Most Outstanding Resident Overall. This article has been viewed 2,090,777 times.

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If you don't have access to a medical professional and you must deliver a baby yourself, start by sanitizing your arms and hands with either antimicrobial soap and warm water, rubbing alcohol, or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Next, help the mother into whatever position is most comfortable for her, like squatting, which can open up the birth canal and help things along, or being on all-fours, which can ease back pain. Don't have her lie on her back unless she wants to. Try to keep her calm throughout all of this by encouraging her to breathe and speaking in a low, soothing voice. Once she starts pushing and the baby emerges, use your hands to support its head, but make sure you don't pull on the baby or the umbilical cord. Continue reading to learn what you need to do once the baby has emerged and how to handle complications.