I believe there is a difference between natural childbirth and an unmedicated childbirth. Some women give birth without medication, either by choice or circumstance, but it's not necessarily what I would call natural (I think you would agree). Natural childbirth is planned throughout the pregnancy. Both mother and partner should be working towards this goal together. It takes a lot of work, knowledge, and faith. I believe that giving birth naturally is to allow the mother to labor and deliver without the use of medications and surgery. It's when she allows nature to take its course and to reach deep inside for that instinctive intuition that both her body and spirit posses during this blessed event. For some, coaching is essential in keeping focused. I look at it as a collective effort between the mother, partner, and assistant. Giving birth is a labor of love for all involved.
Childbirth should not be controlled with medical interventions, but should be allowed to chart its own course. If at any time there are signs of distress with either the mother or baby, then is the time to step in and attempt to redirect its path. I do believe that there are times that further assistance is needed in childbirth. In these situations it is a blessing to have the medical knowledge we have access to today. There are some mothers and babies who would surely die, or be severely afflicted, if it was not for certain medical procedures. Thankfully these instances are rare.
I believe that every time a child is born into the world it is a miracle, no matter how it is done. I do not think it is up to me to criticize a mother for giving birth in a different manner than I would have. I do, however, believe that every woman should learn about childbirth, and all of the many choices that involves. She should educate herself and take an active role in her pregnancy and birth. She should explore her options for her place of delivery in the area in which she lives, along with her birth attendant. Once she has come to recognize what she feels would work best for her, she needs to actively prepare, with the aide of her chosen attendant, for the upcoming birth to help accomplish her ideal childbirth experience.
You may read about my
Birth Story with each of my pregnancies. They are special to me and I share them with you since reading about birth experiences can help a mom prepare herself for her own birth story. At least that's what I found when I was expecting my first child.
Starting my birth journey - acquiring information
My personal experience with childbirth may be different than most. I went through a rather lengthy process to come to the conclusion that homebirth is the perfect environment for me and my family to experience the birth process. Within this setting I endured many trials and overcame many obstacles that others would never consider choosing for themselves. All of the research I did previous to the birth of my first child showed time and again that giving birth at home (for a healthy mother and baby) was just as "safe", if not more so, than a hospital birth. It took a lot of deprogramming before I finally made my choice to birth at home. I knew it would be an unpopular topic of discussion with my family and friends, but I was sure in my choice. Once they realized my mind was made up most sat back and waited to see what the outcome would be to try and justify their arguments, or not. Either way it's a matter of opinion, whether there's room made for change or not, we all come to our own conclusions. I will say that most of my family and friends respect my choice and are impressed with how this choice has affected our family. Even if it's not a journey they would like to take in life, they can see that it's one that "fits" our family perfectly. Most people don't ask (or care) how I came to make my choice and what influenced it. Sometimes I do come across a curious individual who likes to learn and keep an open mind to ideas that are not "common" or "popular" among the typical American. Some of my favorite resources in my studies would be books, websites, and other mothers. Ultimately I believe the ONLY way to make the RIGHT choice in regards to birth (or anything of value in life) is through lots of study and prayer. Whether you believe this or not perhaps you will find my recommendations useful in your own search for the perfect birth environment.
These books and articles are a great place to start in your search for information. If you are seeing an OB you may get the "be careful what you read" comment, as I did. Follow your instincts and you should do okay. While I was reading these materials they all "felt" right to me. It just all made sense.
As we switched gears and started preparing for a homebirth vs a hospital birth we soon realized our involvement in the whole process greatly increased. We went from being trained to be "good patients" who placed all of our trust in a doctor and his/her training, to being told we needed to read even more and learn even more and DO even more to get ready for the birth. We didn't have a lot of time with our first since we switched during my 30th week of pregnancy. But we relished the responsibility and felt the rush and excitement of our personal growth as we adjusted our thinking and actions to that of a homebirth. I highly recommend childbirth classes using either the
Bradley method, or
ICEA certified teacher. Our midwife was ICEA certified and did a wonderful job explaining to us (and the other expectant couples in the class which we hosted) all aspects of birth. She covered everything, even procedures done in the hospital, to make sure we would be prepared for both a homebirth, and a transport to the hospital for pain meds or a cesarean if needed. She even went through the various relaxation techniques and physical changes during the birthing process. We felt prepared and informed. It was a great experience I wish every expectant couple could have.
Continuing my birth journey - application and experience
My body has this issue with not going into active labor on its own. With all but one of my pregnancies so far I have had to do something to encourage active labor, or "stimulate" it, as one of my midwives called it. There are several
natural methods of induction, some more well known than others. I have tried prostaglandin (found in semen), bumpy roads, acupuncture, acupressure, foot zoning, nipple stimulation, enemas, homeopathy, herbal belly rub, and others that I have forgotten. Ultimately I end up using some sort of castor oil cocktail with shots of blue and black cohosh along with lots of drinking water and walking. It's rough, but if supervised by a midwife I believe it can be done safely, and it works for me just about every time. My reasons for stimulating labor vary from pregnancy to pregnancy. I would prefer not doing a thing and allowing nature to chart its own course, but certain circumstances usually get in the way of what I had first hoped for. Issues of gestational length (I often go well past my due date), personal health (swelling, blood pressure, etc...), and baby size (my smallest was 8lbs and largest was 10lbs with a third degree tear requiring suturing) usually figure into our decision to stimulate labor. We always consider our options, pray, and then choose what would be best for me and the baby.
One situation we have had to deal with every pregnancy is a
posterior presentation of the baby. This places the baby's spine against mine, which is painful during contractions as the baby is squeezed. There are ways to get the baby to
spin around, but none of them seemed to work for me. Thankfully my babies all spin as I'm pushing so they have always come out the way they should. Even so, it seems odd that this has happened to me with every pregnancy. My second midwife was curious about this and decided to map my pelvis to see if its shape was that of one that favored a posterior presentation for the baby, and that's exactly what she found. It's an interesting study if you happen to know your pelvis type.
Once active labor is established I tend to have rather quick labors (my first being the exception). My support team is usually getting the room set up for the birth as I sway, rock, and lightly bounce on my
birthing ball while I sip water. I find this to be the most comfortable position for me and highly recommend purchasing a birthing ball for all pregnant women. It's not only great for labor, it's a perfect seat for those last weeks of pregnancy when you can't sit with your legs closed and need something less rigid than a chair to rest on. One great thing about a homebirth is that you can freely eat and drink during labor to keep your strength up. This is vital for me since I tend to dehydrate very quickly (I get super hot during labor and burn everything I drink right off) and have a nasty habit of passing out within 30-45 minutes following a birth. I make sure I have a midwife who can administer an IV of fluids and a shot of pitocin to help contract my uterus following each birth as needed. We have yet to find out exactly what causes this for me, but it's always mild and easy to manage at home. So, as I bounce on the ball and breath through my contractions I am drinking fluids between each contraction. I typically stick with water during labor and then switch to
Recharge after the birth. An obvious side note is that this will cause several bathroom breaks that allow me a change of position and a bit of walking around if needed. My contractions tend to be painless, just intense pressure, until I hit transition.
Transition is not my friend, well it is since it means the end is near, but this is where the pain hits and my excitement and humor tend to wane. I am vocal during this phase with deep moans and groans to help ease the pain. My transition period is very quick as I move to the part that I really dislike, which is pushing. That's when my moans turn to screams and the whole house (and possibly neighborhood) wonders if I'm being tortured. I try really hard not to get too vocal since I know it wastes energy, but if it feels right, do it. When I used to watch the birth shows on TV I always laughed when the nurses would tell the loud laboring women to stop making so much noise since I know how hard and nearly impossible it would be for me to do that (and would probably illicit a few unkind remarks). Losing control is what I dislike most about pushing. My body just seems to take over with a ton of force that I can't seem to manage. This is the part during my labor when I highly value having a trusted midwife by my side giving me gentle direction as I try to push this baby through my body and out into the world. So far in my experience, she always seems to know what to do, what to say, and how to deal with any complications that may arise. I have been in the water, on the ball, leaning over the ball, on the toilet, on my hands and knees, standing, squatting, and leaning during transition and pushing during my labors. They all have their time and place and my body and the direction of a good midwife are the best tools to know when and how to respond to what's going on during this time.
The complications we've had in my births have been mild enough to be easily managed at home. Some of these events may have had a far different outcome in a hospital setting, which makes me grateful for my homebirths even more. It's speculation, and some feel that I have taken unnecessary risks, but all I can say for myself is that I FEEL and KNOW that giving birth at home is what I was supposed to do each and every time.
Completing my birth journey - choosing to stop
The question I am faced with every day is whether or not I am at the end of my birthing journey. I really just don't know the answer. Though I enjoy my births, I grow concerned with my health and the condition of my body. It has become harder for me to recover from a birth, and to handle the sleepless nights and demands of breastfeeding along with caring for the older children. I'm not chasing a number, and I'm not confident enough to say this journey is over for me. As with all things in my life that matter, I will leave my mind and heart open to inspiration and follow where it leads.
