Childbirth (scroll down for new content)

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.

~NEW~

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.

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 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.

~NEW~

Continuing my birth journey - application and experience

My body has this issue with not going into active labor on its own. With all of my pregnancies so far I have had to do something to encourage active labor, or "stimulate" it, as one of my midwives calls 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 latest 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. I have yet to find a website that has anything more than a .pdf on pelvis shapes and what they could mean for delivering a baby vaginally, but it's an interesting study if you happen to know your pelvis type.

more soon to come....

Page Last Updated - Friday, July 13, 2007 7:38 PM