How many of us have had a natural birth?

[STARRYSKY]

I had an internal exam which led to AROM, was allowed to labour for 3 hours then drip started, which led to monitoring, I refused the scalp clip (much to MW DISGUST) Was told I would end up with a CS if not dilated past 4cm in 3 more hours, gave in and had gas, told I would definitely be having a CS, had an epidural and was wheeled in to theatre after 10 hours of controlled failed labour.

[catetay]

DS was 7 hrs all up, arrived in hosp at 9cm. Had ARM while i was pushing as he would have been born in caul and epis supposedly to prevent major tearing. i was quite pleased with myself. DD was elective cs due to postion. will be trying for VBAC this time

[PumpkinZulu]

I find it slightly odd that a lot of emphasis is put on WHO statistics of natural births, but WHO themselves are not certain on their stance with the third stage of labour, at this stage they conclude that it does reduce the risk of PPH, and may be beneficial. This was once of the deciding factors for me in having a managed third stage.

Same! It's not very clear. For reasons you mentioned, I too may never have a WHO-defined 'natural' birth...but I'm cool with that I think personal definitions very and that's done, my definition is definitely stricter than some peoples, but also a lot more lax than others

[Nicambhar]

#1 C/S
#2 Natural - no gas or needles
#3 Natural - no gas or needles
#4 C/S

[BellyBelly]

I dont think internals or doppler are intervention as it doesn't affect the outcome. Natural is labour starting on its own, and finishing on its own, without the augmentation or interference of anything else. That is natural for want of the technical term. There is nothing wrong with a vaginal birth, there is nothing wrong with using what you need. A great, empowered experience I think is way better.

[*LittleMissSummer*]

I call my labour natural as i had no intervention at all. My waters broke on their own as my labour was spontaneous. I went 18 hours just breathing through contractions. I did however have some pain relief but no drugs i was VERY strict about that. And i birthed without any help, my midwife filled out paperwork while talking to me and making me breathe.

I would love for my next labour to be completely natural so no pain relief at all. But i would stay at home as long as possible. I think thats what ruined my first time was i rushed to the hospital and had awful midwives that made me lose my confidence.

[Yeddi]

My first birth was a necessary c-section at 37 weeks. The funny thing here is I had to FIGHT to get this intervention. I woke up one day with my intuition going nutso, so went in to get monitored and did so for the next few days, each time the results came back just over the line so they just fobbed me off as the young silly little girl who was too posh to push when I asked for a c-section - but I knew something was wrong. In the end I had a melt down in the hospital and they gave me the c-section based on "maternal distress"... that was until they pulled DD out. She had a true knot in her cord, it was wrapped twice tightly around her neck and was about to detach from the naval. I remember seeing the cord, it was pulled so tight at the naval it was translucent like glad wrap and I could see the blood as it pumped through. One contraction, or bump or wrong move and I wouldn't have been giving birth to a live baby.

For DS being a VBAC I had every intention of going as natural as possible. But when DS turned posterior and no encouragement/position etc. would get him to move and with also having SPD it didn't work out that way. Over a labour that lasted for 36 hours, I had two lots of water injections, 4 internals, an IV with fluids as I couldn't eat or drink without feeling REALLY sick, an epidural at 34 hours in a last ditch attempt before they tried to pack me off for another c-section as I had only dilated to 4cm after all that work. I believe that the epidural was a necessary intervention (although I fought to stay away from it with all my might) but whether it was me being able to relax with the possy baby or being able to lie on my back and stabilise my hyper-mobile pelvis, I dilated the final 6cm in just under 2 hours and was able to birth my baby through my vagina! And I also had the Sinto injection plus a sinto IV as I had a PPH.

I have yet to have a fully natural birth, but in my instance, I believe I got my necessary births.

[Shanti]

I had a completely natural labour and birth with DD (9.5hr posterior labour & birth), no drugs or gas and pregnancy was totally normal, no meds etc needed..... however I did get a needle to help with the placenta at the end but I still call my labour and birth natural because it was the placenta is just 3rd stage after the baby is already out!

This baby though, I am not getting the needle and am hoping for an active 3rd stage so that will be nice.

I only give birth in public hospitals with middy care

[Rouge]

I didn't have a natural birth. I had a unnecesarean with DD. And then went on to have a VBAC with DS. I didn't have any drugs during birth but I did have ARM. I had a natural 3rd stage and then ended up needing some help to stop with bleeding. Then when the afterbirth kicked in I had Peth. The birth itself apart from ARM I was fine LOL! But that was also thanks to my doula. I was begging for drugs at one point believe me LOL! But then I moved and it was fine.

I think for those of you that feel somewhat disappointed in the term natural birth or that, by it's definition, your birth wasn't. Please be happy in knowing you have every right to be just as proud of your birth as those that did have a natural birth. That doesn't take away from those that did have a natural birth, and I'm sure they wouldn't want to take away from how proud you are of your birth regardless Empowered birth to me is the most important birth. Where you do everything you choose and are informed about those choices and therefore are empowered regardless of outcome. Sometimes intervention is necessary and sometimes it isn't. Knowing the difference is important too Knowing your own limits and strengths is probably the most empowering of all. xxx

[Feijoa Mum]

Out of my five births only one of them was completely natural and intervention free.
It was my 2nd son and he was my biggest baby.

My first was intervention all the way. Induced, drips, Internals, drugs, forceps, episotomy, stitches, and more needles due to retained placenta.

The other three have had varying degrees of intervention but im ok with it. I have five beautiful healthy babies so to me im completely fine with what happened to get them here.

[Pandora]

My second was natural. I went into proper labour in my aqua class and but the time I got to hospital was in transition, there was no time for drugs even though I asked for gas my mw just kept talking the whole time she was excellent.
DS2 was born 40 mins after we arrived and the placenta was birthed about 5 minutes after he was.

First was vaginal but was induced and I had gas and ARM (but this was during the final stages of delivery to avoid an epi, not as an induction method)

[BellyBelly]

Ditto Cai. I had the birth I needed to have. And look where I am now

Terms aren't so important. But for those who want to get technical there will always be definitions. You all did a beautiful job! xx

[Lily Dust]

I have only had one birth but yep, absolutely no drugs by plan, no epidural, no gas, nothing Waters broke on their own and a physiological 3rd stage, although we had to fight to get this as the Dr had not heard of it I did have 1 internal as I was continually being told I wasnt ready to push and it was more of me saying 'I am damn well am, look for yourself' type thing iykwim

[RainbowBrite]

First birth - Intervention free, drug free, no oxytocin for placenta natural birth in birth centre. She was born in the caul.

Second birth - Intervention free, drug free, no oxytocin for placenta natural birth in country hospital. The doctor tried to make me lay on the bed to deliver...so I said I need to go to the bathroom and birthed him there and the nurse was at the door but had no idea until she turned around and I was pulling him up. He was a precipitous birth.

Third birth - 1 1/2 hr labour, no drugs or intervention, no oxytocin for placenta. Precipitous birth...I 'caught' him when I birthed in the bottom of the shower at the hospital.

Forth birth - 2hr drug, intervention free labour, no oxytocin for placenta. Also a precipitous birth and I also 'caught' him in the bottom of the shower.
He was born with pneumonia so I didn't get long to hold him before they took him

Fifth - Waters broke and then a 2hr drug, intervention free labour, no oxytocin for placenta and cord left pulsating before cutting.. She was supposed to be a homebirth but unfortunately due to being in a rush to meet us at 35 weeks we had to got o the hospital but I had my lovely homebirth middie with me and I got a wonderful birth. She had to go down to the nursery after an hour because of breathing and temp control issues.

Sixth and Seventh labour couldn't be more different...problem pregnancies, prom, cervical stitch. Both c-sections...first classical section at 28 weeks and second a bikini c-section at 25 weeks.
I must admit I am still very disappointed...but nothing I could do it saved my babies lives.

[human bean]

I consider DD a natural birth, I had 1 internal and that was actually at my Ob's office for a check up, not realising I was in established labour and finding out I was 8cm. Was sent to the hospital, and they used the doppler a few times, but otherwise that was it. The bath was my drug and I pushed when I needed to, placenta arrived by itself about 40 minutes after DD did.

[Snowy Love]

I was on the way to a natural birth with DS2, no internals all pregnancy, in the bath as soon as we got into the birth suite, after much pushing born into my hands, little cuddle, confirmed with mw I didn't want the needle for the placenta, then the water turned claret (to quote the mw) then all systems go, out of the bath, onto the bed, needle for the placenta. So an almost natural birth except for the placenta, but the intervention was justified.

DS1 I had gas and the needle for the placenta, and a very painful internal during labour (the only internal the whole preganancy) none of which in hindsight I think was necessary.

[LimeSlice]

Neither of mine were natural.

DD1 - AROM, emerg cs.
DD2 - spontaneous ROM and labour, no S&S, but did have to have ABs, and it all ended with me delivering in an operating theatre with an epi and spinal, due in part to jittery hospital staff and the inability of a midwife or and ob to recognise I was actual in transition. I did have delayed cord clamping, and immediate skin to skin, but no physiological third stage due to the circumstances.

Mind you, in my mind the second one was "natural" - she came out of my vagina, as opposed to my abdomen, so that has to be natural

[Rouge]

Mind you, in my mind the second one was "natural" - she came out of my vagina, as opposed to my abdomen, so that has to be natural

I love that and that's how I felt too You rock!