Why is a natural birth so important???

[{sarah}]

What I want is to give our bub the best possible start in life and feel like I have a responsibility to put in some 'hard yards' towards making that happen - a natural birth. This is in the context of not putting either bubs or myself at risk and accepting (well trying to) that if in the end, some form of intervention is absolutely necessary, that I won't have failed in some way.

That is it entirely Blackbird, very well said

[Rouge]

Yep I'd third that It is most definitely how I felt too And I love Fi's comment about not using something for its intended use... oh so true. That was actually part of the "ripped off" feeling I had post c/s with Paris. That and being told (I guess) that as my baby never passed through the birth canal technically she wasn't born... bah to that!

*hugs*
Cailin

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

You girls are all so fantastic! OK, I know I'm all hormonal and teary anyway, but I love this thread and all the support from various people here about doing things naturally.

I've had to put up a fight with my own DH not to get drugs (I told him it would kill the baby if I even had Pethidine... unlikely, but he's the one with the genetic disorder he doesn't want to research!), but luckily my midwives have been mostly fine with it - the one who wasn't has moved to the other side of the country!

For me, I was a "druggy baby" who couldn't open her eyes for more than a few seconds at a time for that first week... I'm not doing that to Liebling. I just couldn't drug up my baby, so that means not drugging up me. I don't dose myself up during pregnancy so I'm not going to during birth. Even after a week, the difference between my drugged-up birth and my sister's fairly drug-free birth still showed; it took a WEEK for me to shake off all those drugs! No way could I do that to my baby without good cause (though I'll be saying different on day 5 when I want a good night's sleep!).

Thanks for the cord blood info, Shannon - I always knew it was vaguely "better" to not cut the cord straight away, but it's good to know why!

I don't mind interventions if they're necessary: I do mind it if they're not. This is another reason I refuse to go to a hospital to give birth!

Also, having been told my bump is "too small" so my baby isn't growing, I think we should ban all silly people from being around pregnant women: we don't need the stress and the vast majority of babies are fine, no matter what the bump looks like!

[{sarah}]

That still makes me so angry Cai, she wasn't born, what sort of a stupid comment is that And yep I agree too that part of the failure feeling has to do with not being able to do what your body is supposed to do.

[Roryrory]

LOL Pushing out a 3.9kg baby without pain relief felt pretty bloody natural to me!!! LOL

But I do take you point, I shall use "vaginal" birth next time.

[BellyBelly]

Sorry Hate saying it, as it can easily be taken as trying to sound 'superior' but not intended I promise Bloody good job though I must say

[Roryrory]

Kelly, that's cool, I know the point you were trying to make
But I think my case is a good one for how intervention can lead to intervention. I was 9cm dialated when I got to hospital at 3am (laboured for about 6 hours at home) and Flynn wasn't born till 9am. Oxytocin was administered cause I was buggered by that stage, and syntocin because placenta was in 2 halves, and epi cause OB was an OB and had me hold my breath and push. All the while DH and I knew that things were not "right" and didn't have to be that way but once you are in "their" world, you play by "their" rules, IYKWIM.

But my parting words to my OB were - "Great job - healthy baby. Now, you don't do home births, do you?" PML!!!

[BellyBelly]

LOL what a classic!!!! Second births are much better - I reckon your next will be super fast

[BellyBelly]

Oh I have to share a story I was told today at a committee meeting I was at. One of the members was supporting someone who has a breech bub and the doctor has said the baby will be born at 38 weeks, first thing in the morning on a certain date. Anyway, she asks why she has to have the baby then and the doctor replied, 'Would you rather me be bleary eyed at 2am in the morning or bright eyed first thing?' Bah. I would have gone nuts.

[{sarah}]

The world has gone mad

[Julie Doula]

Me, too. Nuts for sure. Gulp. It sure makes you want to run screaming down the street in the direction of the nearest home birth midwife. At least, that's my reaction. 'Spose I'm biased, I'm more scared of getting messed with in hosp than I am of labour pain or the slight risk of complications (I'm more scared of becoming one of the road kill 43 that that) so I guess that explains why I (ex-nurse and well aware of what hosp birth involves) did run screaming down the road to the nearest home birth midwife ....
I really hope your friend gets her normal vaginal breech birth & I hope she has some excellent birth support with her at the time.

[Trish]

A little off topic here. But one Wednesday when I had the kids at swimming there was a woman that was very pg. Anyway I could hear her talking to the teahcer and she said that she was due very early in Januarky, as in the first few days and that her OB is planning on bringing baby on in December, like 2 weeks before Christmas.

Of course me being me with my big mouth and all told her that it was all for his convenience and to tell him no as obviously he just didn't want to be bothered over Christmas. She said that she did tell him no but in the next breath said how she's see everyone back in mid January ....

[lady*of*thelake]

What I want is to give our bub the best possible start in life and feel like I have a responsibility to put in some 'hard yards' towards making that happen - a natural birth. This is in the context of not putting either bubs or myself at risk and accepting (well trying to) that if in the end, some form of intervention is absolutely necessary, that I won't have failed in some way. I have had long discussions with my OB about this and he is happy to work with me on this and only intervene if he feels the risk is too great. I've been doing some hypnotherapy to learn to just trust in my body as well as develop relaxation triggers.

I absolutely agree with this and it is ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE, even in a hospital setting.

I had a totally natural birth with my DD, in 8 hours 15 minutes, with no drugs or interventions. For me it was about continuing all the hard work I had done during pregnancy to put myself and my child to be in absolutely the best position for the birth. I did yoga 6 days a week throughout pregnancy, ate well, took healthy pregnancy supplements and meditated to reassure myself that my body could birth my child successfully. I viewed it like training for a marathon, and I expected it to hurt a lot, but that the pain would be different from "bad pain" - this would be "good pain" bringing my child into the world.

For me personally, I also have a belief in reincarnation so I kept telling myself "you've done this thousands of times before....just not in THIS body. Let the experience of all the women who have gone before you flow through you." Sounds a bit hippy-dippy, but it gave me confidence.

In my rational brain, I balanced intervention risks with a benchmark "best possible" birth experience for both myself and my child. If the life or health of my child were ever at serious risk, then I was happy to let my idea of a perfect birth go by the wayside for her sake. But I also truly believed that the best outcome for both of us would be to get through it with no drugs and as few interventions as possible.

Whether it was luck or hard work or a combination of both, we got the benchmark! I can't imagine how it could have gone better. My body got her out in a 12 minute stage 2 without me having to consciously push at all. She was alert and made eye contact straight away, got off to a flying start with breastfeeding, and she is just the best baby I could imagine.

A lot of people (my OB included) tell me there was a lot of "luck" involved in the birth I had. Yes, there may have been a little bit, but I must admit it peeves me a bit when people say that. I worked damned hard from day 1 of pregnancy to do all I could to optimise my body and mind for the birth.

What I find scary is that out of 15 other mothers at my new Mothers' group, I was the ONLY ONE who had a drug-free, intervention-free labour. Maybe that's why my OB believes I was "lucky" - because most hospital births have interventions....

[bon]

For me, a natural birth as such is not important - I will not be having one, as I will be receiving the injection of synto for 3rd stage, and I will more than likely use the gas as a coping aid during labour. What is important to me is a spontaneous start to labour, and no augmentation at all. I feel like this is definitely achieveable (although right now I am wondering if this baby will ever come out!), and I feel good about it.

[Kirsty77]

LMAO and PMSL Brooke! You have quite a way with words!

[Tracey]

A friend from works wife is due with theor second in 3 wks time but are booked in for a C/sect next Friday... Why quite honestly & simply beacuse the first was a c/sect!
I have given them plenty of info about VBAC's etc & the responses I got were..
Our Private OB is well respected & does hundreds of c/sect's, he says it HAS to be a C/section, are you a Dr, do you know more about childbirth than him, who had degree's etc!"

I quite simply replied... "If he is so happy to control the way your birth your baby & he is happy to take your $$$'s then no wonder he's doing hundreds!!"

I think as sarah said these ppl & lot's of ppl out there & just not informed & take everything their OB as gospel...
at my 34wks appt with Maddy my Ob said the baby seemed to feel larger than my pelvis & there was a chance i'd need a c/section... I went home crying, although i dont know why, I guess it was because as Fi said I had a twat but it wasnt going to be used for what it was there for (other than urinating etc!) I felt ripped off that I'd never experince labour etc, the following appt I told him I really was upset & he apologised & siad it was just a comment & he would prefer to see me through a Vaginal birth...
I did end up birthing vaginally with Maddy but I did have intervention as I was induced after my waters breaking 2 days before & then had peth for pain...

With Indah I laboured at home til I couldnt anymore, I then arrived at the hospital with bulging membranes that broke within an hour or so of arriving & then Indah arrived soon after, although I was cut as she had stopped breathing & was distressed... It was extremely empowering,well both were amazing, after all I had just birthed a new human being life doesnt get better than that!!
I am now booked in toi the FBC at the angliss for #3.... Ooooh maybe I'll have a 4th & do it at home!??? OOOH Dh will kill this site for encouarging me to keep breeding LOL!

I believe the baby & Mother are the most important & with info & knowledge all birth no matter how are empowering, as long as we are well informed & speak up for ourselves!!!!

Sarah I am patiently waiting for your Preg announcement!!!!

[{sarah}]

Sarah I am patiently waiting for your Preg announcement!!!!

Me too Trace, me too!

[Trish]

Tracey,

Our Private OB is well respected & does hundreds of c/sect's, he says it HAS to be a C/section, are you a Dr, do you know more about childbirth than him, who had degree's etc!"

doesn't that get you frustrated. I know that it does for me. So what if he has a degree. I'm not saying that I know more than an OB in regards to birthing a baby. BUT, I am saying too that some (not all) OB's will not tell the whole story and will often do what suits them over what suits the mum.

Since when are babies convenient people anyway ??

Sarah, patience is a virtue hun Hmm someone who wasn't ttc obviously did not write that.