Joseph, a week old, May 2008Birth is a natural process, not a medical emergency. It is all too common for it to be "treated" instead of letting our bodies go with the flow.
Labor is rushed if the due date is just a few days past due, interventions are done during labor that can stall it or put the baby into distress, c-sections are done all too often. Many times, these are all unnecessary. Don't get me wrong, there is a time and a place for an induction, epidurals, or c-sections. A perfect birth doesn't always mean natural...a perfect birth is when the outcome is a healthy baby and mother.
But it is true that the more intervention, the greater risk of problems arising. Let's start with inductions. The doctors give us a due date of 40 weeks, and often within a few days of the due date (whether before or after) doctors are often discussing inductions. The fact is that a normal pregnancy can last anywhere from 38 weeks to 42 weeks. Being induced means stronger and more painful contractions, which means you may be more likely to need pain killers/epidural. Seeing as how your body wasn't ready for labor (and the majority of women do eventually go into labor naturally, it is a rare instance where a women won't go into labor before 42 weeks) things aren't exactly ripe and ready and your body is forced into something it wasn't ready for. Which is why inductions often start the road to problems.
Epidurals and other drugs can cause your labor to stall, either making a longer labor or causing you to not progress at all and needing a c-section. It can also cause the baby to be in distress, which requires immediate action. Not only that but they all have possible side effects to both you and the baby.
This isn't a "how to have a perfect birth" post. You can plan every single detail and nothing could go as planned. A mother choosing to get an epidural, drugs, or needing a c-section is not a failure.
For me, choosing to have a natural birth was not just to avoid a c-section. I wanted to see if I could do it. I wanted to feel what it was like to give birth naturally, like women for centuries have been doing. I wanted to follow my body's lead and just do it. I plan to write my birth stories out later on so won't bore you with the details twice but will mention that with my first I finally relented to getting Demoral, which did nothing for the pain but made me drowsy which in turn made me fall asleep and wake up with each contraction. I was so out of it that I couldn't get on top of the pain. I got stuck at 8cm for a few hours and it was pure torture. I only found out later that the doctor was thinking of a c-section since I wasn't progressing.
The next two were done with a midwife in a hospital and were totally natural. It is amazing to feel the power of your body working with your mind while in labor and while it is intense it is liberating. The natural high after giving birth is amazing as well and lasts for hours, if not days afterwards. As a women, or as a person, I have never felt as strong as I do after giving birth. It's amazing! Giving birth just comes naturally!
What birthing choices did you make? Looking back, would you do it again the same or do something differently?
Well, I was induced for both of my kids. Different ways, but the still induced. For my first, I went in for a non stress test and was at 1cm. My doc told me that she was gonna be there for the next few days, so if I wanted to have my baby, come on in. I was a wreck!!I didn't want the desicion. I wanted someone else to make it. Then a few hours later, she called me a told me to come in. So I was induced at 3pm and had my son at 12:21am. Now with my second, I was high risk, an I didn't want a child born any holiday, even Valentines day. :) So I was brought into the hospital for cervidil(sp?) overnight. Then at 6am they took it out and checked me. 0cm Then at 7:00 I was feeling "it". But no one believed me, even though I've done this before. Then they finally checked me at 7:30, 10cm. She was born at 8:03. They actually asked me to wait for my doc, who comes in at 8!! I didn't. She was walking in, threw on gloves, and caught her.
ReplyDeleteAll that to say, I don't think I would've done anything different. They were both scary in their own way, but the outcome was healthy babies. So I am thankful. :) Sorry that was so long.
i was induced do to highblood pressure at 38weeks. the drugs they gave me didn't work so i ended up with a c-section. i opted for the knock me out and wake me when it's over version instead of an epidural. i have no faith in UK hospitals and if they were going to kill me, i would rather be asleep for it. as it was i ended up being readmitted 10days later for a post op infection. that stay was even worse than the week i spent waiting to give birth. i don't think i will be having any more children. i'm happy with one. we had a rough start but 3 years later things couldn't be better.
ReplyDeleteit would have been nice to have a natural, drug free birth like i had hoped but my c-section ruled! i woke up and felt awesome. there was no pain, i wasn't sore or uncomfortable at any point during my recovery.
I was induced at 39 wks due to slowed growth and I was showing a number of signs od being ready. I went as natural as I could. We did use pitocin. It was a 3 hr labor, no pain meds. Like you said, it was intense yet liberating. I hope things go as well next time around. Here's link to the full story:
ReplyDeletehttp://wolfsonsafari.blogspot.com/2010/05/grahams-birth-story-fast-and-furious.html
I had both my sons naturally with no epidural or drug intervention. With both of them I went in wanting to do it all naturally but would ask for an epidural if I needed it. I was blessed with rather quick labors, and somewhat small babies (my 2nd was 7 lbs 5 oz and he was a lb heavier than my first) Everything went just has I had hoped and I would not change a thing. Especially my 2nd, he came literally 1.5 hours after being admitted to the hospital!
ReplyDeleteThanks for making this post, I love retelling my birth stories.
I just wanted to give another opinion on c sections so women don't think it is a good option. I had my twins that way the most painful week of my life post op. I could barely get out of a chair but oh yeah I had two newborns to take care of so i had no choice. No infection or anything. They hit nerve in my back when doing the spinal the pain went all the way down my leg and was sore for a while. I would NEVER do that again I sure hope to do it VBAC if i get another chance.
ReplyDeleteIt always amazes me how each and every birth is totally different! While my last two births were all natural they were much different from each other, which I will be writing about sometime soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing all of your stories!
I had my first two kids in a hospital, my last at home completely natural and no drugs. Everything went good, with a herbal bath afterwards. My husband and son was there at the time. This was in 1983. My daughter was so relaxed she never cried. It was with a mid wife, and we lived in Alaska at the time. Labor lasted 12 hours but I think it was the best birth of all three.
ReplyDelete4 children. #1 induced with cervical gel at 42 weeks...otherwise natural. #2 & #3 born at 10 days overdue all natural. #4 induced with gel at 40 weeks (blood antibody issue titer got too high) otherwise all natural. #1 was a Dr. #2 at m/w with ob referring. #3 & #4 m/w with ob & perinatologist referring.
ReplyDelete