Why Natural Childbirth?
Why would any woman want to subject herself to the pain of childbirth without medication? You may have heard many opinions about women who choose natural birth being egotistical in their pursuit of a pseudo-spiritual experience; putting their babies at risk while trying to find meaning in birth; or seeking approval as the most sacrificial mother. Although my experience is more limited than others, I can say from my experience in helping families prepare to give birth, choosing to have a natural childbirth isn't about any of those things.
Most of the women who pursue a natural birth do so because they know childbirth has risks, but they are minimal. Interventions for childbirth, such as epidurals, oxytocin and electronic fetal monitoring also have risks. Choosing natural childbirth means choosing not to add unnecessary risk for mother or baby.
This doesn't mean natural childbirth mothers want to be in pain, and it doesn't mean they won't use a variety of pain coping techniques when they labor. But it does mean they will choose the pain coping techniques that carry the least amount of risk - and it just so happens they are non-medicinal. Using these techniques successfully in childbirth requires practice, and natural childbirth mothers are willing to put in the necessary time to help keep the risk low.
This also does not mean they will never accept a medical intervention or a cesarean. They simply put the decision in the context of when the benefits of the medical procedures outweigh the risks. By benefits we mean the health of the mother and baby, and by risks we mean risks to the health of mother and baby. Women who choose to pursue a natural childbirth do not consider the benefit of less pain during childbirth to outweigh the potential risks.
They also understand that the promise of an easy operation to avoid childbirth is a very tempting lie. A cesarean is major abdominal surgery, and instead of being treated as though she has just been through major surgery cesarean-birth mothers are expected to get right on with life. All surgery comes with risks; risks that are not inherent in the childbirth process. One study found women were 550% more likely to die from elective cesarean than vaginal birth - elective meaning there was no medical indication requiring the cesarean. The scar tissue from a cesarean increases a mother's risk for ectopic pregnancy, placental problems (the risk of which grows with each cesarean), and can open during the next labor. The risk of damage to other organs increases with each additional cesarean a woman experiences. The babies of elective cesarean also fair worse than vaginal birth babies, being three times as likely to have respiratory problems. Natural childbirth mothers choose to do everything they can to avoid the risks associated with cesarean, and one of the ways to decrease your chances of having a caesarean is to stay active during labor and avoiding other interventions.
They understand that giving birth does no more damage to the body than breastfeeding. That it may change it slightly but actually improves the way it works. After giving birth most women are more able to perceive small changes in their body and have greater control over their pelvic floor muscle, provided they are exercising their pelvic floor. It is not the process of giving birth that damages pelvic floors and vaginas - it is the mismanagement of birth. Cutting the pelvic floor muscle (episiotomy), forcing pushing before the mother is ready and requiring positions that make giving birth more difficult all contribute to damaging vaginas. None of these are necessary for childbirth, and natural childbirth mothers choose not to have them.
Most of the women who pursue a natural birth understand the risks associated with interventions are only that - risks, not guarantees of a problem. It is possible to have an uncomplicated labor using medical interventions, and that is what every woman hopes for. However, because the risks are real and you do not know what risks will become a part of your labor until after you use an intervention, they choose to avoid the risk completely if at all possible.
Most of the women who pursue a natural childbirth also understand the pain they feel during labor serves a purpose. It is different from other pains - it is cyclical building and releasing. It serves a physiological purpose, exiting the baby from the mother's body in the most safe and healthy way. The mother and baby work and respond together in a hormonal dance that builds in intensity until at last the baby is born. They also understand that by working with their body in response to the pain they feel, they are helping their baby get into the proper position for birth.
Is natural childbirth a sacrifice? It can be, but that is not why women choose it. They choose to sacrifice comfort because they want the least amount of risk for their baby.
Is natural childbirth about building self-esteem? Women do feel stronger, braver, and better about themselves after having given birth naturally, but that is not why women choose it. They simply decide something is more important than what they want, and they become stronger and build their self-esteem because of that.
Is giving birth a spiritual experience? I guess that depends on who you ask. Women who prepare for and give birth naturally describe childbirth in a way that shows they experienced something that can only be considered spiritual. But this was not manufactured by having candles, music, chanting or any religious or spiritual tools in the labor room. They lived in the moment, handling each contraction as it came drawing strength from the places it was available - they didn't have the energy to manufacture a spiritual experience. They simply gave birth, and that was meaningful enough on its own.
Want to know more about the medical research about childbirth and interventions? Read The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth
You May Also Be Interested In:Learn the risks and benefits of epidurals and other labor medications. Find out about ways to reduce unnecessary pain in labor. Find out about common labor challenges and natural alternatives to handle them. Find out what normal labor is like. Review the birth plan options that may be available to you. |
|
© Copyright 2000-2008 Jennifer VanderLaan and Birthing Naturally
Home | Site Index | Disclaimer | Contact
|
|