There is no doubt...it's natural for us...
Wow! I never would have guessed how moved I would be from researching natural childbirth! It's no longer just a consideration for me, but the only way I would like to experience child birth.
The first thing that a lot of people who have had children say to me is, "Yeah, just wait until you are in there. You'll be begging for them to give you an epidural!" And who knows, I might just find myself in that position. Actually, the research says I WILL find myself in that position at some point during the labor process. This is also why having natural child birth isn't just a decision you make, but also a process of preparation. It's understanding that labor is not easy, or painless, or without self-doubt. These are all documented parts of the labor process that produce genuine concern in most women. Part of preparing for natural childbirth is not only accepting that this will be a part of the process, but expecting it, preparing for it, and putting into place a plan ahead of time for dealing with it.
In the process of preparation, there are two things I think helped solidify my decision. They also helped me accept that my decision is the truly natural one - that my body is not only MADE to do this, but that it will also instruct me on what to do as I go, so there truly is no need to fear the process. Not only is there no need to fear it - there is also a beautiful and amazing reward that comes from having a fully unmedicated and natural childbirth that doesn't happen otherwise. But...back to the two things:
1. I ordered (at the suggestion of an acquaintance) a book titled, "Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way", and,
2. I watched The Business of Being Born
The book is a method of preparing for and carrying out natural childbirth, and the movie is a documentary about the way we treat child birth in the US. Both very powerful, and (I came to discover) calling me to what my heart truly wanted all along.
I have to throw out this disclaimer: this is my decision, my belief system, what I want to do for me. I have no opinion about what anyone else does for themselves. However, I do hope that those who have yet to have children will at least consider researching this as an option before just accepting that status quo. As pointed out in the movie, we spend more time researching what car, TV or gaming system we want to buy than we do truly researching our childbirthing options.
The second question most people ask is how JP feels about this. Honestly, at first the idea scared him. He was scared about what it would mean, had a lot of "what if" questions and scenarios. He said he would support whatever decision I made. I wanted him to buy into to it - to believe in it the same way I did. This is especially important because he is going to be my coach, the person I will need to advocate for me when I am tired and experiencing self-doubt. I will need him to be the person who reminds me that I can do this, that my body is made to do this, when I want to give in and beg for intervention. After watching the movie with me, he is completely on board with the decision. When I asked what he thought, he said, "There is no other option and I will do whatever I have to at the hospital to make sure we have a natural childbirth." Ahhhhh....I love those words. I love my husband and his willingness to explore the not-so-popular alternatives with me. I love that he is open-minded. And I love that we are now on the same page, that he has the same passion and commitment to the process that I do.
I'm not sure how to wrap this up, as I just felt compelled to put it out there. I guess I will wrap up with all the reasons why this is solidified for me now....
We are the only country that uses medical intervention in the childbirthing process to the extent that we do, yet we have one of the worst infant and maternal mortality rates. There is a direct link between the process of inducing labor and C-section rates. Having a C-section - though accounting for nearly 1 out of every 3 births - is NOT status quo. It IS major surgery, and more women are contracting medication-resistant infections after this surgery. It is also what accounts for the insanely high maternal mortality rate in the United States. Medication-assisted births, even those only using epidurals, disrupt the production of the hormone oxytoxin during birth - for both the mother and the child - impairing the bonding process that naturally occurs as a result. Epidurals take away sensation in the legs, leaving a person with only the ability to give birth from a position lying on the back with the legs pushed back or in the air. This position is the most difficult position from which to give birth, as it closes the pelvis, takes away the ability to move your hips as the baby attempts to turn in the pelvis (as babies have to do to be birthed), and compromises the ability to use the abdominal and uterine muscles to push the baby. The epidural-Pitocin-epidural cycle actually causes distress in the baby, many times requiring surgical intervention where none would have happened should the labor been allowed to naturally progress. The process of determining a "due date" is just that - a process, a prediction, and maybe. The process of going into labor will happen on its own time, according to the readiness of the body/baby. With the exception of truly high risk cases, the research I have seen genuinely shows that there is no need to schedule an induction, and the process of using medication to induce labor actually complicates the process, not simplifies it. Also, the women I have talked to who gave birth naturally, because they wanted to and prepared for it, never regretted it, and actually speak of it with greater passion and far less fear than those who did not. And finally, it just fits in with my personal philosophy.
Now...for the preparations...:)
Julie
The first thing that a lot of people who have had children say to me is, "Yeah, just wait until you are in there. You'll be begging for them to give you an epidural!" And who knows, I might just find myself in that position. Actually, the research says I WILL find myself in that position at some point during the labor process. This is also why having natural child birth isn't just a decision you make, but also a process of preparation. It's understanding that labor is not easy, or painless, or without self-doubt. These are all documented parts of the labor process that produce genuine concern in most women. Part of preparing for natural childbirth is not only accepting that this will be a part of the process, but expecting it, preparing for it, and putting into place a plan ahead of time for dealing with it.
In the process of preparation, there are two things I think helped solidify my decision. They also helped me accept that my decision is the truly natural one - that my body is not only MADE to do this, but that it will also instruct me on what to do as I go, so there truly is no need to fear the process. Not only is there no need to fear it - there is also a beautiful and amazing reward that comes from having a fully unmedicated and natural childbirth that doesn't happen otherwise. But...back to the two things:
1. I ordered (at the suggestion of an acquaintance) a book titled, "Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way", and,
2. I watched The Business of Being Born
The book is a method of preparing for and carrying out natural childbirth, and the movie is a documentary about the way we treat child birth in the US. Both very powerful, and (I came to discover) calling me to what my heart truly wanted all along.
I have to throw out this disclaimer: this is my decision, my belief system, what I want to do for me. I have no opinion about what anyone else does for themselves. However, I do hope that those who have yet to have children will at least consider researching this as an option before just accepting that status quo. As pointed out in the movie, we spend more time researching what car, TV or gaming system we want to buy than we do truly researching our childbirthing options.
The second question most people ask is how JP feels about this. Honestly, at first the idea scared him. He was scared about what it would mean, had a lot of "what if" questions and scenarios. He said he would support whatever decision I made. I wanted him to buy into to it - to believe in it the same way I did. This is especially important because he is going to be my coach, the person I will need to advocate for me when I am tired and experiencing self-doubt. I will need him to be the person who reminds me that I can do this, that my body is made to do this, when I want to give in and beg for intervention. After watching the movie with me, he is completely on board with the decision. When I asked what he thought, he said, "There is no other option and I will do whatever I have to at the hospital to make sure we have a natural childbirth." Ahhhhh....I love those words. I love my husband and his willingness to explore the not-so-popular alternatives with me. I love that he is open-minded. And I love that we are now on the same page, that he has the same passion and commitment to the process that I do.
I'm not sure how to wrap this up, as I just felt compelled to put it out there. I guess I will wrap up with all the reasons why this is solidified for me now....
We are the only country that uses medical intervention in the childbirthing process to the extent that we do, yet we have one of the worst infant and maternal mortality rates. There is a direct link between the process of inducing labor and C-section rates. Having a C-section - though accounting for nearly 1 out of every 3 births - is NOT status quo. It IS major surgery, and more women are contracting medication-resistant infections after this surgery. It is also what accounts for the insanely high maternal mortality rate in the United States. Medication-assisted births, even those only using epidurals, disrupt the production of the hormone oxytoxin during birth - for both the mother and the child - impairing the bonding process that naturally occurs as a result. Epidurals take away sensation in the legs, leaving a person with only the ability to give birth from a position lying on the back with the legs pushed back or in the air. This position is the most difficult position from which to give birth, as it closes the pelvis, takes away the ability to move your hips as the baby attempts to turn in the pelvis (as babies have to do to be birthed), and compromises the ability to use the abdominal and uterine muscles to push the baby. The epidural-Pitocin-epidural cycle actually causes distress in the baby, many times requiring surgical intervention where none would have happened should the labor been allowed to naturally progress. The process of determining a "due date" is just that - a process, a prediction, and maybe. The process of going into labor will happen on its own time, according to the readiness of the body/baby. With the exception of truly high risk cases, the research I have seen genuinely shows that there is no need to schedule an induction, and the process of using medication to induce labor actually complicates the process, not simplifies it. Also, the women I have talked to who gave birth naturally, because they wanted to and prepared for it, never regretted it, and actually speak of it with greater passion and far less fear than those who did not. And finally, it just fits in with my personal philosophy.
Now...for the preparations...:)
Julie
If I could be there in the room with you...I'd be a Coach for ya! I have no doubt in my mind that natural childbirth is not an "obstacle" for you. Like I told you in many talks we've had, prepare for the worst & know that it will end. Women have been doing this FOREVER. You are overcoming addiction EVERYDAY & I truly believe that is a much bigger obstacle to handle that childbirth that you know may only last for hours. YOU CAN DO IT (in the voice of Rob Schneider ~ LOL)
ReplyDelete<3 you ALL!!!
Love,
Kimmie
I admire you and your decision. I had no clue about the issues that you brought up! Of course, I haven't had a baby ;) But one day, when I do, I will be borrowing your book and watching that movie. You and JP are such a strong team and will do great during the delivery! Just watch out, cause I have a feeling she's gonna be a sassy little lady from the get go!
ReplyDeleteKatie W