Natural birthing
Do you have any advice regarding how to prepare oneself for natural birth? I am not expecting yet, but I am trying to prepare for the future.Though I have given birth twice, I have never had a natural birth. When I had my daughter, L, I had labored at home for 23 hours, then transfered to a hospital for 10 more hours of labor. When I had my son, it was a short, five-hour labor. I was trying to birth naturally, but was not mentally prepared, so I had an epidural during the last hour. I feel like I would like to feel the whole birthing process, though I am fearful of the "crowning".I've been getting a number of questions on the subject of natural birthing recently. We've discussed this some previously here and I encourage those interested in this to go back and read that entry.
Were there any books that helped you mentally for childbirth? For some reason. it is hard for me to believe that a book can adequately prepare one for labor. But there are so many women I know who actually look forward to birthing naturally. There is something there that I have never experienced. In Christ, CJ
Since I've only had one birth, I can't speak with much experience, but I can tell you it was a wonderful experience. You can read my birth story here (email me if you'd like to read the longer, more-detailed version). Having Kathrynne in a birthing center where I knew I didn't have the option of an epidural really helped me to go into birth with every intention to have a natural birth.
I prepared myself with prayer, talking to other moms who had had natural births, reading books on natural childbirth, and mentally reminding myself that hundreds of thousands of women had done this before me. Also, Jesse went with me to all our childbirth classes and he really soaked up the information. We had lots of discussions prior to the birth on how he could help coach me through it.
When I was actually in labor, things that helped me were:
1. Distracting myself as long as possible - In the early stages of labor, I talked on the phone, wrote in my journal, sat on my birth ball and clipped coupons while watching a few movies. We also ran a few arrands, I rested for a while, walked around, and even ate some.
2. Focusing on one contraction at a time - When I could no longer distract myself from the pain, I started taking one contraction at a time as they came and trying to remain calm and focused. A few weeks before I went into labor, some dear friends and my siblings had written down and decorated a number of verses on cards and in a little book for me (verses on perserverance, endurance, relying upon the Lord, etc.). These were a lifesaver to me. Between each contraction, I would pick a verse and put it in front of me and then when the next contraction came, I would read a phrase from that verse and repeat it over and over again through the whole contraction. I know that might sound weird, but it really worked for me. It helped me stay focused and not get out of control and it helped me to keep my eyes fixed on Christ.
3. Staying at home as long as possible - One thing I had wanted to do all along was stay at home as long as possible. Most of my laboring was at home and we waited to go to the birthing center until I felt like I couldn't handle the laboring anymore myself. I didn't want to be pacing around the birthing center for hours and was much more comfortable at home.
4. Changing positions regularly - This is something my midwives really stressed before I went into labor. They encouraged me to try a variety of positions while have contractions. If something didn't feel good, try something else. I sat on my birth ball, got on all fours, squatted in the bathtub, walked, among many other things. If something was working, I would keep doing that until it didn't seem to be working any more, then I would try something else.
5. Laboring in the water - This was the best thing I did! When I was at home, I spent part of the time in the bathtub and found it to be so relaxing and soothing. When we finally went to the birthing center, I got in the Jacuzzi and got on all fours, almost completely submersed in water, and what relief this was! In a matter of about 45 minutes, I went from 4 cm to complete in the Jacuzzi. If you can labor in the water, by all means do it.
One thing I did want to mention is that it is not always possible to have a natural birth. A few months before I had Kathrynne, one of my friends, who was planning a natural birth at home, ended up having to have a C-section. After hearing her account of her birth, I purposed to go into birth planning for a completely natural birth, but to not be disappointed if that was not possible. Having a healthy baby was the goal and if, in order to do that, there needed to be medical intervention, that was okay.
Having said all that, would any of you moms like to pipe in and share about your natural birthing experiences and give your answers to CJ's questions? I know that there are a number of other readers who are expecting and hoping to have a natural birth and I'm sure they would appreciate any insights and thoughts you might have as well.
posted by Crystal Paine at 1:11 PM
28 Comments:
I have what seems to me to be a silly question, but it's really something I don't know . .
Crystal, you mentioned that if you needed medical intervention, you would have allowed it. But could you have gotten the same treatment in a birthing center as you would have in a hospital? Is the reason you knew you couldn't have an epidural because birthing centers simply aren't equipped for such things? If there had been an emergency during your labor (thank the Lord there was not, of course) would you have had to be rushed off to a hospital?
I have endured many hospital stays and I hated every second of every one. Reading Kathrynne's birth story was so inspiring, because it seemed you had many more options for comfort and care in a birthing center than you would in anywhere else. (I certainly can't imagine anyone going through their contractions in a soothing Jacuzzi bath in a hospital!)
This is a GREAT post! I enjoyed reading your full birth story, and I appreciate this specific advice as well. I am really hoping to have a natural birth in October with my first baby. I can't wait to hear advice from other moms!
I have learned a lot from the Bradley book I'm reading. I like the Bradley method a lot so far - it's all about natural, husband-coached childbirth. My husband and I are going to take a Bradley class in August and September. I like the exercises that I can start now to stretch and strengthen all the muscles involved in labor (hopefully to prevent tearing and make labor go more easily). One thing that was particularly helpful was what it says about the emotional stages of labor. When you feel like you can't do anymore and want to give up, that means you're almost there!
What are the benefits of having a natural birth? Are there spiritual benefits? Are there any natural painkillers used?
I have had only 1 baby so far and I had it with a midwife at a hospital. I was looking forward to laboring in the tub but our hospital doesn't allow you to after your bag of waters has ruptured, so I labored on a shower srool in a shower with warm wayer pouring over me, I was only in labor 6 hours but I pushed 3, my best advise is once you get to the pushing stage to keep your eyes close and focus on the contraction then breathing and pushing. Don't be distracted by the people around you and the instruments they are bringing into the room.
-Lela
My DH and I took the full Bradley Childbirth Prep course which lasts twelve weeks and was quite expensive. What I wish we'd done instead is read _Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way_. Excellent book! And if you're DH is willing to do the exercises, I'd say you're all set. You just need to practice and really set your mind on having a natural birth.
Having a baby outside of a hospital and/or seeing an OB who is supportive of natural birth will help dramatically as well.
Good luck!!
The only advice I would give about labor is to always keep your options open. If you have your heart set on one specific birth plan in mind, it can be upsetting to have it altered for any reason. The ultimate goal here is a healthy mom and baby.
My birth experience was vastly different from my original plan. It took a long time to come to peace about that.
That being said, a LARGE part of labor and delivery is mental preparation. You need to beleive that you are capable of a natural birth. I pushed for two hours and it wasn't until I submitted to what my body was doing that I finally delivered. And yes, I had wanted a natural birth but did elect for the epidural. (Back labor-YUK!)
Good Luck to all the mommies-to-be!
Kim in WI
Times are changing so my birthing stories of 12 and 15 years ago would be outdated.I can say this-no epidurals at either birth.The Air Force hopsital didn't have enough people working there so no epidurals allowed and for the second birth the doctor didn't believe in them so I didn't have a choice.I fgured if I did it once naturaly then one more time would not be too bad!!By the way both were induced after being in the hospital for pre-eclampsia so I had no choice about staying at home for as long as possible!!
I am the mother of 4 children. The first time I gave birth was in a hospital with an epidural. I wanted to birth naturally but, even though I'd taken a hospital prep class for the birth, we did not practice any breathing or relaxation tactics and I was not familiar with the draw backs of some of the protocols of the hospital. It was a beautiful birth, I loved being aware, and we felt the spirit of the Lord touch our hearts.
The second time around, we were very fortunate to have 'happened' upon a very nice neighbor who taught childbirth classes and was also a doula (labor support person). We took her classes and were very enlightened by all that was offered. She talked a lot about the different birthing cultures of the past and present in different parts of the world. Women in other cultures have relied on other women to support and care for them during labor and birth. We did art projects involving drawing out our feelings. These didn't have to be "talented" drawings, just heart expressed. These projects helped us figure out, among other things, what our fears were and how to face them. I looked into having a home birth, but decided I wanted to birth in the hospital, because I felt more comfortable there, and a lot because of not wanting to explain myself to everyone who would think I was crazy. I chose to have 2 doulas there with me. My husband was and is so very supportive and loving, but he has never experienced labor before and I felt I would greatly benefit from those who had been trained to support a woman through a natural labor and had been through one before. My plan for labor was to labor at home for as long as I could and to not plan on medication, but to not be disappointed if I ended up feeling like I needed it. I was in early labor for at least 3 days and on the 3rd evening after frustratingly cleaning the house, I could tell that I was progressing , but I went to bed for fear that it was a false alarm I awoke with contractions every 15 minutes and then at midnight to my water breaking. I was so happy! We called the doulas and the babysitter for our first child, and labored at home for and hour or so before I could feel that it was time for us to go to the hospital. My contractions were coming close together and getting stronger. We practiced relaxation breathing and I drank some sprite and water, I think I may have eaten some crackers or an apple too. Going into the hospital was very intense and I thought it would be better if I were to be wheeled in. I thought for sure that I would want an epidural with the next contraction. Upon entering the room, I asked how soon the anesthesiologist could get up here. The nurse told me that a few things needed to be done first but those things didn't get completed before I felt the urge to push. I was fully dilated and ready to go. I was so glad that I had doulas there, because the midwife wasn't there yet. Pushing was very empowering. To answer the question of whether or not natural childbirth has any spiritual benefits, it was everything great, good, lovely, pure, and powerful to give birth and feel it. When my daughter was out of me and placed on my belly loudly exercising her lungs, my whole soul felt awesome. The spirit of the Lord was there and I felt great!
After this birth I read book after book on birth and making wise choices during this time in a woman's life. There is a wealth of knowledge and support on natural childbirth. 'The Bradly Method', 'Birthing From Within', 'Gentle Birth Choices', and 'The Birth Book' are all very good books for preparing your mind and equipping you with tools to use and ideas to implement.
The third baby was born at home, planned to be that way. This was the place I felt most free to feel the spirit of the Lord. Accordingly, the spirit of the Lord was prevalent and my husband, sister, doula, and midwife were the support that I needed for this birth and they all did their jobs beautifully.
The fourth birth was in a Birthing Center with hospital Labor and Delivery around the corner. Un-medicated, very powerful and sweet and mostly perfect, but birth plans often go that way, although it is better to make one than not to.
Birth is divinely designed. God has given us a gift in allowing us to experience it the way he designed it. It empowers and teaches. It is beautiful and sweet. At some point in the birth, a higher power takes over and (at least for me) the extent of my control is over my body, somewhat, giving most control of myself and the birth over to the highest power there is.
My last two births were "completely natural." They were both water births, but I must say that the birth of my newest baby was the easiest -- the one where I had "finally figured it out."
Before my first was born, a close relation gave me her copy of *Birthing From Within*. While this book may be perceived as bordering on "new age-y," it was the best book that I could have read, and I have referred back to it with every birth to work through things like fear of pain.
This is what I got from the book:
*While you can desire your birth to go a certain way, you can't dictate it. Your birth will go as it goes, so stay open to any and every possibility so that you don't experience guilt if and when things go "awry."
*Don't be afraid to "loose it in labor." When we try to hold back emotionally or verbally, we hold ourselves back physically. So go ahead and make noise and look/act like you are in pain.
*Don't worry about memorizing a bunch of pre-taught breathing patterns. If you are in-tune with yourself, you will develop a natural pattern of breating or rhythmic noise making that will work best for you (for me it was a rhythmic groan with the first, chanting, "Oh, God, help" with the second, and breathing slowly while moving my head in circles with the last). So, instead of having you DH prompt you to do your lamaze breathing, have him pay attention to *your* pattern and then encourage you by falling into sync with that.
What I also found with my last is that I figured out (somehow) how to "ride on top of the contractions." I think that is why I moved my head in circles -- it was an attempt to keep my head detached from the pain I was feeling. And it worked. I went through transition being perfectly aware of what was going on and not feeling fear.
Oh, and if you CAN have a water birth, it really helps. If nothing else, my water births helped me think twice before asking for meds. To get meds you have to get out, dry off, and get to a delivery room before they can administer them. Who wants to do that when in pain? Not me.
But, I think the most important thing is to be determined to do your best, flexible enough to do whatever is needed to enjoy the experience, and proud of yourself for giving birth regardless of how it all goes.
The Bradley Method book has everything you need to prepare yourself mentally and physically for a completely natural birth. One word of advice--practice, practice, practice those exercises, don't just read about them!!!! Start by six months at the latest. Then when you need those skills they will just click in! I have had three beautiful home births relying on what I learned in this book.
Anna
I had a natural birth too - there were no epidurals offered in my hospital (I gave birth in a foreign country with advanced medical care but that does not believe in epidurals). I was in labor a total of 14 1/2 hours, with the first 6-7 hours being relatively easy.
A few things I did before the birth helped me a lot: I walked (slowly) almost 1 1/2 miles every day the last two weeks of my pregnancy with my husband. It helped the baby drop and built up my endurance for delivery. I also did "training" - lots of squats and bathroom floor scrubbing! Again, nothing strenuous, but building up endurance.
I don't remember much pain from my labor except in the last three hours. My midwife & husband stayed with me through the entire birthed and coached my breathing the entire time too. As long as I was breathing, it didn't hurt terribly bad. While pushing, I did get rather tired, but focusing on the chance to meet my baby helped get me through it.
Hope this helps!
I have not commented on this blog before, but I have enjoyed reading it and thought I would put in my comments about natural childbirth:
I read a lot of books about natural childbirth before I had my daughter this January (I most highly recommend "The Thinking Woman's Guide To A Better Birth" by Henci Goer), and as a person who is very into thorough research, I figured I was totally prepared for natural childbirth. As it turned out, I had a very fast, hard labor with Hannah and nothing I had planned to do worked. I couldn't stand to be in water, I couldn't stand to change positions, and I couldn't stand any touch at all! I wasn't prepared for labor to go so fast - I woke up at 2am, my water broke, and contractions were every three minutes with double and triple peaks from the beginning!
But what kept me going was the knowledge that God designed women to give birth, and that He would not leave me. I spent most of the five hours I was in labor just sitting on the side of the hospital bed with my eyes closed, reminding myself "God designed me to do this, this is normal, it is not going to last forever." I just repeated that to myself over and over again.
The only part that was really bad for me was pushing. I was not prepared for it to hurt so much, and they made me lie down and put my legs up (lithotomy position) which is said to make the pain much worse. Next time I am going to demand to remain upright! I have heard lots of women say that pushing is a relief, or that it actually feels good, all I can say is that was not my experience, but I did get through it and didn't have any medications.
A book I read really helped me, all the stories in it wwere really good! Ina May's guide to childbirth
I have had 4 all natural births at home. Going to a hospital for me would have been a nighmare come true so I was really thankful God blessed me with being able to have healthy home births. I hate having people around that I do not know well and would tense up and would for sure not be able to go through labor naturally which I believe is healthier for both you and the baby. In some hospitals they do not give epidurals anymore because of the dangers and things that happen because of it. Instead they are using other similar ones that do not have as many side effects. Still with them, you can have intense itching, vomiting to the point of not being able to hold your baby, intense headaches all the way to many more serious side effects.
There are birth centers like my mom's for instance that are simply 2 blocks from the hospital. A doctor could be there in a matter of minutes or you could be in surgery in a matter of minutes if you wanted, yet you have the home birth atmophere.
I used water for pain measures and heat. Heating pads, hot compresses etc.
No, I do not think it is more spiritual to have a natural birth at all, but for sure I believe it is much more healthy.
Also, a side note, the hospitals here in the area do have jacuzzi tubs you can labor in. They make you get out frequently for monitoring, which is uncomfortable.
But they do have them!
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Martha/
I think that there is a lot more needed to have a natural birth than mental preparedness. You can be as mentally prepared as you like, but if you are in a hostile birthing situation, it won't help very much.
Not all hospitals are hostile locations for birth, but many are. Many hospitals want their standard care to be easy for the staff regardless of how it affects the laboring women or babies that are being born. When a husband and wife are in the throes of labor, a lot of preparedness can go right out the window with some simple manipulations of the staff.
For hospital births in particular, I would highly recommend the help of a professional doula or very experienced friend who knows your wishes for the birth and also knows how to cut through the baloney that sometimes gets told to parents in labor.
Birthing centers can be better, but some midwives are just as nervous and distrustful of birth as the average doctor.
I think that by educating yourself (and hopefully your husband) you can be well prepared to face the challenges of getting a natural birth. This sounds as simple as reading a few books, but it can be really hard because many first-time expectant parents are extremely resistant to believing anything that sounds "extreme" or like doctor bashing. If you are hearing it from a variety of places, it is probably because it is true. :)
Best resources I have found for educating myself about natural birth:
Homebirth by Sheila Kitzinger (excllent even if you don't want a home birth)
Nursing Your Baby by Karen Pryor
birthlove.com is a web site with a HUGE amount of education available to you. It costs money to become a member but is worth MORE tha probably every book you could ever read on the subject combined. if you really want to know how to have a natural birth, go join birthlove.com.
I have six children. One was born in a hospital with an OB, the second was a home birth with a midwife and the baby was posterior. The third I had in a hospital birthing center with a CNM and labored in a jacuzzi tub which was AWESOME. The fourth was a premature baby and a c-section. The fifth was a post-dates unassisted home water birth VBAC. The sixth was an emergency c-section. All of my births have taught me many things. I have no regrets about either c-section because I knew enough to know that we were making the right choice and that the c-section was completely necessary.
One thing I wish all first-time parents understood is that your first birth is extremely important. If you get a c-section on your first birth, you will probably always be stuck with c-sections. It is extremely difficult in many parts of the country to find hospitals that allow VBACs, which is a terrible shame because VBACS are very safe.
Well, that's fairly scattered information but hopefully it will point somebody in a helpful direction.
I agree with you on the water laboring. It is so relaxing and really does get the mind off the pain of the contractions.
As far as pain medications...you really won't know until you are in the situation. We (well, not my husband, just I) have "birthed" 5 children and decided with our 4th that, "Hey, let's try that epidural." It was really great during the birthing process, but it didn't wear off for me for a long time (like 20 hours). My daughter was in the NICU and I couldn't see her for 8 hours because I couldn't walk and the unit was fresh out of wheel chairs. For about 3 weeks after the birth, whenever I would be sitting or laying in the same position for longer than 30 min. my legs would go numb.
So for our 5th, I obviously just decided to "grit and bear it"!!!
Such great advice!
I think that fear, confusion, and lack of education combined with medical-bound doctors made my first birth experience very unsatisfactory. It was your standard, medically-managed birth, and while it was short, and I "only" had Stadol, it still left me miserable, and now I often wonder if it contributed to the nursing and bonding problems I had with my first son.
Second birth was completely different. It was also in the hospital (because I went to 42+ weeks), but I was attended by the midwife, armed with knowledge and confidence, and prayed up. :D Two things I did during my pregnancy--walk a lot to strengthen my body, and down lots of calcium and red raspberry leaf tea. I think all that helped a lot. During labor, I did everything Crystal advised, except the jacuzzi. I also got to use a birthing ball which was tremendously helpful.
My stats are interesting.
First birth: 6 lb 14 oz baby, 6 hours labor, 40 minutes of pushing.
Second birth: *9 lb 15* oz baby, 4 hours labor, 15 minutes of pushing (and I really didn't have to push much--he really wanted OUT and I couldn't have stopped him if I'd wanted to!).
So in spite of what people may size, size doesn't make the difference. ;)
Finally, I did a lot of self-talk. With my second birth, I was fuming at the back up doctor who was threatening induction and/or c-section (because of being late, and having a big baby, and being fat, etc.). I went into the hospital absolutely determined that I was not going to have to use his "services" whatsoever, and with a keen desire to thumb my nose at him after proving he was totally wrong. :D Every contraction I would tell myself "This isn't so bad! This is just getting the baby out. Don't worry, it'll be over soon...you'll show that doctor!...etc, etc, etc".
My comment is slightly different. Yes, a natural birth is great but not everyone can have this even with the best preparation.
For those of us who are creationists and believe in the fall of man, pain in childbirth was part of the curse- "in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children". Yes, good preparation can help but things can and do go wrong and with a difficult labour there will be lots of pain despite preparation (in my last labour I had a posterior lie and an abruption and it certainly hurt).
I know a couple of women who own their lives to emergency hysterectomies and intensive care treatment immediately after having their babies. They are both alive with healthy children. We should be grateful that we have such care available-100 years ago many women died in childbirth and death in childbirth isn't uncommon in developing countries today. Yes, a few women still die in childbirth in developed countries but thankfully it is rare.
I've had interventional and difficult labours with all my children. I'm grateful that there have been paediatricians, obstreticians and anaesthetists available. It would have been lovely if these hadn't been necessary but this is a small price to pay for being healthy with healthy children.
God willing, we will have another baby later in the year. I hope not to have intervention but will have the baby in hospital as there is a chance that I may need medical intervention. Yes,I hope to use breathing techniques and I have certainly found previously that scripture verses can help but an epidural is not a failure and there is no proper evidence that there is a higher incidence of back problems afterwards (lots of women have back problems after labour but looking with properly controlled trials shows a very low incidence of complications).
I can't say I like being in hosptial afterwards-it is much, much easier to breast feed at home.
Annaelisabeth
First I would like to say that epidurals are a gift from God. (just wanted to get that off my chest.)
I have had two babies.The first one was with an epidural. I had a successful vaginal delivery. The epidural was inserted the last 4 hrs. My total labor was 12 hrs.
My second was completely natural. It was the most unbelievable experience I have ever had. It was HORRIBLE!!! The labor was very intense and only lasted 1.5 hrs. I almost had my baby in the car. I love my husband, but he was a terrible coach. I don't know who's idea it was to bring men into the delivery room. All I did was hit him whenever he came near me.He kept trying to argue with me reasonbly and tell me that I couldn't have my baby under the kitchen table or in his car. I almost had the baby in the car, too. The doctor didn't even make it. I was in the hospital a total of ten minutes and the nurses barely caught him.
I am not a big fan of birth plans because I have seen so many not happen and the moms get so disappointed. Whenever the doctors ask me what my plan is I simply say: "To have a healthy baby and live through it." They always love that and say that is the best attitude to have. I tell them if I think I need an epidural I will get one or whatever. There are other meds you can receive that help. I also could crawl in a tub if I wanted to, but I believe in having my babies on land.
I had no clue that my natural labor would be as fast as it was. I was so nervous about the whole crowning thing. With my first one I was joking between contractions with the nurse. I couldn't feel a thing. (I have a very dry sense of humor and I do a lot of joking between contractions). I was afraid to push with the second one because I could feel the burning and stretching. It DID NOT feel good to push, as I have heard people say. I was fighting with the nurses during the first couple pushes because it felt so wrong to feel this head between my legs. Then I just decided that it was so painful that it really didn't matter if a little more pain was added by the baby passing through. The fourth push, I gave with all my might and my little Harry appeared. The doctor walked in ten minutes later with his hair all messed up. It was in the wee hours on a Sunday.
The baby crowning is like a really bad indian burn. When he is passing through it is pretty quick. I went to my "happy place" during the end of the labor and just robotically followed the nurses instructions. I followed her instructions to a tee and felt so much better. I had a very good nurse who knew how to calm me down. I was very upset because I was afraid that I was going to have my baby in the car or my kitchen with no one but my husband to help me.
Oh, please don't give the OB doctors too hard of a time. They have to be pushy. They want the best result for mom and baby. They are afraid to risk anything because they are afraid of getting sued. I am a RN and worked with the doctor who delivered my baby and I butted heads with him during some of my prenatal care, but I realize that he is protecting himself. With the shortage of OBGYNs because of lawsuits, you can't blame them.
I hope I haven't scared you. I think the thing that helped me most was my mom and the experienced nurses who were very comforting. I also enjoyed having my husband out of the picture. He jokingly told me afterwards that he is glad that I don't want him with me for any other births. He says that he is not a nurse and doesn't want to pretend that he is.
I hate staying in hospitals, but I am more comfortable there because I know that the OR team is under 20 minutes away if something goes wrong.
Don't feel like you have failed if you can't have your baby without meds or medical intervention. Sure, women have been birthing babies since the beginning, but they have also been dying. We have a very low mortality rate in this country because of our great medical technology.
I will be praying for you.
(Hope I didn't offend any natural or homebirth people out there. I just beleive it is better to have babies in hospitals. The fact that I am a nurse probably has a lot to do with my opinion.)
Oh, one more thing. Make sure you have a trusted relative or friend or nurse who will be able to be your spokesman and voice your concerns and desires. Make sure they are voicing YOUR concerns, presently, as your concerns may change with you labor. Ex. If your husband is trying to talk you out of pain meds because you originally planned it that way, but you have changed your mind. My mom (who is a nurse, too) was that person for me. That was so wonderful.
Jessica in NYC:
Great question and sorry for not explaining myself better! The birthing center we went to was run by a female doctor and certified nurse midwives and nurses. It is located about a block away from a hospital and so if any serious emergencies had come up during labor and delivery, I could have been quickly transported to a hospital - something which is done on occasio at the birthing center.
However, the birthing center is a state certified health clinic and, as such, is equipped to deal with quite a number of emergency situations. They don't give epidurals there, but they do have the ability to give certain drugs, shots, or IVs if need be. I had a completely natural birth, but had quite a bit of difficulty in the afterbirth and so was given multiple shots to stop the bleeding. I was grateful that they had the ability to take care of this quickly with drugs.
Stephanie: The benefits of having a natural birth are just that: it is more natural. I think that anytime we can avoid medications and drugs we should do so. Some people do use natural painkillers or herbs. I opted to use a Jacuzzi.
Have any of you had a water birth before? I'd really like to try that sometime.
I'm anxious to see how my future births (should the Lord see fit to give us more children) go. My labor was so different than my moms and so much easier than I thought it would be.
Now recovery, that was a different story. No one told me that you would feel like a Mac truck had run over you for about three months. I seriously got so discouraged that I didn't just pop right up after I had Kathrynne and get back to 100% in about 2 weeks. My mom says my recovery was so slow because I hemorrhaged and tore. Not sure, maybe I'm just a wimp!
Zan, I just have to say, you crack me up. :) Pushing was definitely different than I thought it would be. It took me about 15 minutes to get it figured out and to work up the courage to make myself push the baby out. I ended up pushing for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, I think, according to the birth records. It seemed like about 20 minutes, though. Pushing was definitely different than I thought it would be. It wasn't extremely painful, just a lot of work!
Crystal, you don't have to publish this (actually, you probably shouldn't! lol), I just read Zan's comment and where do I even begin to disagree?!! so much false info (homebirth countries like holland have great mortality rates, for example!) and something that could be a blessing (a natural birth with no complications) described as something horrible and tortuous... I am surprised, because I didn't know she felt that way about birthing. (For example, "I believe in having my babies on land" ?!?!) Anyway, I wish I had hours to debate the whole issue... oh well :)
~WOJ
WOJ, I'm publishing your comment because I wanted to mention something.
I disagree with Zan on a lot of what she wrote, but I also know that she is a nurse and coming from a different background than me.
I know that we all have different viewpoints on this issue and I don't think it's one we can say that "this is the only right or Biblical or spiritual way" to have a baby.
However, for everyone, especially those first-time moms, please do your homework, talk to your husband, explore your options, and read books that don't have horror birth stories in them. Don't just blindly trust whatever a doctor tells you. Having a baby should be a joyful experience not a horrific, traumatic experience. I know that complications do come up on occasion, but getting all worked up and worried about such things ahead of time won't help anything. I think (from my little limited perspective) that if you go into labor/delivery with a lot of fear and trepidation, it will make it a lot worse. Staying calm and focused really does help. The births I've been to/known of where the woman was very scared about the whole thing going into seemed to be a lot harder than those where the woman was calm and collected and focused and relying upon the Lord.
Unlike Zan, I can't imagine having my husband out of the picture. He was my coach, my encourager, and my supporter. It was also very helpful to have such skilled and encouraging midwives/nurses attending to me. Just having them cheer me on was a huge boost.
Crystal,
I just wanted to say that I know a lot of people are very passionate about home/natural births vs. hospital with meds and other "goodies." I think it is good to do natural stuff but if you are going to have your toothe pulled aren't you going to ask for a little novacaine?
There seems to be this growing movement that anything besides "natural" is bad. I don't agree with this.
When I said that I believe in having my babies on "land" I was partly joking. I have some good friends that have had water births. The hospital that I worked at actually pioneered the water birth. I do think that you risk getting an infection if you have a water birth, especially if your membranes rupture. That is up for debate. I also think it is weird to see a doctor jump in the pool with water boots to get the baby.
The person who disagrees with me should not get so upset with me. (There are way more things in this world that should upset you more.)This is a highly sensitive issue with you and I really did not mean to offend you. I say a lot of things tongue-in-cheek that you probably don't get. Sorry.
I also did not mean to insinuate that a meds free, uncomplicated birth as "horrible and tortuous." I think I just wanted to say that the mother who opts for an epidural is not a wimp. She is simply taking advantage of a great tool to assist in the arrival of her baby. If you have a meds free, uncomplicated birth that is totally awesome because it could be worse.
Labor is horrible, btw. It stinkin' hurts. I don't see labor as this wonderful spiritual experience. I see it as the means to the end. I want to have children and I realize that I must go through this to hold my little blessings. Labor hurts because of sin in this world. When God cursed Eve it was just that, a curse. Some labor is going to hurt more than others and some deliveries are going to be easier than others.
I do think I'm right, though and that babies are best had in hospitals. I think midwives are fine, too, as long as they are working in hospitals. This is America and we should take advantage of the best healthcare in the world.
BTW, I had my babies in a birthing center, but it is also attached to the hospital. They have tubs, midwives, doulas,lactation consultants, the whole nine yards.
I am interested in when men came back in the delivery room. My husband was OK during my first birth. I think my mom was a bigger help. The second time he was just annoying and made me mad because he was arguing with me. It isn't his fault and I just think that men lack the empathy of women. In fact, there are some hospitals that forbid men to be OB nurses. The court has also backed them up in this when a lawsuit was brought!
I have no problem with my husband being there to see my son born but I don't think it is necessary to encourage him try to be something that he is not: a birth coach.
Anyway...
A few things here I wanted to comment about:
Crystal--yes I have had a water birth. it was AWESOME! Just like you found with water labor, it is very helpful. Mine was so helpful that I didn't realize how far along I was until I had to PUSH! We hadn't even called our midwife yet. I thought we had a long way to go. nope! Out he came, just perfect, no big deal. Easy! :)
As far as recovery time, you are not a wimp! Nobody should be going full steam at 2 weeks post partum. There are basic physiological changes that take place in a woman's body after birth and with breastfeeding. Without proper time to rest and adjust, you are doing nobody any favors.
I have had all sorts of births, from c-sections to fairly easy natural births, and everything in between. I always bleed for 6 weeks at least, and I am never going fill steam even by 6 weeks. The only time I ever really got going fast after a birth was after my most traumatic one--when I had been on bedrest and tons of meds and had a premature baby. I had to get going because I had to pump around the clock and visit my baby every day at a hospital an hour away. There was no time for rest. I managed to do it, but suffered in the long run in many ways.
Many midwives recommend 2 weeks of mostly staying in bed and nursing after having a baby. If you can do it, I think that's a very good thing. We have hired help for times when we needed this and my husband could not be home.
Also, I wanted to comment about husbands and being at birth. I think that a husband's support can be wonderful. But I think that husband-coached childbirth type stuff can really set up a man for a fall. Like the one husband said, they are not medical professionals (usually!) and don't really know what they're doing. To put all of this expectation on your husband to perform some role that he may not be well-suited for is not fair.
If you need a doula, hire one. Let your husband be himself and be by your side and let him experience the birth of his child in his own way. After all, mom isn't the only one getting a new baby! :)
Dollylama said what I was trying to say about husbands. Good job, Dollylama saying what I couldn't!!
It took me a good 4 weeks to get back to where I was after my first one. (I bled a lot and and tore.)The second one, I felt great the next day. When I got home I went on this stupid cleaning spree. I had this idea that I couldn't get behind on things. Boy was I dumb. I felt so horrible the very next week because I did not rest up like the nurses had told me.
Must read Birthing from Within by Pam England and the Smart Woman's Guide to Giving Birth (not exact title) by Henci Goer. Both GREAT books all about natural childbirth and the dangers of too much medical intervention. You can do it!
I know this is a bit late for this disscussion.
I have birthed 7 children. The first 3 were natural births.However, with the third the labor was so intense that I did want to get meds. I was so determined there was something better about not opting for them that I didn't. This idea came from alot of things I had read in Christian circles and homeschool literature. I was so out of it when the baby finally came. With the 4th I decided to get the epidural. I really can say that the experience was a very refreshing change. I felt more there and a part of everything. And, I wasn't wringing my husbands neck! He was delited! He couldn't believe that I didn't mind him leaving me for a moment to use the rest room! I watched with mirrors when the baby came out and held him immediately with perfect awareness. I loved it. I agree that meds are a gift from God, why suffer if you don't have to? Christ did that for us and we can't make ourself any holier. Anyways, I chose to take an epidural with the next 3 births as well and loved it each time. I have never had any back problems after 4 births using one.
How you decide to birth doesn't determine how spiritual you are. The beauty in birth is the miracle that God is bringing this new life and entrusting it to you. It is a gift from Him and you feel his love.
Hello Ladies!
I am 41 yrs. old. I've had 2 children at a birthing center, naturally. I have had 2 water births, and one baby in the kitchen. (on accident). I couldn't move to the tub! The water births were the best! You go fast, and no tearing! It is very relaxing! It was still painful, but hardly comparable!!!!
My last baby born in the kitchen was probably the easiest! That birth was a total of 57 minutes from first contraction to baby in my arms! The LORD really blessed me! I was a bit fearful this time. It was a combo of my age, and that we live a long way from help. I had a feeling my midwife wouldn't make it, and she didn't. My hubby and oldest daughter did great. I was standing at the counter, and said I had to push. My DH said, "Oh no you don't." I said, "Oh yes I do!!" I was worried that the baby would hit the floor, so I grabbed someones coat off the barstool and put it on the floor. My DH, who doesn't really like to be too involved either, really stepped up to the plate! He turned his baseball cap around, caught the baby and helped us to the daybed! My midwife arrived 20 minutes later! It was my easiest, but I don't think I'd like to go without a midwife again!
It is a comfort to have them there!
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