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As the delivery date approaches, most expectant mothers will become increasingly anxious about labor. Expect to hear lots of stories from other mothers - horror stories, serene, sentimental tales, and everything in between. While it's good to know what options are available, having a labor free of all unnecessary interventions still remains the safest and most satisfying choice for most mothers.
What is natural childbirth? It's not simply a vaginal delivery, as some sources seem to imply. A natural childbirth takes place with no anesthetic, though not without any means of pain management. Ideally, a natural childbirth should be free of any intervention, such as intravenous medication, fetal monitoring, repeated vaginal exams, or episiotomy. While all of these procedures have legitimate value in some deliveries, they also carry a degree of risk, and are usually avoidable if labor is progressing normally. The use of anesthetics, such as epidurals, has been known to make the baby more sleepy after birth. This makes it more difficult to establish a nursing relationship. Also, any intervention can sometimes lead to more interventions, and can slow down a mother's recovery.
Another reason to choose an intervention-free childbirth is the emotional satisfaction many women experience. Labor is hard work, but learning that the discomfort can be managed and surpassed is a wonderful accomplishment. It teaches women that they can trust their bodies to do what they're supposed to do, and have been doing from the dawn of civilization. Natural childbirth has been described as being a very enlightening, even spiritual experience. But the best part is that when it's over, it's really over, and the mother can concentrate fully on the baby instead of what's been done to her body.
Getting a natural childbirth can be tricky, however, especially if a woman is cared for by a traditional physician. She will want to discuss her wishes with the doctor very early in the pregnancy, so that there is still adequate time to seek a different practitioner if necessary. Every woman has the right to give birth the way she wants, though certainly she should be understanding and open to interventions if complications arise. One option worth considering is a Midwife. Modern midwives are usually certified nurse practitioners, with additional certification in Midwifery (CNM). They have hospital privileges, and can generally do everything but prescribe medication and perform surgery. Usually they work with an obstetrician, consult with this doctor when questions arise, and notify the doctor when labor is in progress just in case additional help is needed. A midwife will provide professional, yet empathetic care and fight for a woman's rights in avoiding unnecessary intervention.
Midwives also may work with a birth center, which is a fully appointed facility outside of the hospital. Birth centers are usually cozy, attractive, and relaxing places to deliver a child. If complications arise, a mother can be quickly transported to a hospital. Some midwives will assist home births, and consider a wide range of delivery options including water birth in a bathtub or portable tub.
Labor hurts; this is an unavoidable fact. But it's manageable, and knowing what to expect will go a long way toward coping. By reading books and taking classes to learn about the Lamaze or Bradley method, a woman can learn what to expect in each stage of labor, and understanding what her body is doing can take the fear from the process. Fear is the number one enemy during childbirth. Remaining relaxed not only makes the contractions more bearable, it also helps the labor progress more smoothly. A woman should be encouraged toward any position but flat on her back, and should be out of bed as long as possible. Showers, Jacuzzi bathtubs, birthing balls, massage therapy, heated towels, and even aromatherapy are options for pain management. Transition, which occurs just before it's time to push out the baby, is the time in which a woman will likely decide in no uncertain terms that she's made a horrible mistake and her world is about to end unless somebody makes it all go away. Fortunately it doesn't last long, and knowing it will happen makes encouraging the laboring woman more effective.
I encourage any woman who is enjoying a pregnancy free of complications or special concerns to pursue a natural childbirth. If it is possible, avoiding interventions and anesthetics is the safest and most satisfying way to deliver a child, and will provide the fastest recovery time. Women need to be bold in directing their care, and to make choices that will allow the ideal outcome. Though the end may seem the same either way – a healthy baby to bring home, which is a miracle in itself – the birth is a story that will replay in a mother's mind for the rest of her life. A woman owes it to herself to ensure that the memory is as beautiful as it can be.
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