Natural Birth: Pregnancy, Labor and Delivery Information
Over the years, natural birth has become the exception
rather than the rule when it comes to having babies: most
women have their babies in the hospital, with drugs and
surgery being all too common part of childbirth. Around
one-third of women who deliver in the U.S. wind up having
C-sections—a number some experts say is astronomically high,
unnecessary and dangerous. Increases in maternal deaths have
been attributed to Cesareans, which increase the risk of
infection and delay recovery times by several weeks.
Natural Birth with Help From Doulas and Midwives
Pregnancy is considered by most people to
be a natural state: pregnant women usually come by the condition
by performing natural acts and letting the body do the rest.
But, when a child is due to arrive, this natural state becomes a
“medical condition”. Labor and delivery have been for some time
coopted by the medical profession, which seems to have defined
childbirth as something akin to illness or injury. Many doctors
are strongly against home births, natural births and vaginal
births after C-section (known as vbac), although research shows
these to be perfectly legitimate options. (If we were cynics, we
might be tempted to think that some doctors are just out to make
a lot of money.)
If you and your baby are in good health,
having the baby at home, attended by a midwife or doula, is a
perfectly reasonable expectation. Some women prefer going to a
birthing center, where they are treated like guests, where
someone else cleans up, and where staff members delight in
giving advice, comfort and support. Midwives can often increase
your options during labor by offering you different positions,
massage or other manipulations to help the baby arrive easier.
Mother and Father Involved in Planning
Labor and Delivery
One of the benefits of having a natural
birth experience includes having more control over the birth
process; things that seems so simple when you’re not operating
under hospital rules stay that way: you can have a drink of
water when you want one; the father can participate as fully as
he wants to (short of actually having the baby for you, of
course). Medication is optional, so if you want to, you can stay
alert throughout the birth. Epidural? Also optional, and you’ll
learn when to ask for one. And instead of being one of the 30%
of women who get a Cesarean whether they need one or not, you
get some informed say in the decision. Natural births, because
they lessen the stress surrounding labor and delivery and
because mothers are prepared with deep breathing and other
techniques for dealing with labor without drugs, tend to result
in faster recovery rates.
Birthing Centers have Physician Just In
Case
Of course, every mother to be needs an
emergency plan in case traditional medical interventions become
necessary; if you decide to use a birthing center, there will
still be a backup plan in case you need to go the hospital.
Natural birth classes teach you what you need to know, not only
about planning your labor and delivery, but about breastfeeding
and baby care. Nursing, while a totally natural experience,
doesn’t always come naturally at first; it helps to have an
expert guide you through it. Some hospitals and all birth
centers provide breastfeeding advice; you can also cover the
basics in various childbirth classes.
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