With my son’s 4th birthday around the corner, it’s only natural that I have been reflecting on my experience as a first-time mother. I thought it would be helpful to share my birth experience with my readers to give my perspective on the decision I made to have a natural birth. That is, a birth with minimal to no medical intervention.
I’m not going to lie, before I became pregnant the thought of giving birth without the aid of an epidural had never crossed my mind. I always assumed that’s what you do. You go to the hospital to have your baby and you better make dang sure to request your epidural on time or you’re going to be in major trouble.
When I first discovered I was pregnant, a flood of emotions immediately bombarded me. Will I be a good mother? What are my parents going to think/say? There go my plans for school. I don’t know if I can do this! How am I going to give birth to a baby?? The list goes on. I know I know, women give birth every day, but this time it was different because now *I* was that woman! There wasn’t going to be a trial run. I wouldn’t be able to give up even if I wanted to.
So, with this realization, I set out to do as much research as possible and I found some very enlightening information that would influence my decision once and for all to have a natural birth.
The Documentary that Changed it All.
One of the first pieces of information I discovered during my research was a documentary called “The Business of Being Born”. It is a documentary produced by former talk show host Ricki Lake and filmmaker Abby Epstein. It is a film birthed (no pun intended) out of Lake’s own disappointment in attempting a natural birth. She stated that she felt cheated from the initial experience she was after. She went on to say she felt there were numerous unnecessary interventions that took place and because of this she set out to do more research on the system of birth in the United States.
Pitocin is a synthetic version of oxytocin and is a drug commonly used in hospitals to induce labor. The documentary showed nurses who were standing in front of a whiteboard full of patient names accessing the ones to “pit” (administer Pitocin) because their labor wasn’t progressing fast enough. The patient was on a schedule so to speak to have their baby and go home. I didn’t give birth in a hospital so I can only speak from my experience but watching this assembly line mentality of having a baby was not something I wanted to ever experience. I did not want to be “on the clock” so to speak when it came to delivering my baby.
The documentary also explained the cascade of events that tend to happen once labor is induced. Once the Pitocin is administered it causes very strong contractions, which can cause the baby distress. The baby’s heart rate, in turn, becomes elevated, which brings an emergency c-section into the picture. And all of these events unfolded because labor was not allowed to happen naturally. Now, these things aren’t guaranteed to happen just because a woman’s labor is induced, but it is quite possible.
The things I loved about my natural birth experience are…
Being Able to Walk After Giving Birth
Since I didn’t have an epidural I was able to walk immediately after I gave birth. I had all feeling in my body and was able to get up and use the restroom and walk around as I saw fit. It was pretty great not having to sit around and wait for the numbness from an epidural to wear off.
Fewer restrictions
When I was in labor with my son, I was not confined to a hospital bed. I wasn’t hooked up to any IV’s or machines. I was able to labor in a way I happened to feel comfortable. I freely switched positions depending on what my body was telling me to do, not anyone else. At one stage of labor, I used a birthing ball and another stage I was on the bed on all fours. Having these options allowed me to feel in control my body and use my instincts to guide me through the labor process.
Supportive Staff and Natural Remedies
Giving birth at a birth center, I was able to choose the room I wanted to labor in. I could have whoever I wanted in the room with me as well. Being able to have that support from family was truly calming to me, especially with it being my first experience giving birth. I love how in tune my midwife was with my body. She knew what to do to make me comfortable during the labor process and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Not only this, but they were emotionally available to me. They told me how well I handled my labor and helped me to get started on my journey to breastfeeding. After I gave birth, they placed me in a postpartum herb bath and let me relax with my baby. They also sent me home with a homemade comfrey salve to help heal certain areas of my body. I was very impressed when they made a special trip to my home when I was having trouble getting my son to latch on when breastfeeding. How awesome is that?!
Knowledgeable staff/educational info
I appreciated the classes that were held as my due dates approached. The classes were designed to give a better idea of what to expect in labor. I was in class with other women with similar due dates and the environment was super supportive. They gave us information on the stages of labor and talked about things we could do for a safe labor. Sadly, I was only able to attend one of these classes because I happened to go into labor the day the next class was scheduled (lol!).
Multiple options
The birth center I chose allowed several birthing options. They perform home births, water births and even have experience with vaginal births after c-sections (VBAC). A lot of doctors are very cautious to perform a VBAC and sometimes your only option is to go with a midwife. It’s comforting to know that just because you’ve had a caesarian birth in the past doesn’t mean you can never have a vaginal birth.
High Standard of Care
Birthing centers offer the same options offered at a hospital. They do blood work and offer sonograms as well. If you are working with a reputable birth center, your midwife will have a license to practice midwifery and there will be laws and protocols in place to make sure you experience the safest delivery possible. I was initially concerned about the possibility of something going wrong that they wouldn’t be able to handle at the birth facility. When I voiced my concerns, they reassured me that only about 10% of births at their location require a hospital transfer and that I would have that available to me if I truly had a medical emergency. Thankfully, my birth went exceptionally well so no worries in that department!
Sense of Accomplishment
Giving birth naturally tends to give you a new-found confidence in yourself that you never knew you had. For me, this was one of the proudest moments in my life because I never imagined being able to accomplish something of this magnitude. I went from knowing nothing about natural birth to having firsthand experience in it and it felt great! I didn’t know my own strength until it was tested and I came through victorious on the other side. I accomplished my biggest fear about being pregnant and it was all due to God guiding me to such a supportive group of women who helped me to realize the power within me to do something that I was designed for.
I believe the more people are educated about natural birth, the more women will have more confidence in themselves to birth their babies without unnecessary medical interventions. At the end of the day we all want a healthy baby, so whether you choose to give birth in a hospital or with a midwife is up to you. You are not better of a mother for whatever choice you decide. It is important, however, to know that you have other options that may improve the experience for you and your baby.