Natural Childbirth

Baby Malia (my vegan baby!), our third child, just hours old, snuggling with daddy.

A few thoughts on natural childbirth…

First, a little about my birthing background:

My three children were birthed naturally, without drugs, episiotomy, c-section, ect. and I nursed immediately after delivery. I had two hospital births and a home birth, each time with the assistance of midwives. All three times I had a wonderful experience.

If you are pregnant and considering your options, good news. You have many options to chose from these days. Depending on where you live, you may deliver at a hospital, a birth center, or at home. As with any health related issue, I believe you should do your own objective and thorough research regarding the options available to you so that you may make an informed, conscious decision, one that will keep you and your baby’s best interests in mind.

With my third child I delivered in a very cozy, small hospital with the assistance of a CNM (certified nurse midwife). I enjoyed how hands-on she was–she stayed with me and husband nearly the whole time I was in labor and even did some back/shoulder massage. I loved how she herself had been in my position 11 times, so she definitely had some empathy and understanding which translated to better care (I can’t imagine what it would be like to have a male doctor deliver me, how can they possibly relate?). I walked around and used a stability ball during labor which helped significantly.

The birth of my second child was at home, with the assistance of two lay midwifes. It was a water birth. I LOVED the water, but it slowed down my contractions (it was like a natural epidural!) so I had to get out of the water and walk around a bit in order to keep my contractions progressing. I didn’t enjoy pushing in the water, and felt like it was much harder to push in the water than out of the water. That said, I loved my experience delivering at home and feel that that was the right decision for that particular birth.

[FYI, especially if you live in Utah: One of the women who helped in the delivery of my second child, Rachel, is teaching an 8 week course about natural childbirth starting in November. Check out her site for more info on dates, times, and fees.]

I am grateful to be a woman, especially right now, at this point in history. We have so many options, especially when it comes to delivery and birth. It’s very liberating. I shudder to think of those times from the not-to-distant past when women were strapped to hospital beds to deliver and/or completely drugged/sedated so they weren’t even a part of the actual delivery (anyone read The Memory Keeper’s Daughter?). I’m also appreciative of the fact that many fathers are now taking an active role in the whole process, and that it’s no longer considered taboo to do so.

Whatever route you decide to go, I hope that it is one that will allow you to be empowered and involved in the whole childbirth process. Creating and giving birth to another human being, in my opinion, is one of the noblest (and humbling!) things a woman can do.

Coming up in a future post:
Why I chose to birth naturally and some of the benefits of doing so….