Natural Childbirth

"Attending births is like growing roses. You have to marvel at the ones that just open up and bloom at the first kiss of the sun but you wouldn't dream of pulling open the petals of the tightly closed buds and forcing them to blossom to your time line." ...Gloria Lemay

Pure Birth

I have found out that it's not only important to be well informed (which I was) but also to be assertive about what you want (which I wasn't with my first birth). Read a lot, decide what you want and what you don't want, put it in writing (called a "birth plan"), and discuss it with your doctor or midwife early (on your way to Labor & Delivery is usually too late). Leave yourself enough time so that if you don't get a positive response from your doctor or midwife you still have time to find a more compatible one.

While I was pregnant with Alex I read everything I could find on childbirth. I studied almost all the major birthing philosophies. I knew that I wanted a pure birth, free of all medical interventions. I trust that my body knows how to grow a baby and deliver it safely. For this reason a midwife assisted home birth has always appealed to me but due to our circumstances it wasn't an option with Alex's birth or Joshua's birth. I was, however, much more assertive with Joshua and I had a Doula - so it was a much better experience then Alex's birth. For Cait's birth I had a Certified Nurse Midwife & a Doula at a hospital with a great reputation. Her birth was an amazing experience and as close to a homebirth as I could hope for.

I believe that labor support is very important, especially if you want to have a natural birth. Consider hiring a Doula, or a professional labor support person. While having the father be your labor support person (or "coach") sounds like a good idea, it usually isn't. Husbands are great for emotional support and they should not be left out of their child's birth. It's an awesome experience for them. But when it comes down to it they are just too personally involved in the process to give good labor support. I didn't have a second person for labor support with Alex and I really wish I had. Check with your local childbirth educators, they can usually point you to a Doula or a professional labor support person, some even do it themselves. Call your local La Leche League Leader, sometimes they will know someone who does labor support.

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Natural Mothering: Childbirth Page
First on-line: 06/28/1996