So I've started a new blog! Four posts in one night and still not a soul knows it exists. This is an outlet for me and hopefully an encouragement to anyone who is inclined to read! I love learning about childbirth and would like a place to share what I learn. My focus in all my own reading is natural birth, therefore that will, of course, be the focus here:) I don't claim to know much of anything... I just have a desire to learn.
My obstetrician once told me that less than 10% of his patients wanted to deliver naturally. About 5% did. I believe in each woman having the information to make a decision about what is best for HER. I respect every informed woman who chooses to use pain relief:) The problem I find is that there is little support for the woman who chooses otherwise.
QUESTION OF THE DAY (or week or month or however often I ask questions!):
What is ONE thing that you believe to be one of the biggest factors in a woman achieving her goal of a natural birth? There are many things, I know:) So let's all share!
My own answer would be female support. A woman who's already given birth naturally. When she tells you, "You're doing great", you can believe her, cause she's been there!
One more related quote to close my evening....
"In [other cultures] every female is included, and young girls learn about birth at first hand... 'Unlike women in the West, few women in this group would give birth not having witnessed and helped with the birth of other babies.'"
Rediscovering Birth by Sheila Kitzinger (one of my favorite books about childbirth in general)
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4 comments:
Oh, Sarah! This is one I'm not really qualified to answer since I was inducted and had epidurals with both of my deliveries. If I could guess at it, I would go with you on the more information and support. I think that having an epidural has become so "natural" these days that no one feels they need to be informed about anything. They just do what everyone else they know has done and have an epidural. If there were more promotion of natural birth and then more support to help the possibly terrified mother not change her mind, more people would opt for natural. I for one, am less disturbed by the trend of epidurals as the huge trend in choosing to have a cesarean section. You know, the ones who could, but just don't want to experience a vaginal birth for various reasons. Anyhow, I hope my answer was okay in light of my inexperienced circumstances.
Love & Blessings,
(: Amanda :)
Of course your answer is okay!:) I love hearing all points of view:) I absolutely agree with you about c-sections. I watched an interesting c-section video recently which I'll post a link to soon. I have comments on that but I'll save them for when I post it...
I agree with you, Sarah. Having had 4 natural births so far and hopefully another one coming up, the support is important! I know that is what helped me through my first birth and the others ones following. :)
What a beautiful blog. I love your writing. As far as what empowers a woman to have a natural birth, I'm thinking of my grandmother Mullins who had six at home and her seventh in the hospital under twilight sleep, who told all her daughters-in-law to "Go to the hospital and get put to sleep!" No waxing rhapsodic about bonding or empowerment.
First, an environment and culture that supports it. A woman needs to connect with a subculture or friends AND a birthing environment where, if it isn't common, it isn't vilified either.
Second, female one-on-one support. Nurses are great but support isn't usually top of their list. I've attended a ton of hospital births and never once seen a labor nurse fulfill a doula role, e.g., in-your-face, comfort measures, never leaving the mother.
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