Birth.

I have been wanting to blog about this topic for quite some time now, but I never know how I should start and I know its going to be a mega-long post!  I could probably create a whole new blog on this subject.  Since I'm coming close to the labor process again though, I figured now would probably be a good time to get my feelings out there.  For some reason this topic is hard for me to talk to other women about.  It's an awkward conversation.  I would never want to make any woman feel bad about the birth of her child.  Women need to be honored for their birth stories, no matter how those stories go.  As a disclaimer, I'm not saying that inductions, drugs, c-sections, or other interfering birth processes are necessarily bad things, but in my opinion they are done way too often and a lot of complications arise because of lack of education on the subject matter.  We seem to have become a people who are waiting for something to go wrong.  I've come to realize that giving birth naturally is choosing to trust your body.  God has already equipped us women with the tools we need to give birth, and what a blessing that is!  I think sometimes we think that technology gives us the feeling that we are in control, but we are already in control without it.  Giving birth is incredibly empowering and one of the most important jobs a woman can do.  I yearn for every woman to experience the feelings that I felt when I gave birth naturally to my sons.  Maybe I'll be able to reach out to just one woman out there and it will make putting off doing the dishes all worth it. :)

Let me start by saying before I was pregnant and probably up to about 30 weeks of my pregnancy my philosophy was DRUGS, DRUGS, DRUGS, when it came to childbirth.  I always said that the Lord put me here on earth at this point in time so that I could use drugs to deliver my babies.  After all, from all the horror stories women like to tell about their own labors, why would I even consider doing it naturally?  Thank goodness certain events and choices that Bo and I made completely turned that philosophy around.

I guess this whole process started with my parents who decided to deliver both my sister and I in Paradise, CA.  I always loved saying that I was born in Paradise, so I wanted to give birth in Paradise as well.  Plus The Birth Day Place is just an awesome facility to birth in.  Next I decided to use the Paradise Midwives instead of a regular OB because I knew I would be more comfortable with a woman aiding in the delivery, rather then a man (there are only male OBs in Paradise).  I mean let's face it, a man just doesn't know what a woman is going through.  There is just no possible way.  Then near the end of my pregnancy, Bo and I started attending child birth classes, and we had the most wonderful teacher!  After the first class given by Stacie Bingham, Bo and I both had strong feelings that maybe we should reconsider our original plan for the birthing process and take a closer look at doing things naturally.  I can tell you my eyes were opened to all sorts of practices that are known to be common during labor today that just aren't ideal. 

A few of my favorite examples:

• Laying on your back during labor is the WORST position to be in.
• Walking around encourages the baby further down into the birth canal, resulting in shorter labors.  When you are put in a bed, you stay in one place and so does your baby, which means longer labors.
• Episiotomies are actually worse then tearing... yes both are OUCHY, but if its going to happen, choose the lesser of the two evils!
• It is OK to have access to food and drinks.  IVs are not necessary, and you can do it without drugs!

For me, the thought of being "hooked up" to needles and tubes is an absolute nightmare.  It is possible that a woman in a traditional hospital setting can be hooked up to 16 different tubes, drugs, and attachments while in labor.  This does not sound comfortable to me and it confines you to one position!  Also, all medications taken during the pregnancy are passed to the baby to one degree or another.  There is a reason we are told not to take certain medications during our pregnancies.  I think most mothers would cringe at the thought of injecting their baby with a nice little cocktail, so why would you be willing to expose your children to intravenous medications with an epidural?  Epidurals expose the child to the possibility of allergic reactions, respiratory distress, and a host of other complications.  They have also been shown to slow down labor and lead to more C-sections. 

I realized that having a natural birth doesn't mean choosing pain.  There are a wide variety of natural comfort measures that can be employed.  I learned that artificial interruption in the birthing processes (even if it is for good intentions) adds risk.  I can honestly say that I would willingly walk through fire for my kids, so why wouldn't I be willing to at least consider doing what's best for my child at the very start of their life?  When we interfere with the normal process of birthing, we increase the risks to BOTH mother and baby.  Natural techniques however don't carry risks.  Again, planning a natural childbirth does not mean swearing off all interventions.  Some interventions become life-saving necessities, but in more cases then not, complications arise because of previous interventions.

Lets move onto why I hate inductions.  Medical labor inductions have recently become a standard procedure in many hospitals.  As many as 1 in 5 labors are medically induced.  What happened to trusting nature and allowing your baby to come when it is ready?  I have a labor and delivery nurse friend who has actually seen many doctors induce so they can make it to their scheduled vacation trip or to their dinner reservation.  How sick is that!?  Please remember, just because your doctor says to do something, doesn't mean that it is right.  Always question and look at all your options.  TRUST your intuition.  Obviously there are some cases that a baby may need to be induced (congenital conditions that may require special medical attention, amniotic membranes have broken, but labor has not started within two days, mother has high blood pressure, etc. etc.).  However, it is very important to carefully consider the potential risks as compared to the benefits that labor induction may have to the mother and/or baby.  The biggest, and probably most frustrating risk of labor induction is that it takes days for the labor to start or it doesn't work at all.  Also, if you are having labor induction with your first birth, the risks are typically greater.  Labor induction at least doubles the risk of cesarean birth and if the cervix is not ripe, the chances for cesarean birth are even higher.  Medical labor induction also leads to longer more intense labors and is more likely to put your baby in distress.  There is a higher risk of the cord wrapping around the baby's neck and the passage of meconium into the amniotic fluid is greater which can cause a type of newborn pneumonia if inhaled.  And these are just a few risks.  Not to mention the post-partum risks to mom.  Mothers who are medically induced are more likely to suffer post-partum depression and often have longer recovery times.

Induced labors most commonly lead to C-sections, so this is the topic I'd like to move onto next... According to the World Health Organization, any time a country's cesarean-section rate rises above 15%, the dangers of C-section surgery outweigh the lifesaving benefits it is supposed to provide.  Higher Infant AND Maternal mortality rates accompany C-sections then that of vaginal births.  Want to know the statistic for the US?  In the US, the overall C-section rate has now reached 30.8%!  I was just listening to the radio last week and a new study in California (please read this study, it is shocking!) came out saying that hospitals that work for profit are more likely to have Cesarean Births then those that are non-profit, simply because of the revenues it generates. (82% more revenues with a cesarean then a vaginal birth)  What is wrong with this picture!??  At this rate almost half of low risk pregnancies end in a C-section in some California hospitals.  I have known people who had doctors that actually state that they recommend a C-section over a vaginal birth because a vaginal birth is too hard on a baby.  What the what!?  There is a reason why babies are supposed to travel through the vaginal canal.  The so-called trauma of vaginal birth is meant to clear the baby's lungs of amniotic fluid and jump start the nervous system.  Babies delievered via cesarean have a higher risk of needing deep suctioning and often have to stay in the NICU for breathing assistance.  I hear a lot of women being told by their doctors that they think the baby is too big and won't fit through the birth canal, so they try to induce labor early or take the baby out through a c-section.  A lot of these babies end up only being 5 lbs.  Measuring the baby within the womb is NOT accurate after the fetus is 10 weeks old.  Another scary thing about cesareans is that they increase the risk of ectopic pregnancies with future children.  Doctors don't seem to want to point this out.  And most importantly, if you have a C-section, most doctors will refuse to do a Vaginal Birth After Cesarean, so you are stuck doing this dangerous surgery over and over again with future children, even though studies have shown that it is more dangerous to have another cesarean then a vaginal birth after cesarean.  There is a .2 - 1.5% chance that you will have a Uterine rupture after a cesarean birth... I'd say your odds are pretty good!  (For more info on VBACS, go HERE) 

So how do I recommend avoiding all these interventions?  Get yourself educated about natural birth!  I had an awesome birth experience.  When I tell people that I did it naturally, they assume that I had an easy birth.  It was NOT easy!  But I prepared for the event and learned how to accommodate the contractions and work with my body.  I stayed on my feet!  I wanted to curl up in a ball on the bed, but I swayed and moved and walked around the room and I really think this decreased my labor time.  I listened to my body and moved into different positions to ease the baby further into the birth canal.  I had a husband who was a great supporter and a midwife and nurse who were very encouraging and LISTENED TO ME!  Why is it that we pay doctors lots of money to do their job, but when its time to do our job we're supposed to make it easier on them instead of vice versa?  Women are told to deliver on their back because its easier for the doctor.  Did you know that lying on your back is not only the most uncomfortable position for a women, it also causes fetal distress and a lack of oxygen to the baby?  Let's not worry about the comfort of the baby and mom, let's make sure the doctor is comfortable.  The doctor likes it better if you are on your back because it makes it easier for him to do an episiotomy, which wont need to be done if you are upright because the baby is not resting on the perineum.  It will be easier for the doctor to use forceps to pull the baby out, which wont be necessary if you are upright because you will be able to push more effectively.  The doctor wants you on your back to get the baby out faster, which wont need to be done if you're upright because the baby wont be in distress from the lack of oxygen it would experience if you were on your back.  STAND UP!  If you are laying down you will be exhausting yourself from ineffective pushing and getting dizzy from the weight of the baby pressing on major blood vessels.  Why push against gravity?  You are not sick when you are giving birth.  You do not need to be confined to a bed.  Listen to your body FIRST and I guarantee you will have a great birth experience.

Lastly, I want to talk about some post-partum practices that are frequently done in the hospital that aren't always necessary.  First, make sure that you get good skin to skin contact with your baby as soon as it's born.  It doesn't need to be delivered and then weighed and washed and poked and prodded.  Enjoy your baby first!  Skin to skin contact has the following positive effects on the baby: they are more likely to latch on when breast feeding and do it well, they have more stable skin temperatures, more stable heart rates, and more stable blood pressures.  They have higher blood sugars and are less likely to cry.  Studies have shown that even premature babies are more stable metabolically and breathe better if they experience skin to skin contact right after birth.  The hour following birth is one of the most critical phases in the life of human beings.  This phase is called the Quiet Alert State.  This is when the newborn is cuddly and still.  It will look into his parents eyes, touch hands, and channel all its energy into listening and seeing.  This stage usually lasts about an hour after birth and it is one of the most precious moments I have ever experienced with my son.  Because of this, I recommend avoiding eye care that is so often procedure in hospitals.  Greasy eye drops are given to babies right after birth to help prevent infection from STDs that may be in the vaginal birth canal.  If you don't have an STD, skip this procedure all together!  It makes your baby's vision blurry and really impedes on that critical bonding time right after birth.  If you do suffer from an STD, postpone the drops until after the first hour.  They will still be just as effective later.  Plus your new family photos just aren't as cute when your baby has a ton of gunk in it's eyes.  I would also recommend postponing the Vitamin K shot until after inital bonding and postponing the hepatits shot until your first visit with the pediatrician.  Basically I just want to reinforce that you should enjoy your baby!  It is the best reward after everything you just went through! 

Before I gave birth I was terrified of the whole situation.  Now I am no longer afraid and I actually look forward to giving birth.  I can't wait for the day.  However, my nerves are a little on edge because I don't feel like I can completely trust the doctors and nurses to trust me.  We won't be using the same birthing facility we did before because we have since moved, so things will be a little different that way, but I am still confident and I intend on being completely aware of my surroundings because I won't even consider drugs.  I am going to be in control and I wouldn't want it any other way.  If you are expecting a child in the future, and you are not feeling as confident, but you'd like to explore natural birth further, please feel free to contact me with any questions.  If you feel like you wont have the support you'll need at the hospital, look into hiring a Doula.  Doulas can be an amazing support for women and can help facilitate conversation between you and the doctor to better suit your needs.  Once my babies are older and I have a little more time, my plan is to become Doula Certified myself so I can help support other women out there to do what we've done best for hundreds of years!  Happy Pushing!

34 Weeks...

I also recommend mapping out a birthing plan.  If you're interested in taking a look at mine, you can go HERE.  I'll be giving a copy to my doctor and taking one with me to give to the nurses at the hospital.

And again, I believe everyone has the right and stewardship to make their own decisions for their family and I trust families to make their own decisions -- I want that from the world as a mother, and I want to give that to others. Despite what our biases are, no one sets out to do wrong by their children.  I like to remember everyone is trying to do the best that they can, just like I am, so when it comes to differences, how can I fault someone for doing what they feel is best?  Just know that I am not judging you if you go about the birthing process in a different way.  We are all entitled to our own ideals.