Empowering Mothers to Give Birth Naturally - Choosing a Non-Medicated Intervention Free Birth
I recently did a post about protecting our newborns while at the hospital and having the type of birth you desire. I had such a great response and lots of comment convos and questions that I wanted to do a separate post all about having a Natural Non-Medicated Birth!
Before we knew of Midwives in our area we chose a hospital that was close to us that had pretty good reviews. We wanted to check them out to see if they would be a good fit for us to deliver our baby. I had an appointment with one of the doctors and was able to sit down with her and chat before going any further. I had a whole list of questions to ask to help me make my decision on whether or not this would be the right place for me.
About five minutes into the conversation I asked her if she thought I would be able to have a natural vaginal delivery. She then asks me if any women in my family has ever had a cesarean. I told her both my mother and sister have had one. She then looks me up and down and says,
well looking at how small your frame is and knowing that the women in your family have had a cesarean it will probably be the same for you.
I couldn’t believe what I just heard. I was expecting more support and encouragement to have my baby naturally not an automatic shut down and hopeless statement. She literally just told me to count on having a cesarean. I knew it was ridiculous and I knew I had to find somewhere else to have our baby. If I would have listened to her and stayed there I wouldn’t of had the support I needed to have the birth I desired. I knew I was well capable of delivering our child naturally. No matter my frame size I could do this! I stuck by this and kept searching for the right place.
A week later I found Midwives that were in our area at a hospital not too far from us. At my first appointment I felt right at home. The encouragement and support I got right from the start was unbelievable. I felt more empowered just by being around the midwives and hearing about how they operate and all of the support they offer. We talked about the desires I had for my delivery and how we could achieve this. From then on I knew I would always choose midwives for my prenatal care and delivery.
During that first appointment the midwives suggested we looked into getting a Doula especially for our first pregnancy. A doula is a professional trained in childbirth that assists an expecting mother and gives her guidance emotionally, physically and educates her before, during and after delivery. She helps women to have a safe, memorable empowering birth experience. We went with one of the doulas our Midwives recommended and we are so glad we did.
Our doula was so empowering and encouraging right from the start. It’s like she was in our minds because she knew exactly the type of birth we longed to have. We learned so many valuable things from her and I will share them with you today.
During one of our sessions with her she showed us a video that helped me to remain strong in my decision not to receive medications during labor. There was a study done on newborns about the breast crawl. When a baby is placed on his mother’s abdomen, he is able to push himself upward towards mommy using his arms and legs. They usually do this in a pattern and tend to take rest breaks along the way. The baby will work his way up to mommy’s breast and begin suckling. Some babies may even gaze into their mommy’s eyes or even reach for her face. This was just so amazing for us to learn, we had no idea babies could do this right after they were born. This reflex only lasts for a few weeks and won’t resurface until a few months later.
In the video they show a baby with an uninterrupted contact (meaning right after birth he was given right to his mommy for first contact) and an unmedicated labor. This baby was placed naked on his mother’s abdomen for 1 hour. After 20 minutes this baby crawled to his mother’s breast and after 50 minutes he was suckling. The next baby they show was medicated during labor and had an interrupted contact with mommy for cleaning and measurements. This baby had no sense of direction and never self attached. The babies that were not medicated but had an interruption from mommy had a poor suckle in half the cases.
I don’t know if it was the hormones racing or what but when I first saw this video at 25 weeks pregnant I cried. I was just so saddened by watching the medicated baby have no sense of direction or the ability to crawl to his mommy’s breast. He wasn’t as alert or active as the non medicated baby. He was kind of just laying there out of it. I wanted to see my baby as active as the first case. I kept telling myself “If I’m drugged my baby will be drugged. My baby is counting on me to be strong.”
The next major thing we learned was golden! We learned about the Domino Effect of Interventions during labor. Our doula expressed to us that once we start any interventions the rest will follow. If we were to take pitocin to speed up labor I would have increased pains which would push me to want the epidural. Once I take that the baby’s heart rate could drop from distress and then they would tell us they need to get the baby out ASAP so back to the operating rooms for a cesarean. Now of course this is just a possible scenario but she really wanted us to see the picture of what happens in a lot of cases. Over 80% of American women have an epidural during labor. 1 in 3 women give birth by C-section. In my opinion this is way too many and a lot of this is due to women not knowing their options and not being informed of the side effects and dangers from these interventions.
Allowing interventions during your labor can really change the course of things. One intervention will lead to another and another and usually just cause problems. They also cause adverse effects on you and your baby.
I can’t express enough how important this is. Having a visual plan of how you want your labor to go is essential. It’s a reminder to you for what to stick by and a visual plan for all of those involved in your labor to follow. You can go online and look at sample birthing plans and templates. Type it up and make two copies, one for you to keep with you and one to give to your midwife/doctor.
Two important things that I include on my plan that help me not give into meds is intermittent monitoring and laboring in the positions I choose. If you are constantly laying on your back hooked up to a monitor you will not be comfortable and you will not be able to move freely as you need to. Continuous fetal monitoring has a high false positive rate and often says a baby is in danger when the baby is doing just fine. When I first arrive they hook me to a monitor to check baby’s heart rate and my contractions. After they get the information they need they unhook me and I am left to labor as I wish. Ever so often a nurse will come in and hook me back up to the monitor but it is not a constant thing. When you are able to move freely and switch labor positions as often as you need to, it’s more comfortable and easier to manage pain.
Before my first delivery I studied the three stages of labor. I wanted to get familiar with them so I would know what stage I was in and what to expect. For all four of my labors I knew exactly what stage I was in and I literally felt the change in my body as it took place. I knew when it was time to push because I felt the urge to. Not once did my midwives have to tell me when to start pushing, I told them when it was time for me to start pushing. This is only possible when you are not numbed from the waist down and are able to feel what your body needs to do. I even knew when to switch birthing positions to help the process go smoother. Your body tells you what to do, you work with your baby and together as a team delivery happens. Get to know these stages and be aware of what to expect before it’s time to deliver your baby.
Learning these helpful birthing positions can make a huge difference in your labor. When our bodies are upright gravity works with us and helps to bring the baby downward. I try to keep my body this way to shorten my labor time. You’ll have to work a lot harder if you are laying on your back or side. One of my favorite things to do is to walk around the hospital hallways rolling an empty wheelchair. Walking is good movement for labor and I can lean on the wheelchair chair to assist me while I’m having a contraction.
If you want to get your spouse involved here is a good partner position that our doula taught us. You stand in front of your husband with your arms around his neck. Put your head down, bend your knees and began to move your hips slowly from side to side as you focus on breathing and getting through each contraction. He can help hold you up and support your back which eases the pain.
For those of you that are familiar with essential oils you know how soothing and relaxing they can be. They are even more amazing when aiding you during labor. I would have to make another post to get into the details of how to use them but I have a list for for which ones to use and when to use them. Just to give you some examples this is what I use for uterine discomfort and support during contractions. In my room I have a heated crockpot filled with hot purified water and a dozen fresh cloths. You want to make sure the water is hot but not too hot to handle. Place 15-20 drops of lavender essential oil into the water. Assign someone to keep a steady flow of warm, wrung out wash cloths to place across your belly during contractions. As soon as it cools replace it with another one. Of course this all depends on the position you are laboring in at the time. Trust me, you’ll want to get these across your belly from time to time because it really helps ease the pain and relaxes you.
Another example for use of essential oils is a way to speed up labor naturally. Clary Sage essential oil helps speed up the process. Apply it neat (undiluted) to the inside of your ankles and on your lower abdomen. You can even sniff the oil straight from the bottle or take Clary Sage capsules. You should apply this oil at the beginning of labor and during active labor.
Finally one more tip on how to use essential oils is to help you urinate after birth. It is very hard to achieve this after delivering vaginally. After my first delivery it took me four tries before I could actually urinate. After I found this technique it didn’t take as long. You’ll want to take the peppermint essential oil bottle and hold it right below your urethra. The fumes of the oil will help kickstart the reaction. You also want to drop a few drops into the toilet. This might take a few minutes but it works, relief is on it’s way. I’ll write up another post specifically dealing with how to use essential oils in labor. You’d be amazed how much relief you can get from these volatile liquids. I ONLY recommend pure therapeutic grade essential oils.
You might not hear about this technique from your doctor. It is well known in midwifery practices. Whether you decide to have an intervention free birth or not you can still prevent tears and getting an episiotomy my doing a perineal massage in your third trimester. I usually start a month before my delivery date and do this at least four times a week for up to five minutes. This helps the perineum to stretch more and increases it’s flexibility to prepare for labor and decrease the chances for perineal trauma during delivery. This also helps to ease the “burn” you feel during the crowning of baby’s head and will allow this process to go smoother. When doing a perineal massage you want to use a non-toxic oil such as olive oil, almond oil or coconut oil. You can do this massage on your own or have your spouse do it for you. Here is a link that explains step by step how to do a perineal massage.
Some hospitals offer a Birthing Suite where the rooms are large, there is extra seating for your family and a birthing tub. During my first delivery I started to question myself and wonder if I could go all the way naturally. You’ve probably heard this saying
when it feels like you can’t go any more and you are on the verge of giving up, it is usually almost over.
This is so true. This is the point when some women give up and give in to meds when they feel they can’t take it any more. Usually this means you will be meeting your baby really soon and the hard work is almost over. I was dilated to 6 cm and I was exhausted and looking for relief. My midwife offered to start up the birthing tub and I accepted. The water was so warm and soothing and the massage bubbles were so relaxing that it eased my contractions and started to slow them down. I never wanted to get out of that tub. What I really wanted was to deliver in the tub but it was against hospital policy. I was secretly hoping the baby would come so quick while I was in there that there wouldn’t be a choice but to deliver in there. Well after being in there for 20 minutes my contractions became so far apart. It really was a nice relief and a well needed break. My midwife told me I needed to get out so my contractions would pick back up and I could finally meet my baby. Once I was out it didn’t take long for things to pick back up and before I knew it I was pushing my baby out.
I recommend this temporary relief especially for first time mothers. It helped me to take a nice break and I was able to regain the energy I needed for the rest of my delivery.
I hope my experiences and the techniques I have learned help empower you to have the type of birth you desire. You do have choices and it is very possible to have a non-medicated experience. Choose a facility that supports the type of birth you want. If you settle for a hospital like the first one I tried, it will be so much harder achieving this. It makes a world of a difference when your goals and desires are supported. If at all possible find Midwives that are trained in natural child labor along with a doula for added support and education.
Research the type of interventions that are given during labor and their effects so you’ll know what to avoid. Get the tools you need to aide you in natural labor way in advanced so you will have them on hand. Have a support system present with you that consists of people you trust to keep you accountable and help keep you strong when you want to give in to unsafe alternatives.
Writing this post helps serve as a reminder to myself. I have been so blessed to have experienced a natural vaginal birth four times. I am hoping to share with you one day that round five went just as smoothly and as planned. We recently found out that we are expecting our fifth child, another beautiful addition to our family :)
Being able to experience the type of births I have always desired makes me passionately want to help other women achieve the same. I can’t say enough that you are well capable for this job, your body was made for it. Don’t put yourself in a position to have a longer and more painful recovery than you need to. Using some of those interventions such as an epidural may help shave some of the pains at that moment, but you will definitely feel pains later on after it all wears off and you will have a harder time recovering than you normally would have without them. Every chemical/medication that enters your body will go straight to your baby. If you want to have a healthy, active and strongly alert baby, please opt out of interventions and let your body tell you what to do. Don’t rush or force things that aren’t ready to happen. Try to labor as much as you can at home where you’re comfortable before going into your birthing facility.
Thank you so much for reading! Stay tuned if you would like to know which essential oils to use for specific situations during and after labor. Many Blessings to you all~ ❤️
Love,
Cynthia
Wonder-full article @crosheille The wonder-full is having your baby at home. The difference is a miracle in itself.
I had my first baby in a hospital, totally unprepared for what was about to happen. They had me so drugged I didn't get to see the baby for quite some time. Missed the whole experience and have never quite gotten over it to be truthful.
The last two were delivered at home by their father. And oh yes, the "crawl" is something every mother should experience. The entire experience is a miracle when we allow nature to take its course.
Thank you for this article. Resteeming in hopes others will not miss their chance to experience life at its fullest.
Thank you @vickiebarker! It makes me sad when I hear that mothers can’t see their babies until hours later, I couldn’t even imagine that torture. I’m so sorry you missed that first experience. But it’s so good to hear you were able to have home births after that and experience the miracles.
Thank you so much for your support :)
I thought I did it all right until I heard my baby would be born dead. Her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. She would hang herself if I would push. I did not push when the doctors told me. I held her back for seconds .....Soooooo much pain ripping in pieces but my instincts were right. The cord untangled and my Girl was alive! I would hold her and nobody in hell could take her away from me!
I celebrated her 23rd birthday last July.
Wow!! What a Miraculous Blessing you have! I am so glad to hear you listened to your instincts and your baby girl survived!!! Thank you so much for sharing this miracle! Many Blessings to you and your daughter!
Yes blessed we are ! Thank you so much for your kind and sweet words 💕
Absolutely!! ❤️
I can't thank you enough for writing such an excellent piece @crosheille. I am very excited to see more like it coming here. I recognize some of the things you say. The woman who told you she thought you would probably have a c-section too just by looking at you and your families history should lose her job to be honest. But the thing is is that they were trained to do this. They are not there for support, they are there for the bigger picture and following orders and protocol. Their work is based on what could go wrong and has nothing to do with nature. I believe that most didn't even attend a natural birth, so how would they know? Since the medicalization of birth, we as a society have been indoctrinated and been told that women are not suitable to give birth. We've been made to believe that it is something we need help with, for profit and gain. When in reality, us as a species would have never survived if birth were as dangerous as they would like us (and manage to) to believe. Thank you again! Well done!
Thank you so much @misslasvegas! I so agree with you about the medical practitioners, they are trained in a way that does not give us the support we need. I read an interview of a doctor once and she admitted to only seeing two live births in her entire practice.
We have to get the truth out and help women realize we don’t need the help and we are so capable of doing this natural process on our own. Thank you so much for your support!
This is very informative and many need to read this. Upvoted and Resteemed
Thank you so much for your support @kryptocoin!
another great article @crosheille, all the information you have provided is really important in giving mums the opportunity to take birth back from the hands of the "professionals" who like to tell us how we should birth our babies. Like we need to be told, our bodies know exactly what to do, but unfortunately as women we have been put down and disempowered for a long time.
But our time of awareness is here and we need to keep telling our stories. When once we would have sat in circles and done this now we use what ever means we have, which for us is the internet and with that we can reach more people. So lets continue to empower our sisters and daughters, our friends. And lets also empower the men around us to help protect our birth rights
Thank you @trucklife-family, your support is greatly appreciated! Yes we truly have been put down and disempowered and it’s very devastating.
Yes let’s continue to share our stories and bring awareness to mothers and fathers!!!
Wow super informative! I hope to become pregnant in the coming year so this is very interesting for me. I have much to think about. I love your posts, thank you!
Awesome! I’m so glad you find my posts helpful! Mission accomplished! 😊 I hope you have the type of birth you desire and find the support system to help make that possible :) Thank you for reading~
I am so happy for you!!!! Oh and such a well written and helpful article!!
I had my first baby in the hospital and the last three at home. Two of them with a midwife and doula and the last with just us (and a whole family out the door).
Birth has been stolen from us and we can take it back and have the births we desire.
Thank you so much @thefruitfultree! I’m preparing my body and mind now for round 5 lol! 😃 That is so awesome that you were able to have three births at home!!!! I would love to birth at home. It’s also wonderful that you had the support of a midwife and doula! You are absolutely right!! It’s time we take it back!!! Let’s continue to encourage one another. Many blessings to you and your family. Thank you so much for reading ~
what an amazing article. I genuinely enjoyed it. so excited to see the doula community on here
Thank you so much @fitmom4life! I am so glad you enjoyed my article! Thank you so much for viewing and commenting! 😊
Honestly this post is out of my interests. But I skipped over it and know that you did your best to give natural birth and that the hospital tried everything to get some money out of you.
This post is long and informative as fuck. You deserve every resteem. And that is what I will do for you even tho this topic is out of my interest.
I am doing this because you always deliver quality and because you are a good person.
Keep Steeming like a pro.
I knew this would be out of interests for most single men. Especially those without children. But you never know who this might help in the future even if they do not relate to it now.
Thank you for still supporting this post even though you weren’t interested. Thank you for also noticing the quality in my work. I really take my time on them and try to include informative information to help others.
I will always support you as long as you post high quality posts like this one.
Have a nice day Synth!
Thank you! You too! 😊
This is a good well-written post, I enjoyed reading it, thank you and congratulations on your upcoming fifth child!
I am all for choice in these things. Women should be able to choose how they deliver their baby and it is true, as said above, that women’s bodies are designed to give birth naturally - my wife and I chose to have a natural delivery for our son 2 weeks ago
Without trying to make light of a serious situation – the boxer Mike Tyson said “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”. Unfortunately for some women a normal intervention-free delivery is just not possible, the original plan is not viable, and an intervention of some sort is necessary for the safety of the mother and the baby. The fact that knowledge and technology on when & how to intervene continues to improve is a key factor in the reduction of infant mortality rates now versus 100 or even 50 years ago
It is disappointing to read about the way the doctor communicated the possibility of having a Caesarean. Doctors should be able to communicate well – but some can’t. But it is totally within the job remit of the obstetrician to point out that, based on family history and other factors, there may be an increased risk of having one, so that the patient is prepared. Having an emergency section without having had a chance to discuss the possibility of it beforehand with a doctor is not an experience anyone should have to go through. How that discussion is conducted is obviously important – to say, as one comment above does, that the doctor should be sacked for ‘missing the bigger picture’ is a bit naïve in my opinion. The bigger picture for the doctor is getting the baby and the mother home alive and in one piece.
My two cents:
• Choose how you want to deliver your baby and stick to that plan as much as you can
• If you are being advised that for your and your baby’s health something needs to be done, listen to that advice, change your plan, and do whatever you need to do to get the baby out safely
• If you are a high-risk pregnancy have your baby in a hospital with high quality neonatal support
Cheers
Holbein81
Thank you very much for reading and commenting @holbein81! Congratulations to you and your wife! It’s good to hear you chose to deliver naturally and were successful.
In my previous post I mentioned that I am willing to do whatever it takes to deliver my babies safely. It’s always safety first because that should be the main goal. I do understand that some women are high risk and having a natural birth is not always possible. My goal is to bring awareness for those women that are unaware that they have a choice. It’s to bring awareness to women to listen to their bodies and use safer alternatives to support having a natural birth.
So here’s the thing. I really appreciate doctors and I am grateful we have them when we “need” them. But I don’t trust all doctors. I have read some cases where the doctor urged parents to get an emergency section done because their baby was in danger. The father went with his gut instinct and told them his wife will continue naturally. The baby was just fine and healthy as ever. Now it could have been the monitors that were at fault or it could have been the doctor didn’t want to be there for more hours and wanted to get things rolling so he could get home. I do believe women are rushed into quick decisions because the professionals don’t want to help a mother labor for 20 hours. I believe a lot of women are lied to so they can do as the doctors wish. It’s everyones choice what decisions they make and it would be tough to go against what the doctor orders because you want to be sure your baby is safe.
Most doctors have probably never witnessed a live birth. They probably don’t even know how to handle one. I agree that they should be able to communicate well and this is something they are lacking in their training. I felt so let down when leaving that first hospital. It’s like she didn’t even care what I desired and didn’t even try to make me feel it could be possible. She didn’t even ask about my health history, she just based everything off my size and my family history. I couldn’t get out of that hospital quick enough.
I am just here to encourage women if they want to first try it the natural way then go for it! If complications arise and changes are needed to be made that’s fine too. But at least they gave it a try instead of just going with the quicker medicated route first. Many blessing to you and your family :)
Hi crosheille,
Thanks for the detailed reply! I hope my comment didn't come across as critical, it wasn't meant to, and I think we are both saying broadly the same thing - i.e. make your choices, stick with it as long as you can, but have the sense to change your plan if it seems there is danger to you or your child
To pick up on a couple of other comments you made
I think probably many people don't trust doctors - they are up there with politicians, right? - but I really struggle to envisage a situation where a doctor encourages a particular mode of delivery because they want to go home. Like everyone, doctors are not perfect and they make mistakes, and medicine is not an exact science - they are making decisions based on limited information and high uncertainty and weighing up benefits vs risks in a given situation to try to make the best / safest decision. If that means they take a decision to make an intervention that is subsequently seen to unnecessary, does that mean that their decision was wrong? I would say no
To take the situation you describe - the fact that the father's gut feel was correct could have been due to broken monitors or could have been a lazy doctor, it could equally have just been a doctor making the best/safest decision they could based on the available information. In that case, was the doctor wrong because the baby was ok? Or was the family just incredibly lucky that the baby was delivered ok? Or both? And what if it hadn't been ok? We will never know
Wrt doctors and births, I can only speak for the UK. It is entirely possible that many doctors have not witnessed a birth for many years, but as a medical student you are required to deliver a certain number of babies (with the midwife) before you can get your obstetric training signed off. So for sure, your average orthopaedic surgeon may not have much idea, but I think the obstetricians should be pretty clued up...
Anyway, as I said, I think we are pretty much in agreement, I just wanted to try to highlight how a doctor may be thinking in some of these situations
Cheers
Holbein81
Hey @holbein81, I didn’t think your reply was critical, I actually appreciated you sharing your thoughts and views. I apologize if my reply seemed on defense, I’m just so passionate about this topic and get excited so it all comes out.
I agree that we basically agree on the same things. Where we differ in opinions is when it comes to doctors. We all know that it’s a business, hospitals and the doctors that work there...it’s all a business. I truly believe women in labor get cut short because of this fact...time is money! It seems interventions are offered when a woman has labored passed a certain point. Doctors do have families they want to get home to. I’m not saying this is the case with all doctors though. I just know a lot of women who have been treated unfairly during childbirth and I can’t help but to believe things things.
It was really nice meeting you and talking with you. I really appreciate all of your feedback ;)
Cheers, you too - I agree that we are generally in agreement ;-)
I agree with this sentence too: "It seems interventions are offered when a woman has labored passed a certain point" - but there are also clinical reasons for this: 1) The mother can become exhausted and can no longer push so effectively 2) The baby can become stressed 3) Increased infection risk 4) The uterus does not contract so effectively post-delivery and so there is an increased risk of bleeding, etc etc
But I agree, there can be many different motivations
Cheers
Cheers to you as well!! Great points that you shared above and I do agree that those situations do occur :)
Everone should be aware of these consequences! I don't have any experience in giving birth yet, but it is scary when I think about it. In Mexico, women have an appointment for the Caesarean procedure even if everything is perfect. It was so strange and terrifying just to hear that.
In Germany for instance, my brother had an opportunity to be all the time with his wife. Even she did try to give birth in a natural way, she had some problems and the doctors had to use a ˝kinife˝. At least, my brother was there as her eyes, and he was the one to cut the umbilical cord, which is such a special moment.
But, money talks. Doctors are selling drugs and injections, and women and babies are suffering :/
It is great post @crosheille
Thank you so much @sun-flower for reading. It is very scary hearing of those stories. It’s really sad that a cesarean is scheduled when nothing is even wrong. It was very good that your brother was able to be with his wife. A women in labor needs all of the support and help she can get especially when making decisions. If you ever give birth you have a lot of knowledge about it now and can start early in making your decisions. Thank you so much for commenting.