I have heard people say they have had a natural birth with an epidural, is that really possible? To some people anything that is not a caesarean is a normal birth. I believe every woman who gave birth is a goddess, whichever way it happened, whether it was her choice or not, therefore I do not mean to disqualify any of them as giving birth!
This is how I look at it.....
Vaginal birth: The baby is born without a caesarean. Meaning the baby could have been born with the aid of a vacuum and with the mother using epidural analgesia.
Normal birth: The baby was born without any complications or assistance in the way of vacuums or forceps, ie. the mother pushed the baby out by herself. A normal birth can include the use of pain relief of any sort.
Natural birth: The baby was born as nature intended, without the use of pharmacological pain relief or assistance.
Do you have any opinions or thoughts to add?
I had 4 "natural", "normal" births and I am very pro natural and little intervention. What do you call it when a person has a c/s section, "Unnatural"? I think it is unfair to place labels on birth like "normal". If there was an emergency or complication (placenta previa) it is beyond the woman's control. Placing labels may make women feel like they failed or did something wrong if they ended up with something other then a "normal" delivery. I think it would be better to not put labels on birth. As a student nurse-midwife and an L&D nurse I have seen the emotional pain women have endured by feeling like they failed to have a "normal" birth.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting and commenting :)
DeleteYou're right, I really don't like labelling anything. I think the purpose of this exercise for me was just to clarify those 'labels' in my head for when others use them/when i have to use them to explain something to someone. Like I said at the beginning, I do not mean to disqualify any way a baby comes into this world as a birth :)
Is a c/s unnatural is the sense of the word? I would have to say yes, as that is not how nature designed a baby to be born. HOWEVER, I WOULD NEVER CALL IT THAT!! C/S save mums and babies lives, they are brilliant and I'm glad they were invented for times when they are needed. I also understand the pain of women feeling like they have failed birth and I find that very sad...I do feel that is the cause of society's and their own expectations and perhaps if women were better prepared and educated for birth (however it happens) things could be different... x
P.S. I read your first blog post, the best of luck on your journey to becoming a nurse-midwife!