An introduction to the Natural Childbirth Series

For a pregnant woman, it can be overwhelming to sift through the vast amount of often contradictory information and advice from prenatal to postpartum. And, for a first time mother, there are certainly many, many decisions to make. When selecting a physician or midwife to attend pregnancy and childbirth, we are met with so many points to consider.

* What are the procedures that our health care team will or won’t perform?
* What level of support and information will or won’t they provide?
* What quality of caring and compassion will or won’t they exhibit?
* What kind of encouragement and confidence will or won’t they inspire in us as we prepare for the greatest challenges of parenthood?

What kinds of answers do we really expect from asking these questions?

In our consumer-driven culture, women can be perceived as just another a demographic to which products and services are sold. And, I have to wonder, is our health care any different? Are our health care options just another service to be marketed? And, if so, I wonder how this influences the collective perception of what we women think we can do; what we think we are capable of. With so much rhetoric swarming about, do we ever really have the opportunity to decide for ourselves what we are capable of? Do women collectively feel strong and empowered? Do we feel comfortable in our own skin? Do the common avenues of media encourage women to embrace our womanliness? How much does shared opinion affect our choices, medical or otherwise?

I believe that the fundamental reason why women may choose not to have a natural childbirth lies in the way we have been taught to view our bodies; to view ourselves. I have always had the opinion that cultural norms run in a vicious circle powered by the betterment of the establishment rather than the greater good of the collective—what ever can make big business the most money is what is force-fed to our psyches.

While taking the stance of compassionate rebel, I’ve always tried to do my part in encouraging others to find their own truths. I’ve always believed that the widespread benefit of health and wholeness is possible. In relating this position to childbirth, my first pregnancy inspired many questions in me. I began to read as much as I could about my options for prenatal care and labor experiences. And, unfortunately, I was shocked and saddened by what I learned.

The part of the Hippocratic oath that states “keep the good of the patient as top priority” had been lost in the actual practice many physicians employ. I started to question— why in my own experience do physicians never seem to portray their role as an educator of health? Instead, of proactively educating patients about healthy life choices, they have taken to focusing on disease. And, in the case of labor and delivery, it seems to me that doctors treat the event as a disease to be medicalized rather than a natural event to guide and protect.

I found evidence of these attitudes in many sources. To cite just one example: The bestseller Your Pregnancy week by week—a book millions of women have come to trust as a reliable guide—addresses the subject of natural childbirth on less than one of its 380 pages of content. While I have nothing personal against the authors, I have to wonder why they choose language that doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in a woman’s natural ability to birth. The authors spend the small space convincing women not to feel guilty when they’ll inevitably need medical interventions. They offer exactly zero space presenting even a short list of the benefits of natural childbirth. Nowhere can be found a positive statement such as, “natural childbirth is worth considering.” I know I am not the only woman who thinks there is something missing here.

In many cases, I found the relentless promotion of the perception that birth is a horrible, painful experience to be feared. Thus, mothers hear: Dull the pain. Anesthetize your feelings. Get it over with. Ad infinitum.

And so, it is my intention to do what so few others are willing to do: inspire confidence in women.

In my search for a positive authority on the subject, I did find several sources who encourage women to embrace what can be a beautiful, fulfilling event. I want to do my part in making these resources more widely known. Why not open discussion about the natural capabilities of a woman? Why not discuss the true facts about the adverse effects medical interventions can have on healthy moms and babies? Why not ensure positive resources of information are more widely circulated among the masses? Why not invite women to embrace what society tries to stifle—that we are intelligent and hungry for knowledge; that we are beautiful in all proportions; that we are proactive about our health and wellness; that we are built to conceive, nurture, and birth our children.

And, when we consider the facts, we are willing and able to make choices for ourselves.

Next Up in the Natural Childbirth Series:

Medical Interventions: Developed for crisis and emergency

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