"Natural" birth

To me, I always relate a pt wanting to go "natural", as pain med free/no epidural, as well as being as free as possible from many interventions. Many pt's want to simulate an at home birth situation at the hospital. Hence the LDRP model and birthing suites and rooms that are designed to look like a bedroom.
Sometimes, a pt may get something in her IV up to a couple of hrs before she is pushing and then delivers (ultimately meds have pretty much worn off by then), basically drug-free...this could be considered "going natural" also.
Some people regard a natural delivery as simply not having an epidural but taking full advantage of IV pain meds.

A natural birth to me means expect pain. And lots of it.

Z

"Natural" childbirth is when the mother stops work, squats in the field, delivers the baby, and puts it to her breast before going back to her job.

What we do in hospitals is NOT natural childbirth, IMHO, no matter how few interventions there are. I had one of my five children without so much as a Tylenol during my entire labor, but I wouldn't call it 'natural', seeing as how I was hooked up to a fetal monitor, had my membranes ruptured, and was on an IV the whole time. Home birth with a midwife in attendance would be the closest thing to 'natural' for the average woman, I should think........but again, that's just my opinion.

I've noticed a lot of women think natural just means vaginal.

Ain't that the truth!!!

When a women comes to the hospital seeking the most natural birth available, she should expect a STAT C-section.

That was rude, sorry. LOL
But true alot of times. Anyway, natural to me means no pain medication.

For most of my patients and us, it means no pain meds and low intervention (intermittent monitoring only for low risk) and that is about it.

We do try to get consent for a saline lock in case of emergency need for IV access (and yes, this has arisen in low risk cases where you would not expect it).

Other than that, if she is low-risk and wants a natural experience, we do our best to accomodate it.

Natural child birth for me was I delivered to fast to get an epidural, Dammit.