"Natural" birth

RNnL&D · Jul 18, 2005

It seems like there are so many different meanings to different people for "Natural Birth"
What do you consider "Natural Birth"? When a patient comes into your hospital wanting the most "Natural Birth" possible, what can she expect?

Like someone else said, some people think natural means vag delivery. IMO, natural is unmedicated, and low intervention. At our facility, the most natural birth could include intermittent monitoring by Doppler, walking, rocking, squatting, standing, kneeling, using the birth ball, music, dim lights, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy in the shower or jacuzzi, no IV, no meds.

BETSRN · Jul 18, 2005

It seems like there are so many different meanings to different people for "Natural Birth"
What do you consider "Natural Birth"? When a patient comes into your hospital wanting the most "Natural Birth" possible, what can she expect?

As long as the baby and mom are fine: no meds, no IV's, intermittant monitoring, whatever she wants.

BETSRN · Jul 18, 2005

It does seem that the patients with the longest, most detailed birth plan, with the doula, the control freaks, who hate us the minute they walk in the door because they resent the fact their insurance company won't pay for a home birth, are the ones with C-Section stamped right across their foreheads. Dunno if it's karmic retribution, or just a perception we have in L&D. I wonder if anyone's done a retrospective study on patients presenting with birth plans, doulas, &c, and C-Section rate?
(Don't get me wrong; I'm all for labor support, not intervening, homebirth, &c. Just an observation of certain personality types who come in with all the above and who seem to always get a C-Section ...)

I think we all wold agree with you. I feel that happens because those types of patients can not let go and let their bodies do the work. Labor and birth is really a process you cannot control.

Jayla · Jul 18, 2005

What do L&D staff do to help these patients progress in such situations?

I'm just wondering what a person can do during a future labor experience to increase her chances of VBAC...

I have a patient who is, I suppose, a "control freak" as one poster put it. She had planned to deliver at a birthing center, had a doula, a birth plan and had done everything right. Sadly, she did end up having a cesarean. I'm meeting with her postpartum in her home this Thursday and would like to offer her some advice for future pregnancies.

Also, in this patient's defense:

I have many patients who are pregnant and don't think about L&D or their pregnancy enough! This was one of my few patients who actually put some thought and care into her pregnancy and L&D experience. The fact that she had to have a c-sec is, IMO, very unfortunate.

RNnL&D · Jul 18, 2005

I'm just wondering what a person can do during a future labor experience to increase her chances of VBAC...

Relax and don't sweat the small stuff. I think a birth plan is a great idea to let staff know how you would like things to go, but I don't think it needs to be 4 pages long, kwim? When I was a doula, I always told my clients to keep it short and sweet. Choose the things that are most important to you.

As far as labor, just let it happen. Don't focus so much on the details, just let things occur as they will. Let go of any fear. If she's fearful that history will repeat itself, I believe that will come out during her labor.

Momto3andNurse2B · Jul 18, 2005

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

ROFL! Happened to me once, too. I was very surprised on arrival at the hospital that I was 9cm dilated (who knew? I had only been contracting for 2 hours)...and quite disappointed that I wouldn't have the epidural I had decided to have.

Call it natural, but not by choice.:)

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Jul 19, 2005

It does seem that the patients with the longest, most detailed birth plan, with the doula, the control freaks, who hate us the minute they walk in the door because they resent the fact their insurance company won't pay for a home birth, are the ones with C-Section stamped right across their foreheads. Dunno if it's karmic retribution, or just a perception we have in L&D. I wonder if anyone's done a retrospective study on patients presenting with birth plans, doulas, &c, and C-Section rate?
(Don't get me wrong; I'm all for labor support, not intervening, homebirth, &c. Just an observation of certain personality types who come in with all the above and who seem to always get a C-Section ...)

Thats because labor does its own thing and you cannot control it and they are so stuck on thinking they figured it all out and can't make it do what they want, they listen to those nuts that say birth is orgasmic. Sure I want to go natural as I can but I know enough not to get my hopes up and expect things.

Momto3andNurse2B · Jul 19, 2005

Thats because labor does its own thing and you cannot control it and they are so stuck on thinking they figured it all out and can't make it do what they want, they listen to those nuts that say birth is orgasmic. Sure I want to go natural as I can but I know enough not to get my hopes up and expect things.

That's exactly what I tell my friends when they ask me what to expect. I always tell them not to have their expectations so high that they are terribly disappointed if their birth experience doesn't turn out exactly the way they envisioned it. If you fail to have a "natural" delivery, but still take home a healthy baby, it would be a shame to be too disappointed.:)

ftr_bb_catchr · Jul 19, 2005

Well I know there are those who would say "natural" means that the baby is born.. however it gets here is beside the point. But natural to me has always meant without pain meds and with as little intervention as possible. There aren't that many of those kinds of births out there any more but I think, from personal experience, that this kind of "natural" birth is a very empowering experience for a woman. She walks away feeling like she could do just about anything. Even though, as my OB used to say, there are no awards given in childbirth, I do think that a natural childbirth has a different kind of effect on a woman, and I've had both kinds...

chicagrl72 · Jul 19, 2005

i would have loved to have had a natural birth ..to me

that means no drugs ...lady partsl delivery

that did not happen but i had a healthy baby...but i did have to drag him away from the NICU

they were not keen on letting me breast feed right away

he was in NICU b/c he was a c section ...36hr labor no dilation he ws

sunny side up etc

i do thank my CNM for grabbing him and letting him get my colostrum ..he was with me since ..thanks

Selke · Jul 19, 2005

Relax and don't sweat the small stuff. I think a birth plan is a great idea to let staff know how you would like things to go, but I don't think it needs to be 4 pages long, kwim? When I was a doula, I always told my clients to keep it short and sweet. Choose the things that are most important to you.
As far as labor, just let it happen. Don't focus so much on the details, just let things occur as they will. Let go of any fear. If she's fearful that history will repeat itself, I believe that will come out during her labor.

I think it's a good idea for moms and partners to be educated about birth, about all their options, and to go over birth plans, to think about what they might want or not want. A birth plan can be a helpful guide for them with this process. Frequently, parents who come into my hospital are pleasantly surprised, after reviewing their birth plan with them, to find out that pretty much everything they want is what we routinely do. It's their birth, we want to make that happen as much as possible. One doula here has a great idea I like: well aware of the Curse of the Birth Plan, she tells her clients to have a list of Birth "Suggestions" , in order to ward off the evil .... (we're a superstitious bunch, aren't we?) I think the things most commonly responsible for derailing a "natural", ie no interventions, birth, is when pitocin is started, and when she realizes how much labor HURTS and needs an epidural. The Berkeley CA area has such high standards for "natural birth" that some women feel guilty if they get an epidural or c-section, like they've failed. I think this attitude is hurtful and perverts the idea of what birth plans, and the political environment in which they arose, were meant to rectify: giving knowledge of and control of birth processes back to moms and to change the patronizing, patriarchical attitudes in obstetrics.

I apologize if I'm not making much sense. Just got home from a long, hard shift.

BETSRN · Jul 19, 2005

i would have loved to have had a natural birth ..to me
that means no drugs ...lady partsl delivery
that did not happen but i had a healthy baby...but i did have to drag him away from the NICU
they were not keen on letting me breast feed right away
he was in NICU b/c he was a c section ...36hr labor no dilation he ws
sunny side up etc
i do thank my CNM for grabbing him and letting him get my colostrum ..he was with me since ..thanks

You see, that's the problem with some hospitals: putting a healthy baby in a NICU just because Mom had a section. That is ridiculous. Is it any wonder that there are difficu;ties with bonding? Cheers and applause to your midwife for helping you get him to your room.