What's everyone's definition of Natural Childbirth?

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Just curious here. I thought Natural Childbirth was to have NO medical interventions at all. I mean no IV access-not even a saline lock, no pain meds, no breaking the bag, no constant monitoring of the fetus, etc. Many people I have taken care of think natural childbirth is just saying NO to the epidural. Personally I can agree with a saline lock if in the hospital and still call it "natural" if no other interventions were done..just curious to what others think...

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I guess I always thought I had a natural delivery when I had my son. I didn't have ANY medications, but they did have to break my 'bag' as it didn't rupture on its own even though I went into labor on my own. Of-course they did do some fetal monitoring, but I always considered that a safety measure for the baby and never thought of it as 'un-natural'. I didn't have them on the entire length of my labor either.

I guess I would consider a natural childbirth one that is not induced and no pain meds are given.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

My definition of natural childbirth is pretty close to yours, pirap. No continuous EFM, no AROM, no pain meds, no Pit, no episiotomy, and no instrumentation. I'm pretty 'crunchy,' lol. I would still consider it natural with a saline lock, but would understand if someone else didn't.

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Specializes in NICU.

My mom had us both as "natural" as it gets outside of a homebirth - no IVs, episiotomies, or anything else, and home from the birthing center in less than eight hours. Alternatively, I've known people who define "natural" as "lady partsl", no matter what it took to get there.

While I have plenty of my own thoughts on childbirth, I've decided just to let people call it what they want. That's an argument that nobody wins.

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The traditional definition of natural childbirth was for the woman to be awake during birth (after years of using twilight meds for labor).

Also, some people feel that natural childbirth is not having an epidural for pain control or even not getting any pain meds IV.

There are also some that believe that natural childbirth is a lady partsl birth, not a c-section. And some who think that natural childbirth doesn't use traditional drugs for induction.

The definition will depend upon who you ask.

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Specializes in Multi-Specialty, L&D, Mother/Baby.

what about abx for positive strep b?

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Specializes in NICU.
what about abx for positive strep b?

I'd personally consider that natural, since it doesn't affect the actual birthing course in the way Pit or an epidural would. I do know there's a movement among some to do less GBS culturing and treatment, but having seen kids go on ECMO 2/2 fulminant GBS sepsis, I'm not real keen on that.

I guess my issue with the whole "natural" thing is that if someone gets SO attached to the word/concept, they might refuse interventions that are really necessary. I'm definitely an advocate for minimal intervention birth, but it's so sad to see an HIE kid go to LTC trached and G-tubed because mom refused a CS or whatever.

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Specializes in Multi-Specialty, L&D, Mother/Baby.
I'd personally consider that natural, since it doesn't affect the actual birthing course in the way Pit or an epidural would. I do know there's a movement among some to do less GBS culturing and treatment, but having seen kids go on ECMO 2/2 fulminant GBS sepsis, I'm not real keen on that.

I guess my issue with the whole "natural" thing is that if someone gets SO attached to the word/concept, they might refuse interventions that are really necessary. I'm definitely an advocate for minimal intervention birth, but it's so sad to see an HIE kid go to LTC trached and G-tubed because mom refused a CS or whatever.

I also consider that natural, as I consider that a necessary medical intervention, with has absolutely NOTHING in the way of the birth process..no hormones, doesn't tie you to the bed (you can still ambulate with an IV, just more cumbersome, etc).

I have had pt's refuse their abx during labor and leave with their 35 week twins AMA 4 hours after the birth only to be admitted within 36 hours with sepsis because of refusal of abx treatment during labor.

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

Natural childbirth seems to be a definition that is different to everyone. Some say natural childbirth is when you do not have a c-section. To me, natural childbirth is ZERO interventions, no drugs, no IV of any kind-not even a flush, no episiotomy, no enema, no withholding food, no EFM (pinard or fetoscope instead), no inductions with drugs or via manual ROM...ect). But in a hospital it is hard to get away from a lot of these things; natural childbirth at home is a different animal than natural childbirth in a hospital IMO:twocents:

and yeah ABX or natural since it does not affect the labor and is sooooooo important if strep B pos.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Oh yeah, I'd consider PCN for +GBS w/in the realm of natural even though it's a med. Like the other posters said, it doesn't affect the course of the labor/delivery, and in some states a CPM can administer the PCN during a home birth with a saline lock & an intermittent drip.

I'm with those who don't enjoy seeing GBS septic kids go from fine to almost dead in a matter of hours.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Heme/Onc.

I'd say that any time a human mother gives birth to a human child, no matter the level of intervention or the mode of delivery (vag vs. section) to be "natural". I think that a lot of people get hung up on the "natural" label, momentarily forgetting that everyone's ultimate goal is a healthy mom/healthy baby and it puts a lot of pressure on the mom-to-be to have an unrealistic vision of a "perfect" birth experience.

How about we call it "intervention-free" childbirth instead? No matter how we get there, the baby still comes out of the mother - so that bit of nature is never taken away, no matter how "sterile" the field!

Blee (not cut out for L&D and my heartfelt appreciation for those that are thriving there!)

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Specializes in Nursery, L&D, PICU, SICU.

I would consider a lady partsl delivery without medical intervention "natural." I am not anti INT or intemittent EFM. No pain med, no epis and the ability to ambulate, shower etc if deisred and tracing is reactive. I had my babies naturally and my last one I spent most of my "in hospital" labor in the bed on my knees (multiple variables). I even delivered in this position. I walked occasionally still hooked to the monitor. That is still natural to me.

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