(Closed) Natural, Intervention-Free Childbirth and VBAC Support Thread

• PrincessConsuelaBananaHammock
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: February 2013

I hope you ladies don’t mind me joining in, I am a Mum of two and had beautifu,l natural, semi water births with both my kids and I’d love to share.

Number of weeks: about 68 weeks post partum hehe

Both of my children were born 2 days after their EDD

Brief Summary of Basic Birthplan: I tried not to have too much of a “plan” because I didn’t want to be dissapointed if things didn’t happen the way I had hoped. I was aiming for a completely drug free birth both times and to use water and positioning to cope with pain, but, I was completely open to anything. I think that being ok with whatever might happen actually helped me to stay relaxed and get through both births drug free. (Hope that makes sense)

What KEPT you Strong: Nothing, like I said before I was aiming for a natural drug free birth but I was open to having an induction, epidural, c-sect etc. if we (the midwife, FH and I) felt it was necessary. During both births though, I was so focused on getting through each contraction that I completely forgot drugs were even an option. My body really took over and the midwives policy is not to offer drugs unless they believe you NEED them, so if you want anything you have to ask for it. I suggest you ask your midwife or doctor to do the same.

What Makes you feel tempted: I think tempted is the wrong word to use here, that makes it sound like you are suffering and missing out by having a natural birth which is sooo not the case I kept myself open to all these options because sometimes they are completely necessary and I didn’t want to be upset if I couldn’t have the natural birth I envisioned.

Why did you choose to try natural childbirth? In New Zealand natural childbirth is what most women aim for and how most babies are born. It’s best for both Mum and Baby. Unless medically necessary I don’t see any reason to have any other kind of birth.

I hope this may have been kinda helpful to any Mums (or Moms hehe) to be.

Feel free to PM me if you have any more in depth questions about the births of my children.

Good luck to you all.

• PrincessConsuelaBananaHammock
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: February 2013

I’d like to add that baby number 1 wasn’t completely natural, the midwife broke my waters. It was really horrible, she shoved what looked like a giant crochet needle up my hoo-hah and tore open the sack. This was followed by an incredibly painful contraction after I lumbered back into the birthing bath, and a huge explosion of fluid from downstairs.

 When I was pregnant with number two another midwife read my birthing notes and told me it had been completely unnecessary. I was really upset. So if your midwife/doctor suggests any type of intervention make sure you or your birthing partner make sure it is completely necessary before consenting to it.

• MrsLord
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: March 2011

I am not pregnant yet but just wanted to pipe in and say that i completely agree and respect your decision. Provided i do no suffer complications with future pregnancies, i plan on a completely natural home birth NOT in a hospital if possible.  I feel like my body can do what it should do and unnessecary medica intervention will only hinder the experience and not be the best option for me and my future babies. Thank you for starting this board. I look forward to keeping up on it as i TTC and through my pregnancies.

• jjmomma
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: March 2011

I just want to chime in with a bid THANK YOU for this thread!  There’s so much here and I haven’t had time to read it all yet, but I am thrilled to be able to hear other women’s stories and get support in this goal.  I’m TTC my fourth child and am planning a natural, midwife assisted birth this time.  

All of my previous births have had interventions and, in my case, they were medically unnecessary.  I was so uniformed that I just went along with whatever the doctor told me, plus I was doing what I’d seen other women around me do… epidural falls into that category.  I’m struggling with looking back, realizing that I allowed myself to be induced for no real reason, other than that’s what the doctor wanted, with all three of my children.  I gained some insight each time, but clearly not enough to advocate for myself. 

I just finished reading Ina May Gaskin’s Guide To Childbirth and it was inspirational.  I feel quite differently about pain in general and my ability to birth naturally after reading it.

Thanks again to everyone contributing here!  I really appreciate it.

• BirdofaFeather
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: April 2010

• tcanne
• 8 years ago

• zerlina
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: June 2013

It really depends on the state or city, I’ve heard.

• runsyellowlites
• 8 years ago

• Wedding: April 2011