Competitive Birthing...

[PrincessFiona]

It seems we've hit an all new mothering low. I've heard a lot of talk lately that basically infers that a woman should either have a home birth or at the very least a 'natural' (no pain-meds) delivery in order to be a 'good' mom/strong woman.

In my eyes, healthy baby/healthy mom should be the desired outcome. And Good grief....people used to have to have teeth extracted w/o pain meds, but now that there is anesthesia, I don't see people rushing in to have a 'natural' tooth extraction. :!

kris

[HeartRN]

I completely agree with you! My best friend said she felt guilty because she never labored at all and delivered via c-section. I told her "Honey, you didn't miss a THING!" We're all moms....it doesn't matter how the baby comes out as long as he/she is healthy and has a loving family!

I am SO glad I am not the only one to make the dental comparison!

[Rapunzel]

We're all moms....it doesn't matter how the baby comes out as long as he/she is healthy and has a loving family!

Yes, yes, YES! EXACTLY!

I wanted to add about the whole dental thing: There actually are people that are so into what they call "natural" medicine that they will NOT see a dentist for things like, oh, a root canal! I kid you not. Those people exist (and believe that toothpaste causes cavities )....

Jennifer

I've met them...I worked at a health food store for a year.

...and that sunscreen -- not sun exposure -- causes skin cancer.

Note, I'm not lumping homebirth or natural childbirth into the above category. I don't think it really matters how you got your baby -- c-section, epidural, no drugs, at home, adoption, whatever -- just please don't tell me how I should deliver mine or make inferences about my who I am based on that!

[Meenah]

Two c-sections with epidurals and the maximum amount of allowed drugs. Any other way is just unnatural and stupid!!!!!

[Vanquisher]

Absolutely!! My epidural wore off with my second delivery, and I didn't get my bolus in time for her. It hurt bad!! Her birth was no more special than my son's. Granted I didn't go the whole time without drugs, and I had no plans to! My perfect pain-free birth was ruined! My kids turned out fine, and for the most part, I had very limited pain. Hooray for the epidural. I do not and will not ever understand the desire for natural child birth. Why would you want to be writhing in pain?

I agree with Luanne, doing it without the maximum amount of allowed drugs is unnatural and stupid.

YOu can tell we live in a first world country when we hear there is something wrong with medical intervention or pain medication in childbirth. :!

I here ya! A perfect stranger recently asked me if I was going to have an epidural. When I said, "Yes", she proceeded to lecture me on how I was making a bad decision and how, if I went without medication, I would feel more empowered as a woman. Ummm, whatever...I'm sure this woman wouldn't have appreciated it if I lectured her about how I thought her decision to go without medication was a little crazy, so what gives her the right to lecture me on my choice? I think every expectant mother should be encouraged to do whatever they think is best for them!

[BonBon]

she proceeded to lecture me on how I was making a bad decision and how, if I went without medication, I would feel more empowered as a woman.

What is up with these strangers who feel the need to give their unasked for advice?! Having labored without meds for most of it, I can say that I did *not* feel at all empowered for suffering like that. (picture me on my hands and knees bawling and bellowing like an injured cow ) I think the epidural made the experience 1000x better - I actually was much more aware of things.

And what's up with the toothpaste and sunscreen avoidance? :!

[Flynn]

...she proceeded to lecture me on how I was making a bad decision and how, if I went without medication, I would feel more empowered as a woman.

Writhing in pain is NOT empowering to me. I was induced twice so I really didn't have a choice but if I ever have another and go into labor naturally I will DEFINITELY have an epidural. I had one wear off and I will NEVER do that again.

if I went without medication, I would feel more empowered as a woman.

Uh - hello? You've grown a person in your uterus - that's pretty damn' empowering. What's more "empowering"? CARING for the kid once it gets here, whether by c-section, vaginal birth or via adoption. The care and nurturing a kid gets is what shows the real grit of a woman! Sometimes I just hate people.

After I got my epidural when I was in labor with DS#1, I wanted dh to wheel me around the maternity ward so I could collect donations to erect a statue in honor of whomever created the epidural. They are good things!

Last bit: whatever makes mommy sane is good for the baby.

[Flynn]

After I got my epidural when I was in labor with DS#1, I wanted dh to wheel me around the maternity ward so I could collect donations to erect a statue in honor of whomever created the epidural. They are good things!

:ra: :ra:

ME TOO!!!! I was SO THANKFUL the pain stopped I was ready to sing, dance, anything that communicated uphoria!!!

[migirl]

Ok, well, I guess I'll go out on a limb here and say that I'm hoping to be able to have this baby without an epidural. [I should probably insert a big disclaimer here in that I haven't yet experienced childbirth!!]

Yes, I believe in anesthesia for a tooth extraction; yes, I believe in brushing my teeth; and yes, I believe in sunscreen. I don't know why I feel differently about childbirth (as opposed to a tooth extraction, I mean), I guess the best way for me to describe it is that I want to be able to fully experience it. I do have a pretty high tolerance for pain, but I'm not going to go crazy and demand a natural childbirth at all costs. I plan to be flexible and see how things go, and if they don't go according to my initial plan (which seems pretty likely!) then that's fine too. I don't have super strong feelings about it (I'm probably the least 'crunchy' person I know), but natural childbirth is something that I'd like to try. That being said, I certainly don't have opinions on whether other women should do the same.

So ... I'm going to go hide and you can all laugh at poor uninformed, inexperienced me. :!