Planning a Natural Childbirth

One of the things I find so challenging about living in this modern world, is how to live my life by my terms, how I want, rather than how society tells me I should. Most of the time, I'm pretty happy with the balance I strike. But every now and then, I am confronted with societal norms. The Status Quo. How things are done. And that's when I realise how out of step I am. Wanting to have a normal, physiological childbirth puts me well and truly out of step with the norms of this country.

Before I fell pregnant, I had never given a second thought to the birthing process. I just assumed that giving birth is a natural process, women have been doing it since the beginning, and it just takes care of itself. I'm sure in some parts of the world that is very much the case. The dominant view in Australia is generally that doctors know best, childbirth is something to fear, all pain is to be avoided, and with the drugs and procedures available, why would anyone want to experience a natural childbirth?

I can tell you why.

Because I want my baby to have the best, most natural, most loving start to life in this world. I don't want my baby to be born sluggish, or having trouble breathing, or with it's own natural instincts diminished due to the effects of pain relieving drugs. Because I do want my own natural hormones pumping through my body. I do want my own birthing instincts to kick in and guide me through the process. I do want to be in my own power and birth my baby as my body is perfectly designed to do. I don't want this sacred process hurried, or for my body to be cut in anyway, or for my baby to be unnaturally pulled from my body.

Obviously I am aware that there are absolutely times when medical intervention is necessary during childbirth to save the life of either the mother or the baby, or both. But in most births, medical intervention is not a necessity. It is a convenience, and it has seeped into everyday birthing. Epidurals are the norm, so you can update your Facebook page while you're in labour. Caesarian sections are scheduled to fit in with other plans. Labour is induced after having gone 2 days past 'due date', when the baby is still well and truly within normal gestation periods. Drugs to relieve and block the pain are the norm, because we, as a society, hold so much fear over pain, and don't see why we should have to experience it.

What ever happened to allowing life forces to guide such a profound experience?

Which leads me to the question of just how, in this medical model world, is one to achieve a natural, physiological childbirth? Thankfully there are people who can help. There are midwives, and doulas, who want to support women in childbirth. They want to help women work with the natural, functional pain of childbirth, rather than block it out with medication. There are wonderful people who can guide you in how to manage and negotiate the hospital system to create the outcome you want. There are people who will assist you in your own home to birth your baby in your own space. But you have to go looking for these people. I am entirely grateful that I have stumbled upon such people, and face a minimalist hospital system that simply cannot offer many of the interventions of the modern world.

It is up to me to follow through with what I want. I'm not under any illusions, I know that I can't yet comprehend the pain that I will experience. I have set my intention. And I trust in myself, my body and my baby. But I still think I need to find one tough doula who can keep me on the straight and narrow when I start begging for pain relief...