Bringing Baby Earthside: Things to consider

In my ideal world, every woman values her birth experience as an open door to see a glimpse of her god-given strength as a woman.  She researches birth options, chooses a provider who supports her decision to birth naturally and she gives birth surrounded by people who love and support her as she brings her baby earthside.  Breastfeeding is  immediately initiated and the motherbaby is not disturbed during the important early bonding hours.

A girl can dream.

Be it fear of the pain, lack of support or not even considering the possibility of giving birth without drugs -- the latter being my experience for Henry's birth -- I fully realize not every woman desires the natural childbirth experience.  And, that is fine.  An unmedicated birth is not the end all be all for having a good birth experience for mama and baby.  Obviously.

However, certain elements of birth that go hand-in-hand with natural childbirth can be attained no matter where or how you choose to birth:

1. Allow labor to start naturally.
Every day in the womb is important.  Your baby is constantly developing and preparing for life on the outside, whether she is 12 weeks, 39 weeks or 40 weeks.  It is also important to consider that estimated due dates are based on a woman's last monthly period.  This is not an exact due date as women's cycles vary greatly from woman and to woman and from month to month.  So, your 39 week induction might actually be a 38 week induction depending on when you ovulated and when the egg was fertilized.

Pitocin is the most commonly used drug to induce labor, starting labor or kickstarting a "slow" labor.  Induction of labor is oftentimes the beginning of the "cascade of interventions" meaning that one intervention (Pitocin) leads to many more interventions (constant fetal monitoring, IV fluids, pain medication, etc.) with the worst case scenario being that a c-section is needed because the baby is in distress with heart decelerations from the unnatural pace of Pitocin induced contractions.

According to Lamaze, there are 5 caveats to allowing your baby to choose her own birthday:

• your water has broken and labor has not begun.
• your pregnancy is postterm (more than 42 weeks).
• you have high blood pressure caused by your pregnancy.
• you have health problems, such as diabetes, that could affect your baby.
• you have an infection in the uterus.
• your baby is growing too slowly.

Please notice what did not make the list -- fear of a big baby, doctor going on vacation, upcoming holiday, mama tired of being pregnant, etc.

2. Respect the 4th stage of labor.

The 4th stage of labor is immediately after your baby is born.  Breastfeeding is initiated and the placenta is delivered due to contractions caused by the oxytocin surges from breastfeeding.  This is the physiological end of your baby's labor and delivery.  But, it is also the first time you see your baby and your baby finally gets to be in her mama's arms and rest after all the hard work of being born.

So, why is this what happens after your baby is born in most hospital?

Honestly, I can't even watch this whole video.  The crying baby.  The nurses rubbing off the important vernix.  The mama laying in the bed with a dazed look in her eyes.  The bright lights.  The security arm band.  The antibiotics in his eyes due to the remote chance his mama has a venereal disease.

Your 4th stage of labor doesn't have to begin like Baby Ian's mama's.  Talk to your provider about delayed cord clamping and immediate skin-to-skin.  Your baby deserves only the best after she is finally born:  her mama's arms, her mama's milk and every bit of blood from her placenta.  Within the exception of a true emergency, nothing else is needed immediately after birth.

Natural birth isn't for everyone but every motherbaby deserves a thoughtful and loving entrance earthside.

1. Allow labor to start naturally.
2. Respect the 4th stage of labor.

And, for mamas facing cesarean sections, you have options too!