|
Natural Childbirth: Friend or Foe? |
|
There is an unfortunate sense of competition that accompanies any discussion of Natural Childbirth. The very words seem to devalue the experience of a woman whose birth involved medical interventions. The only way to unpack the baggage that accompanies the term ’Natural Childbirth’ is to recognize that labour cannot be categorized into ‘natural’ and ‘unnatural’, or ‘assisted’ and ‘unassisted’. No labour can be defined by a single word. And no labour is ‘opposite’ to another. We need to find a way to talk about labour that doesn’t require putting quotation marks around words. Yes, natural childbirth is an incredible experience. Yes, a woman who gives birth naturally is justified in feeling proud of her accomplishment. Natural childbirth is the way Nature intended the process to happen, and Nature, or God, designed one incredible system when She designed the female body. One might even say that She designed a perfect system. But the harsh reality is that that perfect system does not always operate perfectly. Which is why Nature, or God, also gave us the intellect to develop modern medical technologies that can save a woman’s life, and can, more often, save a woman from pain, fear and injury. What’s more, while it is true that a natural childbirth preserves both mother and baby from the many potentially serious side effects of those modern medical technologies, a woman who gives birth naturally does not necessarily have the best birthing experience. The best birthing experience is had by the woman who is prepared, aware, and participating in all aspects of her birth. The most satisfying birth experience is one in which the woman does not feel excluded from decision making or belittled for her choices. The best birth is the one in which the birthing woman is in charge. That is what Nature intended.
|
