,

[vaniilla]

natural birth birth for me is when the mothers allowed to give birth in a natural way/get in positions that she finds comfortable, I don't think pain relief stops a birth being natural, you still had to push the baby out and go through enough, I had an episiotomy and ventouse with my legs in stirrups so I guess mine wasn't natural

I had no pain relief although I was in dire agony, I don't think its fair to assume anyone that goes through labour without pain relief did it by choice or try and make a point I would have taken anything but I couldn't stand G&A it made me feel awful , I was refused pain relief thanks to stupid midwives and had to go through labour knowing the pain was going to get worse and that I would be getting no help

How can they refuse pain relief. Isn't it your right to have an epidural if you want one? Unless you wait until the pushing stage to ask for it and by then I would imagine it's too late (though I have no idea, I had mine hours earlier). I would be complaining to anyone who would listen in the hospital hierarchy about my care if I was refused something that I had a right to have. It's not up to the midwives to decide whether you should have one or not unless there's a medical reason why it wouldn't be advised.

no I asked for it as soon as I went in, at first they didn't think I was that far along then when they checked I was 4-5cm and then I was told somebody was going to get me something, then they changed shifts and the ward was really busy so we were pretty much left alone, by the time I was offered anything again I was 8cm and told it was too late and I was moving too much

 

[aliss]

To be fair, I didn't feel a thing at that point, I had been pushing nearly 4 hours so I was just glad to get him out

 

[PrayinForBaby]

Well I say I had a natural birth even though I did have an epidural...just because my epidural ran out...so 45 min before pushing the only thing numb was my left leg from the foot to my knee cap...so yes, my birth was all natural! LOL

 

[Mya209]

I loved the pethadine!

 

[PepsiChic]

There seems to be a lot more intervention in the US too they all wear full theatre regalia for a vaginal delivery and face masks etc its a lot more relaxed here x

no they dont lol my nurses were just dressed in normal nurse uniforms and my obgyn was wearing jeans and t-shirt.

 

[louandivy]

I have never even really thought about how to define my birth to be honest, I delivered Ivy vaginally but I had an epidural so I guess it definitely wasn't a fully natural birth but to be honest I really couldn't give a crap, I have my healthy happy baby now so nothing else really matters!

 

[louandivy]

I do admire women who do it with absolutely nothing but also I wonder why they dont want any pain relief. Higher pain threshold? Trying to prove a point? Being a martyr? Not wanting to "drug up" their baby (most medications dont affect the baby anyway)......

Each to their own though for me I didnt see the point in being in pain if I didnt need to be. I would've ended up with a section either way as she was too big for me, even the midwives commented theres no way I'd have been able to birth her naturally unfortunatley xx

Honestly, for me (and a lot of other people) being immobilised by an epidural or being on medication that make feel like you're not quite with it, is far more scary than feeling the pain. I stood up, leaned against OH and breathed through my contractions which made them manageable.
When something is as important as bringing a baby into the world, do you honestly think that people would choose to be martryr or to prove a point? I'm not having a go at you, honestly I am not, because I hear a lot of women saying this, but it really find it very ill informed when people suggest those kind of reasons for a natural birth.

This is why I didn't have gas and air or pethidine, I was just soo scared out feeling woozy or out of control! I was also convinced I wouldnt be able to hack the epidural needle but I was pretty much begging them to put it in my spine by the fifth hour

 

[kmac625]

natural birth birth for me is when the mothers allowed to give birth in a natural way/get in positions that she finds comfortable, I don't think pain relief stops a birth being natural, you still had to push the baby out and go through enough, I had an episiotomy and ventouse with my legs in stirrups so I guess mine wasn't natural

I had no pain relief although I was in dire agony, I don't think its fair to assume anyone that goes through labour without pain relief did it by choice or try and make a point I would have taken anything but I couldn't stand G&A it made me feel awful , I was refused pain relief thanks to stupid midwives and had to go through labour knowing the pain was going to get worse and that I would be getting no help

How can they refuse pain relief. Isn't it your right to have an epidural if you want one? Unless you wait until the pushing stage to ask for it and by then I would imagine it's too late (though I have no idea, I had mine hours earlier). I would be complaining to anyone who would listen in the hospital hierarchy about my care if I was refused something that I had a right to have. It's not up to the midwives to decide whether you should have one or not unless there's a medical reason why it wouldn't be advised.

no I asked for it as soon as I went in, at first they didn't think I was that far along then when they checked I was 4-5cm and then I was told somebody was going to get me something, then they changed shifts and the ward was really busy so we were pretty much left alone, by the time I was offered anything again I was 8cm and told it was too late and I was moving too much

That is total bullshit! It took two hours for the anesthesiologist to get to me after I asked for the epidural and I was 7cm by the time he arrived with unending contractions (the next contraction would start before the previous one was done so I had no break for that two hours!). Granted I had to hold still for the epi and to this day I'm still not sure how I managed to, but I did. So for them to say that was why you couldn't is bull. Sorry that happened.

 

[silver_penny]

If you want totally natural, I suppose I had that with both of my births. No pain relief, no induction, no interventions. With DS1, it was a planned home birth, but he ended up being breech. I was trasferred to hospital where I gave birth to him vaginally with no pain relief whatsoever. With DS2, he was an unassisted birth. 3 1/2 hours of active labour and one push, he was out!

There are so many variations of "natural". I wouldn't worry too much about the label. You gave birth, which is a beautiful thing. You have a healthy, awesome, and beautiful baby. End of. Any way you achieve this is water under the bridge...

 

[jellybean20]

i was induced, has my waters broken, hormone drip and epidural. all because it was safer for myself and my daughter.

if i have anymore children i will be doing the exact same thing.

i also bottle feed from the start again as it was safer for my daughter.

 

[Katt]

Why was ff safer jellybean? (no judging, just curious!)

 

[Pramaholic86]

.

 

[Mummy2Asher]

I say I've had two natural births, both non assisted and vaginal.
Although ds1 I had a third degree tear so I had pain relief after the birth.

I think natural is no pain relief, mum led not midwife led. But then on maternity we say 'she had a natural birth' meaning vaginal and not assisted or section. I don't think labels matter, at the end of the day we get beautiful babies

 

[Mummy2Asher]

Oh and I chose no pain relief due to researching and seeing first hand working on maternity

 

[RainbowDrop_x]

To me a natural birth is a vaginal birth. Or c-section. Regardless of pain relief.

The only time I would say a birth is "un-natural" is if baby was born through the mouth!

 

[sun]

I didn't read all the pages, so I'm sorry if I'm just repeating everything but here a "natural" birth usually implies that it is a vaginal delivery with no pain relief.
I had a natural birth with LO and hope to have one again!

Though really the term natural implies that there's also the possibility for an "unnatural" birth - which there isn't of course! Childbirth - no matter what how it's done - is always a miracle! There's no "best way" that works for everyone - except what is best for the individual mother/baby! xxx

 

[Pramaholic86]

.

 

[babyjiva]

i think it means no pain relief. i was in labor for 48 hours, and pushed for 3 hours, vaginal delivery, no pain relief, not at hospital.
i'm a little surprised no one answered the one posted who said they didn't understand why a person would choose no pain relief and on her list was martyr and to prove a point. ouch! that's not just defensive it's offensive. what's the deal?
anyway, i'm not personally offended because, well that's just not how i handle all of this..but i will answer your question
a) the medications may have an affect on the baby. the common belief is that they do not. natural parents tend not to take chances by following common beliefs… as we all know, what is right now is wrong tomorrow
b) i've heard horror stories about epidurals
c) what if i was woozy when baby came out
d) i wanted to know what natural felt like, just plain curiosity
e) my husband wanted me to, he was worried for me and baby when it came to taking medications

there are so many reasons not to and none of them are about being a martyr or trying to make others feel like shi* just because they didn't do a natural birth. if someone feels bad about something, it most likely comes from within, not from others

 

[hmcx]

I always say i had a natural birth, because i had no pain relief, but thinking about it I was induced, snipped and a ventouse was used so probably not so natural!

As for the debate stuff, I did it without pain relief, i'd be proud of myself if i'd had any, I'd be proud if i had a c section. or even if i clicked my heels together 3 times and she appeared in my arms!! Doesn't matter how they get here!

And if i'd had the option i would've taken every form of pain relief i could find!! Its fecking painful, why would I want to feel that!!!

 

[bump2be]

to me a natural birth is a vaginal birth even if it included pain relief. A c-section I consider a surgical birth (I had a c-section).

BUT WHO CARES????? What matters is all the stuff that happens after birth - looking after the baby until he/she is an adult Labour is really such a tiny part of the whole process, the hard part is actually bringing up a child.