US Mums! Could this be a turn in the tides???

[NaturalMomma]

What do you mean exactly? I'm not sure what that comment means?

Are you guys fans of "Birth Without Fear" on Facebook? She is really deadset against it, makes for interesting reading...

She claims anyone who uses G&A cannot say that they've had a natural birth. What do you all think of that?

Right, you can't say you had a natural birth because you didn't. It's not natural to use nitrous oxide during labor/birth. A natural birth is one that goes how it's suppose to naturally, without medicaitons, and without interventions. However, whocares? (and that's not ment to be snarky or rude ) Women who are going to use nitrous oxide were probably going to use a different medication instead anyways, so they are more than likely not caring if they have a natural birth or not. I do think sometimes women think that a vaginal birth is what the definition of natural is. But the true definition is a physiological birth that happened spontaneiously without pain medications, augmentation or any other intervention.

I mean that the woman who is going to turn to pain medications, which nitrous oxide still is, were probably going to use an Epidural or some other medication if there wasn't nitrous oxide available. And if they were planning on medications then they probably don't care if they have a natrual birth defined in the true sense. Of course, there are many women who plan a NCB but then get medications in labor for one reason or another, so that's different. But I would suspect that the majority of women who are going to use nitrous oxide were probably going to use pain medications anyways regardless, or were going to leave that door open for it. I doula'd for 3 years and although NCB is gaining more popularity, majority of women in USA are still leaning towards pain medications from the beginning.

 

[Bournefree]

Of course this is just my thoughts - but I wouldn't have choosen an epi at all if the Nox wasn't there. They are worlds part in terms of action and risk.

But you are right about one thing - I didn't set out to have a natural childbirth.. or even unnatural for that matter! The important part for me was the location and the use of a birth pool.. so for me that was home.
I think you could agrue out the "natural" thing to far - I don't even think between us, we could come up with a definition! (I dont' for one consider sticking oil capsules up your vagina a "natural" option, others would)

....and in the end it doesn't make women who have had an entirely natural birth feel any better, it just makes the women that the natural mums consider didn't have a natural birth, feel rubbish! So it's a loose all round.
What should matter is choice and being happy with your own choices.

Come on..Where is our sisterhood?! We should be protecting each other.

Xxx

 

[NaturalMomma]

Of course this is just my thoughts - but I wouldn't have choosen an epi at all if the Nox wasn't there. They are worlds part in terms of action and risk.

But you are right about one thing - I didn't set out to have a natural childbirth.. or even unnatural for that matter! The important part for me was the location and the use of a birth pool.. so for me that was home.
I think you could agrue out the "natural" thing to far - I don't even think between us, we could come up with a definition! (I dont' for one consider sticking oil capsules up your vagina a "natural" option, others would)

....and in the end it doesn't make women who have had an entirely natural birth feel any better, it just makes the women that the natural mums consider didn't have a natural birth, feel rubbish! So it's a loose all round.
What should matter is choice and being happy with your own choices.

Come on..Where is our sisterhood?! We should be protecting each other.

Xxx

I'm not sure if this is in response to me, but if it is I think you misunderstood what I was saying. I dont' think saying that I or anyone had a NCB is to make women who didn't feel like crap, or that I'm better for having a NCB. I've had both, so I've been there. There is a definition of NCB, just as there is a definition to medicalized birth, unassited birth, etc. For many women terms mean nothing, they give birth the way they want no matter what. 90% of the women I work with are open to a medicated birth, they either don't want to feel anything at all, or they aren't ruling it out. Only about 10% of women I work with are having a homebirth or are planning a unmedicated birth in the hospital. There are no birth pools in the hospital where I live, and you can't have a bath either, there are only showers, and those are limited depending on where you are in labor. So in the hospitals in my rural area women are limited. What I was trying to say in my previous post was that I think women who were going to have an epidural in the first place would probably go with the less riskier route of nitrous oxide instead. I think it would be best if we had the gas and air and reserved the epidural for other things like a c-section. This way we put less risk to mom and baby. I'm all for sisterhood and I support any choice in childbirth, even if it's not something I would personally pick for myself. As a childbirth educator it is my duty to inform women of their choices, the pros and cons based on unbiased research and help guide them, not tell them what to do or tell them that their way is "wrong".

 

[pimento1979]

In the UK, gas and air is available at home births, so I don't believe that these women would necessarily want to have other drugs anyway. If gas and air will prevent a woman from transferring into hospital, which could then lead to epidural/forceps/ventouse/epidural/etc, then I am all for it.

 

[Pixxie]

This can only be a good thing for you US ladies!

I didn't use it in labour but I did when I had my stitches and I'm so glad it was there! xxx