A Tale of Two Births
“I really want to try natural labor, but I’m scared/unsupported/unsure.”
Back in 2013, when I was pregnant with my son, I was attending a birthing class at the local hospital where I was due to give birth to my son. The class primarily centered on birth supported with epidural. At one point, there was a break in the class and we took a walk around to grab a drink and snack. I mentioned to my partner (who by the way is no longer my partner), that I was thinking about natural labor. I said that I would really like to learn more about it and that it seemed like there was a lot of medical intervention being planned before they even knew it was necessary. My then-partner looked at me cross eyed, and we never spoke of it again.
I also mentioned this to my mother. My mom was 17 when she had my sister, and 19 when she had me. She gave birth naturally both times, though not by choice (we came quick!). When I told her what I was thinking, her response was one of Shock and Terror! “Why would you want to do that?” she inquired. At the time, I didn’t have a good reason nor enough knowledge or understanding to make a different choice.
I’ll tell the full birth story of my son in a future post, but needless to say, I committed to never going through with unnecessary medical interventions again.
Fast forward 4 years to my pregnancy with my daughter. I knew that I wanted to do something different, to be more in control. My husband and I decided to work with a doula so that we could be supported in our journey through natural labor.
We started out by searching on DoulaMatch.net and interviewed a couple of Doulas who had availability around the time that we were due with our daughter. So, how did we pick? Well, when you know, you know! Once we met Michele, we knew right away that she was the one.
Michele suggested we do a Bradley Method class to support learning about Natural Labor and the tools we would need to accomplish it. The tools you learn in a Bradley Method class are invaluable. I ate better (Yay protein! – Cottage Cheese is a great source!) and was physically in a better place (can you say 100 squats a night!).
One of the best books I read to support my Natural Labor goal was “Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth.” This book shared numerous stories of successful labors (both natural and with intervention) and really showcases a woman’s ability to know what to do and how to do it. It is empowering!
I mentioned a lot of resources above that can be really costly. But what do you do if you are on a budget? There are many resources available to you if you are on a budget. There are certainly many articles available online to provide detailed information on Bradley Method. Find a family friend or relative that can help support you and your spouse during the birthing process. Read books from the local library. You could also use a midwife instead of an OBGYN to support your journey. Many are covered by health insurance.
At the end of the day, just know that you are not alone in your desire to trust your body to do what it was made to do. Empower yourself with the information to choose what is best for you.
