Promote a natural birth Natural

Promote a natural birth Natural

The majority of women in the United States will give birth in the hospital, but do they know that they have at least four options for where to give birth? These include: hospital, birth center, home births accompanied by a midwife or home births without assistance.

Unassisted home birth is an option I'm very familiar with, having given birth four times in the hospital and then twice at home, with only my husband present - without a doctor or midwife.

I would like to encourage women to strongly consider natural childbirth, mainly because it is safer and more satisfying. I would encourage those planning a hospital birth to research the different medications and interventions they may encounter - the potential harms and risks. After exhausting all other options, women should undergo medical or surgical birth if it is ABSOLUTELY necessary.

Do expectant parents know how much each ultrasound costs? How about an epidural (about $1000 in 2007; $2300 in 2018) or a cesarean section (about $18,000 in 2007 and estimated at nearly $50,000 in 2018)? Would you pay out of pocket for some of the truly unnecessary procedures performed in the delivery room? Or do you not care because your insurance is footing the bill?

California midwife Ronnie Falcao completed an apprenticeship program in El Paso, TX, and of the 116 births she attended, only one required a cesarean section. The U.S. C-section rate is 30.2%, but researchers say the actual medical need for C-sections should be 5%. C-sections carry 3-5 times the risk of vaginal deliveries and are often performed because the woman is “not making progress.”

Ronnie wondered why the C-section rate could be so low, especially since most of the 116 patients were “at risk.” She concluded that the caregiver was willing to help the women do whatever was necessary to ensure a successful vaginal delivery.

Some people assume that natural birth requires too much effort. “Why be a hero?” and “Just give me an epidural” are common attitudes among women. Our society prides itself on having “the best medicine” and “modern facilities,” but in reality, women with normal, uncomplicated pregnancies can do without all unnecessary technology.

I have been researching births since 1996 and as the trend for home births has increased, the number of medical births has increased. Regardless of the hospital or home, I encourage women to think carefully about what they want for their birth and plan accordingly.

Natural childbirth makes economic sense, but more importantly, it maintains women's dignity by giving them the pleasure of experiencing a central aspect of our experience of being a woman.