In My Opinion
So I joined this page on Facebook called Momalicious Mamas or something. My intention was to stir the pot and get moms talking or disagreeing, but it seems I decided to behave myself. What I did do was ask the question “Caeserian or Natural birth?” While some of the answers were just plain dull there were some interesting opinions. What I did notice was that most all responses ended or started with something similar to: “In the end its your choice, but if you’re asking me...”
It reminded me of when pregnant with the Butterfly. Whenever I spoke to my lifelong friend about her impending arrival she would say something along the lines of: “When you have the Caesar...” to which I would say: “If, you mean...” I think she jinx me! Needless to say in hindsight, I would’ve held out and tried harder to have a natural birth but there is nothing to be done about it now.
What I do know for sure is that both procedures have a place in this modern world and every mum to be is entitled to her choice. What I have realised is that there are lifestyles, expectations and circumstances that dictate the choices we make and it’s a triumph of modern medicine that woman have a choice. But I am also of the opinion that child birth has been modernised too much! From the beginning of time woman have borne children and millions of babies were born successfully without the option of a Caesar when things got a little too rough or epidural when the pain became somewhat unbearable. I ask people this question over and over, how is it that the woman of our ancestry coped with child birth, multiple times in most cases yet today with all the options we have we think we can’t do it without medical intervention? Now I know some of you are thinking I should just shut up about this because you’ve heard it all before and some of you will disagree but I really do feel that in this modern age woman have lost the birthing instinct and relying too much on medicine!
Nothing prepares you for the pain of labour; I have yet to meet anyone who can adequately describe the pain because there is nothing that you can compare it to. My “Gynae” told me it was the worst pain in my life, that meant nothing to me at the time because the most pain I’d been in was when I cracked my spine but child birth feels nothing like that. According to some research that I’ve read the “practise” or “Braxton-Hicks” contractions that happen all through pregnancy are as intense as actual labour. Also the post birth contraction that shrinks the uterus is even more intense than actual labour, but neither is as painful! Why is that? It’s the body’s way of signalling that gestation has ended and birthing begins. It’s the bodies way of telling the woman to go where its “safe.” Somewhere warm and comfortable and preferably sound proof so she can scream her head off and not worry about the neighbours. It’s the body’s way of letting her know, she’s done her bit for the last forty or so weeks now it’s time for her to switch off her mind and let instinct take over.
I believe that if women began to follow their instincts and listen to their bodies fewer of us would be afraid of the pain of labour and even fewer would actually feel as much of the pain. I believe that if we learn to embrace those first twinges of pain that indicate the start of labour the end becomes bearable. I believe that if we learn to focus on the end result and not on the process the pain is worth it. I believe that it’s the belief or lack thereof in our own abilities that affects our attitude and choices we make. I believe that every mum to be should, if able to, experience labour and childbirth and the empowering sense of achievement that comes with it.
But most importantly I believe, my body, my baby, my choice!
It reminded me of when pregnant with the Butterfly. Whenever I spoke to my lifelong friend about her impending arrival she would say something along the lines of: “When you have the Caesar...” to which I would say: “If, you mean...” I think she jinx me! Needless to say in hindsight, I would’ve held out and tried harder to have a natural birth but there is nothing to be done about it now.
What I do know for sure is that both procedures have a place in this modern world and every mum to be is entitled to her choice. What I have realised is that there are lifestyles, expectations and circumstances that dictate the choices we make and it’s a triumph of modern medicine that woman have a choice. But I am also of the opinion that child birth has been modernised too much! From the beginning of time woman have borne children and millions of babies were born successfully without the option of a Caesar when things got a little too rough or epidural when the pain became somewhat unbearable. I ask people this question over and over, how is it that the woman of our ancestry coped with child birth, multiple times in most cases yet today with all the options we have we think we can’t do it without medical intervention? Now I know some of you are thinking I should just shut up about this because you’ve heard it all before and some of you will disagree but I really do feel that in this modern age woman have lost the birthing instinct and relying too much on medicine!
Nothing prepares you for the pain of labour; I have yet to meet anyone who can adequately describe the pain because there is nothing that you can compare it to. My “Gynae” told me it was the worst pain in my life, that meant nothing to me at the time because the most pain I’d been in was when I cracked my spine but child birth feels nothing like that. According to some research that I’ve read the “practise” or “Braxton-Hicks” contractions that happen all through pregnancy are as intense as actual labour. Also the post birth contraction that shrinks the uterus is even more intense than actual labour, but neither is as painful! Why is that? It’s the body’s way of signalling that gestation has ended and birthing begins. It’s the bodies way of telling the woman to go where its “safe.” Somewhere warm and comfortable and preferably sound proof so she can scream her head off and not worry about the neighbours. It’s the body’s way of letting her know, she’s done her bit for the last forty or so weeks now it’s time for her to switch off her mind and let instinct take over.
I believe that if women began to follow their instincts and listen to their bodies fewer of us would be afraid of the pain of labour and even fewer would actually feel as much of the pain. I believe that if we learn to embrace those first twinges of pain that indicate the start of labour the end becomes bearable. I believe that if we learn to focus on the end result and not on the process the pain is worth it. I believe that it’s the belief or lack thereof in our own abilities that affects our attitude and choices we make. I believe that every mum to be should, if able to, experience labour and childbirth and the empowering sense of achievement that comes with it.
But most importantly I believe, my body, my baby, my choice!
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