Natural Childbirth is falling further and further behind.  The cesarean section rate is rising…………..what will it take to turn this around? 

“Too Posh to Push”  Time Magazine, The Australian and Fox News

“Natural Childbirth Mom’s more attuned to babies’ cry”  US News and ABC News

“Orgasmic Birth”  Sydney Morning Herald, USA Today and ABC 20-20

These headlines are truly shocking! Do they help expectant mothers cope better with their birth preparation, or just cause unnecessary anxiety and stress? I am mother of 2, a midwife of 9 years, an internationally board certified lactation consultant and a passionate advocate for Natural Childbirth.  I continually see women on a daily basis have a poor birthing experience and as a midwife I know that they could have used simple, natural options to make their birth experience one of fulfillment and joy.

Reflecting on the headlines, “Orgasmic Birth”, what does this say?  While possible, the last thing a woman expects to experience during childbirth is an orgasm. She is at her wits end dealing with pain, discomfort and the impending marathon that is childbirth…..and now she hears women are having orgasms! I know this film is about choice and showing how a group of women give birth, but again, the headline gives women more pressure and expectation.

When is it enough?  Why can’t we just give women some real and proven options to have a natural childbirth, rather than pressure?  This is my mission in life, to give women choice and educate them on the wonders of childbirth so they can work with their body and their baby. 

2009 is The Year of Hopefulness as mentioned by OPRAH, so how about we give women hope rather then fear and expectation.  With all the choices available to them, women can create an atmosphere that is positive and allow their confidence to shine.

I have endeavored to help women around the world gain the confidence back in their bodies.  I have interviewed 7 of the worlds leading authorities on natural childbirth techniques such as Acupressure, Acupuncture, Hypnobirthing, Reflexology, The Bradley Method and many more. 

In the 7 part natural childbirth series the experts have opened women’s minds to a new world of possibilities and options they may not have heard before.  Natural childbirth will become more about choosing what type of method works for them rather than just choosing whether to have a cesarean section or not.  Most women will enter into their birth journey with the pretense of ‘trying not to have drugs’, this is all well and good, however, ending up with a fulfilling natural birth is rare.  Women need to plan for their birth and equip themselves with knowledge of how their bodies work, how to work with their body and baby and have complete faith that their body was made to birth.

This new interview series is available online as a complete audio download from www.child-birth-options.com.  A transcript of the interviews is also available as well as a comprehensive birthing plan, an easy to follow exercise and stretching regime, a  breastfeeding survival book and great links to natural childbirth videos.

My aim is to try and change the perception of how woman view birth and hopefully influence the birthing statistics.  After all the choice isn’t between natural childbirth or cesarean section…..it is all about informing women and nurturing their skills and confidence to have a fearless childbirth that will permanently bond them with their child and partner.

I just want to leave you with one thought:

"Why avoid medications and take such good care of our

Body’s all through pregnancy only to pump it full of drugs for the last few hours?"

Take Care,

Loretta

Happy New Year!!  2009 is the the year of hopefulness!!  We, as a natural birth planning group, must embrace 2009 and give hope to all the pregnant women, the soon to be pregnant women and the younger women who are going to take Natural Childbirth into the future.  This year the birth statistics will be fantastic, women will choose where to have their baby, how to have their baby and with whom.   They will base their decision purely on their feelings, not on government bodies and the costs involved.  So come and join me in the Natural Childbirth movement!!

So what is the big deal about Natural Childbirth?  Why are we constantly talking about it and trying to achieve it?  Well, I will tell you why……………………..it is because it is the best for our body, our baby, breastfeeding and the well being of the whole family unit.

An article in a Budapest paper states that the fact of the matter is that there have been trends in childbirth, and in western societies, this trend has been leading towards more medicalised births actively managed by doctors, to the point where now fully one third of births in the United States are surgical births (C-sections) and growing to this amount around the world.  It is now hard to spot any birth in a hospital that hasn’t been intervened with in some way.

So what’s wrong with that, what is wrong with “intervention” if it means that the birth is safer, faster, or the mother feels less pain?

The paper goes on to say that the problem is medical interventions are introduced as a matter of routine (as opposed to necessity) into a well-oiled process, and in the majority of cases, these interventions increase the number of complications, not decrease them, and even introduce new ones.

As I have written many, many times before, Interventions interfere in the natural process, which then necessitates more interventions. Before women realise they are taken down into a cascade of intervention and at the end of which is a C-section.

The paper asks the question on everyone’s lips; what is wrong with a C-section?  Well it is major surgery, with all the associated risks. At base, it’s a lot more risky to both mum and baby than a vaginal birth. For mum, there are all the post-surgery complications, potential infections, and so on.

The biggest point made is that the number of children a woman can have is instantly numbered, and the frequency at which she can have them, already determined for her. Because after a C-section, it is recommended that a woman wait at least 3 years before giving birth again, and the second birth after a C-section is likely to also be a C-section, and I believe few doctors will be willing to administer more than 4 C-sections on anyone.

You see how just one intervention can lead to another then another and before anyone knows, natural childbirth is out the window and a C-section is needed due to the extra stress on the baby and mother.  The mother is then put into a catagory that can never be reversed.  Some states in the US are even recommending that insurance premiums are higher for women who have had a C-section.  Who would choose this life and these restrictions on life.

The baby is also at risk when an unnecessary C-section takes place.  The baby is cut out of its mothers womb and not passed through the vagina.  Missing this step prevents the baby’s lungs from being squeezed and excess fluid removed.  Not removing this fluid can cause the baby to have breathing difficulties and possibly infection.  This will then reflect on breastfeeding by delaying it and delaying bonding time with the family unit.  Breastfeeding needs to be commenced within an hour of birth so as to create an imprint for further successful feeding in the baby’s mind. 

So how does these interventions start, well, as I have passionately written about before, it starts with the horrible word induction!  Let us stop and think for a moment, why can’t we just wait for our precious child to enter the world when they are ready, honestly what is the rush!  Many doctors offer induction like offering a piece of cake with your coffee! It is ridiculous………..as women we need to take a stand and say no to induction unless there is truly a medical problem.  And by doing this women will avoid the very first intervention and remain in control of their own natural Childbirth.

Women, I urge you to fully look into natural childbirth and really figure out what it is you want rather than leaving your life decision in the hands of doctors and medical staff.  We only get one vessel to live this life, our body, so we must take care of it.  Please research and take matters into your own hands I know you will feel immense pride when the birth you chose comes to fruition.

To help you with your education have a look at my book "7 Secrets to Natural Childbirth" it will give you some great advice on planning the natural childbirth you want.

I came across this article in the Sydney Morning Herald:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/lifeandstyle/lifematters/orgasmic-birth-an-old-midwives-tale/2008/12/29/1230399175667.html

Wow, I can’t believe that a woman is really judging this fabulous person, Ina May Gaskin.  Yes, her views are really out there, however, some women fully believe that an orgasm is possible during labour.  And why not, if anyone can achieve this during labour, then well done, and show me how!  Sometimes it takes a person who is really left field to bring something like this to our attention.  I would never judge a woman who describes birth in this way……………….I say go for it.

I personally did not feel this pleasure, however, my birth was definatley very satisfying and amazing.  I can see how women could have an orgasm during birth. 

Natural birth is an amazing event and one that is remembered forever.  If women could realise how important it is to learn how to have a natural birth then I beilieve the birth statistic will change.  To prepare your body for the journey of birth is truly an enriching experience, I have interviewed 7 women on natural birth and they all give great insight and advice into the world of birth.  If you want to get a hold of these interviews then go to www.child-birth-options.com.

Let me know what you think of this article and whether you had an orgasm during your birth!!

Take Care,

Loretta

Hi there world,

My second child is now 16months old and I still get warm fuzzy feelings when I think of his birth.  I drive past the spot on the road where I nearly gave birth every day and remember how exhilerating and liberating my birthing experience was.

My first birth to my beautiful son, Joshua, was long, hard and scary.  It took me 5 years to pluck up the courage to have another go.  During this 5 years I worked in the birth suite at my local hospital and I saw first hand how women go through the journey of labour.  Most women go into labour with great intentions, however, these are squashed out of them as soon as the first contractions start.  Women arrive at hospital hoping to be saved from the terrible pain. 

If we could just look at these words, ‘terrible pain’, for a moment.  I hear women all over the world speak of labour as a shocking, unbearable experience and very few talk of the joys of labour.  I am here to help women see labour as a journey of self discovery and love, to ride the wave of labour and feel the excitement of believeing in your body and your baby.

As my belly grew with my second child I started to feel the same fears rearing their ugly heads; ‘how am I going to fit this baby out?’, ‘will my baby be ok?’, and ‘can I do this?’  I knew that I had to read every book, website and journal on birthing.  I scoured the internet for inspirational stories and found that there were more horror stories than anything else.  However, I did come up with a common theme which was to relax, trust your body, and have a plan.  But how do I do this while in the throws of labour?  Well this was the key………….I had to learn how to stay focused and positive.

I found that there were about 7 different ways to teach me how to stay focused and positive these were:

• Hypnobirthing
• The Bradley Method
• Lamaze
• Reflexology
• Relaxation, Rhythm and Ritual
• Acupuncture and Acupressure
• Waterbirth

So what I did was contact the experts in each field and explained that I was a midwife and wanted to show women what avenues there were for natural birth.  They were so excited to chat to me and really wanted to share their knowledge.   I, and a bunch of hard working assistants (thank you!), researched everything there was on these experts and finally came up with a list of extremely appropriate and leading questions to ask.  I had about 40mins with each person and recorded the interviews…………………………now here is the great news, you can listen to these interviews yourself and see what fantastic tips are there to for you to use now.  It doesn’t matter if you are thinking about becoming pregnant or about to pop, these interviews will just excite you and make you really look forward to your birth.  And also give you great tips for when the pain does start.  It is all well and good to plan, but it is really when it all starts that you see how much this interview series can put you on the right path and help you stay there.

If you go to  www.child-birth-options.com you will see the fantastic women that have literally changed my life.  Have a read of their bios, you will be blown away.  There are heaps of great bonus’ that include, keeping fit during pregnancy and how to enhance those first, magical few days of your baby’s life. 

Enjoy listening to these interviews and let me know what you think, I am always on the look out for women who take their birth and make it what they want.  Always stay focused and positive and remember to visualise the outcome you want and this will become your birthing story for you to share with the world.

Happy birthing,

Loretta

Hi All,

I wanted to comment on an article in The New York Times Magazine entitled ‘A Near-Death Birthing Story’.  Lisa Belkin has started a dialogue between mothers and will publish women’s stories as Parenting Adventures called Motherload.   What I am concerned with is the fact that women may come in droves to tell their horror stories, such as the one told in this article.  It was by a healthy women, Catherine Saint Louis, who was planning to have a natural birth in the hospital, but initially thought of having it at home.  She ended up with HELLP syndrome which is basically high blood pressure and blood clotting problems, it is quite severe, and does not happen often.

Ms St Louis continues on about how she is lucky to be alive, which she is, but puts it all down to the fact that she was in the hospital!  All the comments after this article are about other womens horror stories, which proves my point that when women share negative then all the negative comes up.  How does this woman know that if she had a homebirth then she would have died??

As a midwife, it is imperitive that we know where to draw the line and call for help.  We know what is normal and we definately know when there is even the slightest warning that all is not well.  A few comments posted after this article were right on the mark, a comment by Frances Smith, states that any competent homebirth midwife or doula would have taken Ms Saint Louis’ blood pressure very early on in the proceedings, and would have immediately transported her to the hospital. Choosing to go to the hospital before she knew about her pre-eclampsia was not what saved her life – the hospital saved her life, and would have done so whether she got there on her own instincts or on her midwife’s insistance.

My main message is that this story should not scare women into having a hospital birth and to have faith in your midwife as they are trained for this event.  In every pregnancy education class, the midwfie is very clear on the early warning signs of impending problems.  Ms St Louis’ swollen ankles were the very first sign of blood pressure problems and her midwife would have known this very common fact. 

Women of the world, trust in your instincts and follow your dream, don’t let other people’s stories scare you into a place that you are not comfortable in.  Birth your baby where and however you want.  If you want to read more about staying positive during your pregnancy then I have written an article, Natural Birth – How Do You Stay Positive?   Have a read and let me know what you think.

Take care,

Loretta

Wow, what an awesome effort!  I commend this Grandma for carrying 3 babies to 31 weeks.  Now I know that a natural birth was a far fetched idea, but at least it was mentioned.  It is amazing what family will do.  Good luck to the whole family.  One thing I do wonder about is if the babies will be receiving breastmilk, as it is so important for premature babies.  What do you think?

Hello to all you beautiful pregnant women,

As you know I am a midwife, lactation consultant and mother of two beautiful boys and I am very passionate about women finding the answers they need.  It is all too common that women are given misleading information which then leads to choices that are not based on facts, common sense or practical knowledge.  So if you have a question about anything I would be happy to answer it with honesty and experience. 

Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Take Care,

Loretta

I have met so many wonderful pregnant women that sell themselves short.  When I ask them of their plans for birth, they jump and say, ‘epidural, epidural, epidural!!’  They have shut themselves off before even exploring any other plans.  What I want to say to these women is to open your eyes to the possibility that you CAN handle it.

It doesn’t take much effort to say, ‘ok I will try’.  This then opens your mind to other options, options that may lead you down a very happy, rewarding path.  I am not judging you and I am not trying to change your mind, I am asking you to also look into natural birth and have the epidural as a back stop.  This then allows you to go down the path of natural birth without the pressure it inevitably brings.

I wonder if women actually know what an epidural entails, well it is a needle that is inserted into the epidural space in the lumbar region of your back.  Through this needle, a catheter or a very small tube is inserted.  The needle is then removed and the tube stays in your back as a port to administer drugs.  This tube is connected to a machine which delivers a measured dose of narcotics and local anaesthetic.  You may also have a button that you can press to deliver more drugs if the pain worsens.  The dosage is adjusted according to the pain you are feeling.  It is a very fine line between total numbness and slight discomfort.  The goal of an epidural is to have you feeling sensations but not pain, this allows you to feel the urge to push so you can help your baby out into the world.

Now you have the facts on epidurals you can learn the facts on natural birth and ways to achieve a natural birth.  You may find an avenue that totally works for you and then an epidural is left by the wayside.  Or if you are totally adamant about having an epidural you may want to learn how to modify its use.  For example, there are many relaxation techniques, breathing techniques and pushing techniques used in the study of natural birth.  If you were to have an epidural during the first stage of labor and then have the epidural weaned down for the second stage of labor, fully dilated to birth, then you may implement some of the natural birth techniques that you have learned. 

So you can see that even if you choose to have an epidural as your birth plan, it doesn’t mean that you can’t use various techniques to relax during birth.  These relaxation measures can also help you prepare for a c-section.  It is a scary procedure, you are alert, you don’t know what you are going to feel and you are in a very strange environment.  Don’t you think that learning breathing and relaxation techniques would help you cope with this stress? 

I have interviewed experts in the field of natural birth and yes, we do discuss the various aspects of natural birth but we also discuss how the magnificent female body is designed to go through birth.  Women need to trust their body and their baby and work as a team during birth.  No matter what technique you choose, whether it is natural birth, drugs or c-section, your baby and your body still need to go through this together.  To learn to trust this natural process is the key to having a birth that you are comfortable with. 

If you want to learn more about my interviews then go to www.child-birth-options and have a read or you can click on the natural birth plan link in my blog.  Just remember that you can choose to have the birth you want just look at all your options and you may be surprised with what works for you and your growing baby. 

Take care and enjoy your natural birth planning,

Loretta

Hi All,

I was checking out the fabulous blogs on natural birth and came across a wonderful post about The Bradley Method of Birthing.  The Blog , 50 Book Challenge, is about reviewing books and the person behind the blog is pregnant and reading Husband-Coached ChildBirth.  She makes a fantastic statement, I will display it word for word:

"why avoid medications and take such good care of your body all through pregnancy only to pump it full of drugs for the last few hours"

This is so logical!!  We all need to have this kind of attitude when going into our birthing experience.  I have interviewed the Co-founder of The Bradley Method of Birthing in my ebook, just click on the natural birth plan link and have a look.  We discuss many ways to help women achieve a natural birth, Marjie Hathaway is an amazing person with so much insight and experience.

Just wanted to share this information with you all.  Take care.

Loretta