http://www.achildbirth.com/gallery-of-vaginal-childbirth-video-clips.html - link to natural birth videos.
I have been torn between the thought of having a natural birth or a hospital (medicated) birth!
The idea of herbal baths for the newborn, pushing and feeling the naturalness of childbirth and being fully alert when I give birth is quite attractive--but a part of me knows myself too well. Any pain at all and I run for the Advil, and I often stop exercising because of the muscle tension.
It does sadden me to have a hospital birth because I don't really like the idea of baby and drugs mixing, but I know if I am in excruciating pain (and mothers: saying the pain was like a bit of cramps is such a lie).I've heard of women being torn open and screaming (and seen the videos too); I've heard of women who wished they were dead because the pain was so intense and I've heard of women who were in SO much pain they couldn't even continue! The doctor had to intervene.
Now, I plan to have a few children and I plan to go to Lamaze classes, learn the Bradley method, do yoga, strengthen my body and mind because I do believe that as a woman--I am capable of enduring childbirth and pushing this baby out of my body and into the world. I am very interested in water births especially, because this is a soothing idea and seems much more comfortable than lying on a hard hospital bed. I am very relieved that many birthing centres in my province had rooms with birthing tubs and being able to labour and give birth in the pool with my fiance is possible. I am also very wary about the pain of being ripped apart as baby comes out. That, to me, is worse than the contractions. I just couldn't image an 8lb 7ounce baby boy with a big belly and even bigger head coming out of there. Yes, I do know about the wonders of the vagina and how it can stretch, but OUCH!
I don't quite know how I will exactly plan for the extreme pain of natural birth, which is the way I want to go (but knowing my very limited pain threshold, will likely not :( but I know I will try my hardest. And I do mean try my hardest. I was thinking doing the hypnotizing, prenatal acupuncture, everything--even some Buddhism. I should expand my pain threshold (maybe cigarette burns and carrying heavy loads?) so that I can tolerate pain more easily. I think to myself, this is something that billions of women have done throughout history--why am I such a wuss? And celebrities come out looking amazing the next day--can't be that hard? I hear such stories filled with hope about women who only laboured for an hour or two and popped out a gorgeous babe--perhaps I can do the same?
But ultimately, I want to be the least selfish and give this baby the opportunity for a safe and unmedicated birth. Now, if it is so excruciating I would shoot myself in the head--then next time, Baby #2 I should think about drugs. I like the idea of gas as a pain reliever. It's not as harsh as an epidural.
I will have to do some more research and think about it very carefully. My fiance says when she gives birth she wants the drugs :P which is quite ironic because she has a much stronger pain threshold than I do. But I also love the feminism behind it, and the whole New Age vibe it has (the herbal bath, the doula, the chanting, meditation, calming candles, etc) and the way it sort of brings you back to Nature and the way things "should" be. Listening to your body and the such. I hope childbirth isn't too painful to bear unmedicated, but there's only one way to find out.....
No comments:
Post a Comment