I, too, hope that you can. But I was too, and it didn’t work out–and that was a good thing for my daughter (if not quite so much fun for me). By all means hope for that, but don’t let it get in the way if something else becomes necessary. I knew a woman who was in labor for a week and who considered a c-section to be “the end of the world” but finally had to have one. A c-section is not that bad–but the baby’s death or permanent injury because of your own stubbornness is. I may not have had the ‘perfect’ births, but I have two healthy girls, and that’s better.
That’s quite common now, even the squatting to give birth. I walked around a lot–until I was falling asleep on my feet and bumping into walls! The nurses will probably encourage you walk, too, along with many other things. You may have to ask about the gymnastic equipment they have to help you squat.
There are people who talk like suffering is noble and neccesary when giving birth, as if receiving drugs during labor is a character flaw, that having a c-section is some type of failure.
Women and their babies used to die. Some still do but not near as many. Some still do and it’s tragic. A c-section doesn’t have to be a life-saving procedure to still be a good thing. Most of the OBs I know would rather a woman labor if her life or the life of her baby isn’t in immediate danger, but sometimes even they feel enough is enough. Births seem similiar but they are very individual, saying every birth should be a vaginal one without drugs isn’t responsible or realistic. Women who want to labor without drugs, who want to walk through their labor should have a birthplan with their OB/CNM and their RNs. Not all plans go as planned, but women who want to labor this way have a much better chance at getting the experience they want if they have a real plan.
Cyn, OB/GYN RN
“Has anyone ever heard of this?” HAS ANYONE EVER HEARD OF THIS? It’s becoming clear to me, that you have not really bothered to inform yourself about childbirth and the way we lazier, less thoughtful women–and our unethical medical professionals–go about it. It makes your OP increasingly irritating to me.
But to answer your question, Yeah. We’ve heard of it.
I practiced squatting for months at the behest of my childbirth instructor (who had attended dozens of home births, BTW). At the hospital, the nurses told me to walk constantly, and gladly pulled off the monitor time after time so I could go do laps. If you want to rock, use a birthing ball, or do hip squeezes? All of that was encouraged at my hospital. As was showering, which helped a lot. The days of being sent to bed with your drugs and lying there until you deliver flat on your back are long gone.
Sorry to be so crabby, but there’s this little nagging sense of “If only women would TRY harder” or “If only women would think about how native peoples have done it” we’d be able to have our babies better. That’s so grating. I live in granola central. I attended Bradley classes (read up on those, if you’re gung-ho for natural childbirth). Several of us in the class hired doulas or were attended by midwives and family practice doctors. One of our OB had her own babies at home, by choice. In short, we had every possible ingredient for having drug-free, vaginal births, and still some of us didn’t get that outcome. It wasn’t for lack of walking around enough.
jimbino, to answer your question, I had no modesty by the time labor hit. First it’s all those months of exams that sort of wear down one’s squeamishness. Then, well, in labor, your body, she is a rampaging beast of she-power with a will of her own, and an entity apart from your usual sense of self. 100 people could have come by to take a peek at my crotch and I wouldn’t have batted an eye. As it was, I am sure my attendants and visitors numbered in the dozens. It’s no longer my vagina, it’s a birth canal. Just like lactating breasts, to me, are no longer sexual. Friends who would normally never try on clothes in front of me were fine with showing me a crack on their nipple or asking me to check out their baby’s latch. A mothering body is a different beast, in my mind.
Well, it’s OK with me if you don’t mind showing your wide-open beaver on the WWW, but damn if all these stories don’t make me feel sorry for all those men who put up with the episiotomies, belly scars, hemorrhoids, lactating breasts, cracked nipples, inattention and the ultimate rejection. I feel sorry for myself as well, since my tax dollars support this emasculation, female exploitation and worldwide pollution.
I chose to have a C.Section early in my pregnancy for a variety of reasons some medical, some personal. BUT I only chose to do so after extensive discussions with my husband, my father (who is a doctor), my gastroenterologist and my Ob&Gyn.
How a person decides to have their baby is not a decision to make without being fully informed. As it was my baby chose to arrive 4 weeks early and I had to have a C.Section anyway due to issues related to her early arrival.
Personally I thought the post C.Section recovery wasn’t that bad. Although since the C.Section I have had surgery to remove a part of my small bowel from which the recovery was MUCH MUCH worse so my memories could be tainted.
Other random thoughts -
I had an epidural for the C.Section so I was awake and aware throughout the process which made it far less scary. On the 3 other occasions I have had surgery it has been under General Anesthetic which is horrible, horrible, horrible and I hate coming out from the stuff, it terrifies me.
My husband was with me throughout the C.Section holding my hand and chatting, they wouldn’t let him watch in case he fainted and a nurse used our camera to take photos of the procedure, both these things made the whole event more casual and relaxed.
The assisting surgeon has really bad taste in movies - he thought Moulon Rouge was the best thing since sliced bread.
What the hell are you on about? Voluntarily having kids emasculates a man? Having students around to watch and learn is exploitation? You are somehow being victimized by other people choosing to have children? Oh, puleeeze.
Anyway, having a crowd gather round when you’re up in the stirrups isn’t fun, but neither is anything else that involves a gyno table. It’s been my experience, however, that after the first 45 minutes or so, you just don’t give a rat’s ass WHO is in there, as long as they just get it over with. Other doctors doing a consult, students learning, nurses, passing janitors who always wanted to be doctors or nurses, it’s all good.
Besides, in a teaching hospital, the reasonable person expects to be seen by students and residents.
Heh. That was my deal in spades. But then, I work for the University which runs the hospital, and one of my dearest friends was in his 3rd year of med school there. If he hadn’t been in the middle of exams, I would’ve been begging the OBs to let him be there. . . Even though, under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t be seeing anywhere near that much of me.
I mean, all this to say, I was not only okay with the idea of having many people a part of the process, I was fairly gung-ho about it. And it’s pretty remarkable how many people actually are on hand for a c-section. We had the anesthesia guy, the OBs, the nurses, the pediatrics team (as a precaution)… my husband and I, of course. They wouldn’t let my doula in. I think a med student may have been in there observing, not sure. If staring at my hoo-haw means someone’s going to be a better doctor in the future, bring 'em on. It didn’t take away from the moment for me.