Women have been giving birth for centuries unmedicated. This is what our bodies were made to do and we (as women) need to trust our bodies. Seriously, it is in our genetic makeup to give birth, and to give birth naturally. I realize that I may be biased because I am pro-natural, but I feel that too many people completely overlook this option.
Most OBGYN's are very similar, you show up to your appointment then you meet with a nurse practitioner. She then weighs you, takes your blood pressure, shuffles you into a room and then you patently wait for your doctor to make their grand appearance. The doctor comes in, listens to babies heart beat and asks if you have any questions and then sends you on your merry little way.
He or she may even talk to you about "your options" or aka: the epidural. This can be as soon as you get to the hospital OR once he/she convinces you to get it when your contractions get "too intense." The fact is, OBGYN's are certified surgeons who are also trained in gynecology. They are trained to handle the "worst case scenario", emergency C-sections, and of course they often push towards what they are "specialized in" to avoid maternal and infant complications.
Don't get me wrong, if you have an abnormal pregnancy with pre-existing problems, then I can understand the risk. BUT if you are healthy, have a totally normal pregnancy, and are not at risk for any kind of complication then a C-section is rarely necessary. However, thanks to a combination of other "modern medicines" and "what is easier" it's getting more and more popular.
America is now at 30% of all babies being born by C-section. At the hospital where I live, it's over 35-40%. This is from a number of very debilitating choices from both mother AND her doctors. Over 22% of all pregnancies are induced before 41 weeks gestation. The process of induction begins with a drug called Pitocin. Which is pumped into your body from an IV and the amount is turned up every hour until you have reached the contraction pattern that your doctor is looking for.
Pitocin also "helps" dilate your cervix; once it reaches 10 centimeters, it is usually time to start pushing. Pitocin is honestly a very hard drug on both mother and baby. It speeds up contractions, makes them more intense, and you are unable to leave the hospital bed. Thus not being able to get into a more comfortable position for contractions. Because Pitocin makes contractions so much more intense, many women decide to get the epidural. Which, if you don't know, is an anesthetic that numbs you from the waist down to make contractions "more bearable." It's inserted into your spine using a very long needle, and also did I mention that there is a risk of paralysis?
For some unknown reason, epidurals and Pitocin do not "get along." When you get the epidural, often times your cervix will retract and your contractions will lessen, and because doctors like to see quick progress, they up the Pitocin. Thus creating the horrible downward spiral. Also, many babies do not react well to the extremes of the Pitocin-induced contractions. This causes heart rates to drop and more than often fetal distress.Because these two drugs are at war with each other, over 25% of all inductions will result in an emergency C-section (you can read more on epi's along with their con's here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1595214/).
The Doula:
Though I'm still giving birth in a hospital, with my doctor (unmedicated) I want someone there who is going to help support my BMP (baby making partner), support me. A Doula is part of the birth team – she is not there to replace the father. A professional labor coach is just that, someone trained to assist a laboring woman. Long after she’s been forgotten, mom will never forget the tenderness dad showed her during labor.
The Doula is there to support the parents. Just as she empowers the mother, she also empowers the father. As eager as the father-to-be is to help his partner, he may be unsure of where to begin. It’s not uncommon for a dad to feel a bit intimidated or even overwhelmed by all the comings and goings of the medical staff. Not to mention other’s may find that they are not mentally prepared to see the woman they love in pain as her labor progresses.
The father can also benefit from the Doula as she reassures him, answering any non-medical questions he may have. She will encourage him to participate in the labor and birth to the level he feels comfortable. With the doula there, he is free to grab a bite to eat or take a short nap if the labor is particularly long. He also doesn’t need to worry about whether they’re sticking to the birth plan, or the pros and cons of interventions. He can relax knowing the doula is overseeing these things. The more relaxed the father is, the better prepared he is to support his partner.
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