Why Go Natural?

I distinctly remember the moment that I first met a woman who was planning a natural birth. My initial reaction was something along the lines of “why would anyone choose to suffer in that way?”

At the time I had no children and I didn’t really have an opinion either way.

Then I went to visit Anna, the first of my friends to become pregnant.

Anna wanted to go natural, aka a non-medication and intervention-free birth. She was nearly in her ninth month and shared with me her reasoning. She wanted to be present to the experience of birth. She felt that drugs would numb it. She had abstained from drugs and alcohol during her pregnancy for the health of her baby. She didn’t feel that it made sense to suddenly drug baby up at birth. She wanted to connect deeply with baby right after birth and knew this would be more probable if both she and baby were drug free.

Wow! She impressed me.

By the time I became pregnant, I was sold.

There are definite advantages to this way of giving birth. Here are the most important ones.

1. Natural childbirth is often healthier for mom. Mothers are aware and are able to work with their bodies. Mothers have a significantly more fulfilling experience of labour. Moms feel more in control of their health, and feel the full power of their ability to bring forth life. Plus there are no nasty side-effects from inventions & epidurals to deal with. Healing time is generally faster too!

2. Natural childbirth is often better for baby. Babies arrive un-drugged and therefore much more active and responsive. They are more able to interact with their parents. They hold deep and alert eye contact. Their own instincts are not compromised by drugs and consequently are much more able to breastfeed easily with minimum support. Drugged babies can barely move. Epidurals do include drugs with pass through the placenta and onto baby, but to a lesser degree than other drugs, such as morphine, which go straight to your blood system and straight to baby.

3. Natural childbirth is better for families. When an aware and alert baby is placed directly on the tummy or chest of an aware and responsive mother something magical happens. Mom and babies fall deeply deeply in love with each other. It’s this powerful, amazing experience for which my business is named… Birth Bliss. Moms and babies connect and bond in a significant and real way.

 

However most women discount this kind of birth because they are afraid of the pain.

I get it – deep into my first labour, sinking into fear and doubt, my legs shaking, forehead sweaty, feeling desperate and in more pain than I had ever experienced. I began to doubt EVERYTHING!

Was this even worth it? What if I couldn’t do it? Was an epidural really such a bad thing?

Note: Epidurals are definitely a modern medical marvel, and they can be a really good choice for some woman. I think the question to ask yourself is: What would make this the most satisfying experience for me? And how can I work with my medical care providers to minimize any potential risks?

While I still managed to have a natural birth, it was a really hard and difficult experience.

When I got pregnant the second time – I got obsessed about making my natural birth EASIER & more COMFORTABLE.

 

And I did it! I figured out a formula that allowed me to work with the contractions in a way that was more effective and felt SO MUCH BETTER!

I would love to share with you what I discovered!

I put it all together in my Mini ❤️ Birth Workshop where you’ll learn 3 steps to ease pain during labour!

 

 

Lastly I’d like to leave you with a quote from world renowned midwife Ina May Gaskin.

“It is possible to have an ecstatic birth-in fact, that is the best- natural high that I know of. And these states of consciousness are best reached when a woman is fully aware and fully awake. Women don’t have a way to know how their body works until they really try it out in birth. I think that women can be just completely surprised by the change in them from giving birth- you have something powerful in you -that fierce thing comes up-and I think babies need moms to have that fierceness-you feel like you can do anything and that’s the feeling we want moms to have.”

Peace, Hugs and Empowered Birthing,

Marie