What does "natural" mean to you?

Sarah - posted on 11/03/2009

I agree with your thought of a "natural" birth. It is one that is vaginal and no use of drugs or interventions, just letting your body birth your baby the way it was meant to be. Unfortunately in this day and age we don't have a lot of information of what to exactly expect and our doctors don't help much since they are mostly trained and in some cases paid (via incentives) to use drugs and surgery vs more natural methods. All mothers should know that drugs and surgery is not the way to go unless medically necessary for the safety of you and your baby. When I told people I was going to have my children naturally, they laughed and asked why when it could be so much more simpler just to take the drugs. I think people have forgotten or aren't educated enough on the risks of doing such. I have heard people say they had a natural birth when they did not. Your not alone in your way of thinking.

As with others my reference is: my first was born when I was 19 and after not knowing what to feel for and essentially holding her in for hours I was given nubain and felt so loopy and scared it was the worst experience when it should have been the best. Because of this I ended up hemorrhaging and almost had to go into surgery. I lived and learned for my second and used hypnobirthing (Best way to birth IMO) and had the best experience EVER. Although I had complications, placenta previa and an abruption, Chris was born with no interference or drugs. I credit my midwife for helping me stay calm and focused and letting my body do it's thing.

Kerrie - posted on 07/18/2009

This is exactly what i battled with, with my midwife!

I wanted a natural birth, meaning, at home with no help or drugs. they badgered me the whole way through, scared my partner into thinking giving birth was a mamouthly dangerous thing (his first baby, my third) in the end I got realy ill with my blood presure, they hospitalized me a few days before my due date, told me that if baby didnt come on due date they would induce me, well obviously that was enough to make things happen. but it ruined my labour and they just couldnt leave me to get on with. All that poking and prodding and I was so stressed it made my body behave like baby was ready to come out when actually she was hours away. So I gave in to drugs and tried them all, even the epidural had NO affect on me what so ever, I was in such agony, like

I'd never felt before, they sad I was just really unlucky! And not to have any more babies in case it happened again.

So now I've got that off my chest! Sory, didnt realize I'd started ranting and not answering your question.

A natural birth is like i had with my first two. No drugs, no help what so ever.



An un-natural birth is a birth with the aid of drugs and or medical intervention. In my opinion.

I just wish I'd had them at home, even the midwife told me there was no need to be there, but when its your first, your usually kinda scared.

Paige - posted on 07/02/2009

For me, natural means no drug interventions. I had 2 natural, vaginal deliveries and 2 medicated (induced), vaginal deliveries.

Marcia - posted on 06/28/2009

I was really intrigued by the subject of your post, so I decided to read :)

I am more of your opinion that a natural birth is one done vaginally without the use of drugs.

I think why some people say that they had a natural birth and then mention the drugs that they had is due to the fact that in our language there isn't really a term for vaginal + drugs...also, there due to the different types of drugs that some people may choose (or have to have due to complications), so it is kind of hard to differentiate.

Any other opinions?

Just for reference, I had to have a c-section....in doing so obviously I had to have IV medication and an epidural.