So I just watched a documentary by Ricki Lake, called "The Business of Being Born"
It has a lot of information and gave me reasons for my choice for an all natural birth. Ricki did this documentary with Abby Epstein who became pregnant while doing this documentary. Here are some pics:
Whenever I tell people that I'm going all natural without any medication, I always get a weird look and a "why?" I really didn't know except just that natural is better. But after watching this documentary, I am convinced that this is the right decision!
So, what happens during birth is that the hospital gives you Epidural to help with pain, but it slows down labor and makes contractions weaker. So they give you Pitocin to help speed up labor, then when that is administered, you might feel more pain, then they give you more Epidural, and then more Pitocin, etc. As a result, if the baby still doesn't come, you might end up with interventions such as forceps, vacuum extraction, or C-section! And this is according to the
American Pregnancy Association.
So Epidural should be the last resort, not the first choice!
Moreover, Pitocin is a synthetic form of Oxytocin, which is a natural hormone produced by a woman's body to facilitate birth. Here are some differences between Pitocin and Oxytocin (from about.com)
Pitocin is released differently.
Oxytocin is released into your body in a pulsing action. It comes intermittently to allow your body a break. Pitocin is given in an IV in a continuous manner. This can cause contractions to be longer and stronger than your baby or placenta can handle, depriving your baby of oxygen.
Pitocin prevents your body from offering endorphins.
When you are in labor naturally, your body responds to the contractions and oxytocin with the release of endorphins, a morphine like substance that helps prevent and counteract pain. When you receive Pitocin, your body does not know to release the endorphins, despite the fact that you are in pain.
Pitocin isn't as effective at dilating the cervix.
When the baby releases oxytocin it works really well on the uterine muscle, causing the cervix to dilate. Pitocin works much more slowly and with less effect, meaning it takes more Pitocin to work.
Pitocin lacks a peak at birth.
In natural labor, the body provides a spike in oxytocin at the birth, stimulating the fetal ejection reflex, allowing for a faster and easier birth. Pitocin is regulated by a pump and not able to offer this boost at the end.
Pitocin can interfere with bonding.
When the body releases oxytocin, also known as the love hormone, it promotes bonding with the baby after birth. Pitocin interferes with the internal release of oxytocin, which can disturb the bonding process.
The last fact really hit me. I remember my mom told me, she had a c-section (by choice) when she gave birth to me. She said she didn't feel anything and when she saw me again a few days later, she was like "Ew, that wrinkly thing is my baby?" She said she didn't feel like I was her baby. My mom couldn't breast feed either. Abby Epstein also ended up with a c-section, and her reaction and result was the same. I really want to feel the mother-nature's innate reaction of wanting to love and protect the baby, after all the difficulties of labor, it's the least I should get in return, right?
And the documentary also mentioned that many women, after seeing the painful expressions of labor on TV, are convinced that they can't or don't want to go through the pain. But I keep telling myself, how many women since caveman time have delivered babies without any medication?
Also, I've chosen to do water birth
And here are the benefits:
- Less shock for the baby, since he's going from placenta water to pool water.
- Being in water helps with the pain of labor
- Softens the skin on the vagina opening to prevent tearing (no need for episiotomy)
- Delays the nurse from taking the baby and allows time for the rest of the 30% of the blood to pass from the placenta to the baby
- And hopefully, Allen will be able to catch Sunny!! I really look forward to this!
We bought our pool and the accessories, came in the mail almost a week ago! And we'll also have a Doula, an assistant who provides non-medical and non-midwifery support (physical and emotional) in childbirth, and she's also a professional photographer.
I think we're ready.
