The Mindset of Natural Birth

Why do women fear childbirth? For something that is such a necessary and beautiful event for the continuation of our species, why does it seem so scary? Did women always fear birth? And why should we fear what nature so perfectly gifted to us as women?

In today's world, we are bombarded with fear mongering stories about everything, including birth. These fearful tactics created by the media instill not only less than desirable feelings surrounding childbirth, but the belief that women aren't in control of how there birth progresses, that a doctor knows better than them how to birth their babies.

It is true that sometimes pregnancy and birth don't go as planned, and we are grateful for modern medicine when it’s necessary. It is also true that in today's world the majority of women choose doctors for their primary care, and birth their babies in hospitals. But we have to ask the question of why, when hospitals are the go-to place for sick people and those in serious need of emergency medical assistance, do healthy women use this as an environment for such a sacred rite of passage?

Natural birth at home is the way of many of our ancestors. When a woman is in her own space, surrounded by the comfort of home and the people she loves, she is better able to work with her body and give birth freely. Hospitals are not a natural environment, so it is likely that this environment alone can contribute to stress during birth.

It wasn't until the 1900's that there was a shift toward hospital birth. Before this time, midwives attended most births at home. In the US today, midwives attend less than 5% of births at home or free standing birth centers. What happened? Why, when studies show that midwifery care and midwife attended births have much lower rates of intervention, cesarean section, and all around better birth outcomes, are only 5 percent of women taking this route?

Because somewhere along the line, women started to FEAR the pain of childbirth so much that they actually desire drugs to lessen it. They assume they need a doctors care to ensure they will not end up a statistic, because they've grown up assuming that seeing a doctor is just what you do. This FEAR that leads to unnecessary medical interventions has created an extremely concerning number of complicated births, injuries and even deaths for mothers and their babies. How can we, as women in our modern society, take our power back and surrender to what our bodies were so perfectly made to do?

Natural birth outside of the hospital is not only possible, but for a low-risk, healthy mama, it is in her best interest. Natural birth is all about mindset. It's about going into your pregnancy and birth with the intention of being completely un-medicated (not softly saying, "well, if I need an epidural..."). The mindset is believing that even if it's hard, even if it hurts, YOU CAN DO IT, just as so many women have before you.

Natural birth is not only about doing it un-medicated, out of the hospital, for your own health and well-being, but also for the health and well-being of your baby. Epidurals and other interventions don't come without risk, including difficulty with bonding after birth. Natural birth means you are giving him or her the best start to life that you can give and an easier recovery time for you.

We understand that every mother is different. Every circumstance is different. And every woman is free to make her own choice when choosing who to see and where to birth. But we want to let women know that they DO have a choice.

Simply choosing to see a doctor vs. a midwife and voluntarily choosing to birth in a hospital opens you up to the "cascade of interventions" that can ultimately lead to cesarean section. Some women do have completely natural births in the hospital, but sadly these are rare these days. Many women of the past used to birth naturally in the hospital, but it seems that these numbers have changed.

In the US, the cesarean rate for hospital birth rises above 33% percent. Meanwhile, out of hospital births at home or a birth center that end in a transfer and cesarean section are around 6%.

These numbers leave us to ask the question: What is going on? Is it because women aren't provided the right support to take charge of their birth? Is it because women aren't aware they even have a choice? Is it because they aren't given the opportunity to use the care of a loving midwife because their insurance won't cover it? Or is it simply a lack of education about the care midwives can provide them, both physically and emotionally?

A midwife's education is all about pregnancy, childbirth and well-woman care. This is their specialization. A good midwife not only provides excellent prenatal care, but they provide the emotional support a woman needs to feel in control of her birth. A midwife educates and councils pregnant women and their families. She empowers them and leads them to successful birth outcomes.

When an experienced midwife knows something isn't right, she will refer a woman to the appropriate medical care. Thankfully, most of the time, this is not necessary. A normal, healthy pregnancy under the care of a midwife leads to a normal, healthy birth 95% of the time.

A midwife will inspire a woman to care for her body throughout her entire pregnancy. A midwife will also teach a woman to believe in her own innate power, so she can bring her baby earth side without any complications, beautifully, wonderfully, and exactly as nature intended it to be.

Birth is a natural process. A woman already knows how to birth her baby. When given the space, she will realize just how strong and powerful she really is.

Written by Christine Rapsys, Writer and Pure Births Mama