Having a baby is 2012? I hope this website helps you with some of the many difficult choices you will make along your pregnancy and birth journey!

As our antenatal education is mostly provided by hospitals, doctors and obstetricians, unfortunately it can tend to be a little one-sided. More often than not we are content to accept what we are told by these experts in their field. But many would argue that YOU are in fact the expert when it comes to giving birth to your baby.

An obstetrician is of course a highly trained professional. Wikipedia (a trusted source of course!) describes the medical training as "preparing the practising OB/GYN to be adept at the surgical management of the entire scope of clinical pathology involving female reproductive organs, and to provide care for both pregnant and non-pregnant patients". And "Maternal-fetal medicine - an obstetrical subspecialty, sometimes referred to as perinatology, that focuses on the medical and surgical management of high-risk pregnancies and surgery on the fetus with the goal of reducing morbidity and mortality"  

The word 'pathology' is the study of the processes, causes and effects of disease or illness, neither of which should be used to describe 'pregnancy' and the events that occur within the body during pregnancy!

So it is fair to ask, if you don’t have a medical condition that requires the specialized medical treatment of an obstetrician then why do women who fit into the "normal" or low-risk category feel the need to seek the guidance of this medical model? Does it all begin with a lack of true confidence in oneself?

As well as being a time of happiness and excitement, pregnancy and childbirth can create a great deal of uncertainty, fear and anxiety, so of course expectant mothers are concerned for their own health and most certainly that of her baby and want to be sure they enter the world as safely as humanly possible. Seeking consult from experts and going along with the recommended medical formula for childbirth is no doubt done so with the sincere belief that this is the best option, but perhaps this choice is made because we may not know any different, or because there are underlying fears that need to be overcome in order approach labour and to childbirth with strength, confidence and and a firm belief in your body's abilities. Perhaps you are someone who considers yourself to be a bit squeemish, have a low pain threshold or have been told so many horrible stories about childbirth that you've been pre-programmed to believe it's just not something you're up for.

The purpose of this article is not to critisize a profession of people who've completed more years of study than I could even think possible, or discourage anyone from taking the path that gives them the most confidence. The purpose here is to encourage women (YOU) to empower yourself, use your pregnancy as an opportunity to get to know and nurture your inner strength, listen to your mind and body and take time to consider how you would like to bring your baby into the world. Even those who have to have an elective C-section can still take some control over the delivery of their new life.

The power of Knowledge

Much of the education & literature we have easy access to is very safe and conservative, and often fails to include the important fact that our bodies know what they’re doing and giving birth naturally is not such a scary or ridiculous notion (no matter what the lady putting your groceries through at the checkout thinks). Some of us aren’t aware that we can choose to have our birth education provided by an alternative source (many fantastic books and independent childbirth educators are available) that explains the natural options for pain relief and reassure us that birth is something you can look forward to rather than be afraid of.

Knowing how your body works, the hormones that are produced throughout the different stages of labour, the way the uterine contractions and your baby's pushing reflex work together, the ability of your cervix and pelvis to open, the affects that different relaxation techniques, the right environment and a support person can have on reducing pain and speeding up labour - knowledge and positive information can have a profound affect on the way you approach childbirth, letting go of any fear or anxiety can have remarkabe effects on reducing pain and allow you to trust your bodies ability to birth freely.

Of course if we aren’t told about these wonderful aspects of birth it’s only natural to approach it with fear and apprehension, relying on help from external sources rather than turning within and having a true and honest belief in yourself. Being educated and confident means you can be physically, mentally and emotionally prepared to approach your labour feeling strong and empowered to birth your baby the way you want to.

"Giving birth in ecstasy: This is our birthright and our body’s intent. Mother Nature, in her wisdom, prescribes birthing hormones that take us outside (ec) our usual state (stasis), so that we can be transformed on every level as we enter motherhood.

This exquisite hormonal orchestration unfolds optimally when birth is undisturbed, enhancing safety for both mother and baby. Science is also increasingly discovering what we realise as mothers - that our way of birth affects us life-long, both mother and baby, and that an ecstatic birth -- a birth that takes us beyond our self -- is the gift of a life-time." - Dr Sarah J Buckley from 'Ecstatic Birth - Natures Hormonal Blueprint for Labour'

Some important steps can be taken early on in your pregnancy to ensure you travel forward with focus and intent

1. Think about how you would like your baby to enter the world and write the important points in you Birth Plan. It's never too early to start writing your birth plan because it's not set in stone, things can be changed or added along the way as you learn more. Include your support person in the creation of your birth plan so they are better equipped to help you along your jouney

2. Find yourself a care provider with whom you have good rapport from the beginning. Many family GPs provide top quality obstetric care, where you are able to visit them throughout your pregnancy (prividing consistency) along with the midwives at the hospital you will deliver at (if this is your place of birth). This is known as Shared Care. It is important to feel as though you can ask questions about all aspects of your pregnancy and labour without judgement or bias. Take your Birth Plan with you and see if this person is positive about your choices and willing to help you along the way. If you are not happy or comfortable don't be afraid to change care providers, you are not obliged to continue to see someone if it doesn't feel right

3. Prepare yourself mentally & emotionally; Practices like Hypnobirthing & meditation can help to improve your emotional endurance during your labour by giving you important tools to help you stay strong, calm and relaxed throughout. Knowing what's happening during the different stages of pregnancy, labour & birth will help you understand what your body is doing to bring your baby into the world. This in itself is powerful motivation to keep going when things seem difficult

4. Prepare yourself physically; physical strength and endurance is important for labour & childbirth, given that it's been compared to running a marathon! Yoga, water aerobics & many other pregnancy specific classes will assist by giving you exercises to help with your physical stamina during labour. Maintain a healthy level of exercise by walking, swimming etc. as well

5. Because everyone is an expert, you'll hear lots of opinions and words of wisdom; don't listen to them unless they are supportive of your goals and ideals, especially people who tell you to go straight for the drugs, or just have a cesarean (because that's what they did) if that's not what you want to do. Back yourself 100%

There are many benefits of having a supportive person to travel the journey through pregnancy and childbirth with you. It's best for both of you if you let them know every step of the way how they can be most effective in their role (especially if it's someone who hasn't given birth), articulate what it is you need from them, include them in your education process and have them incolved in creating your birth plan, you are more likely to receive the support you need and feel confident that you have someone holding your hand along the way.   

Advocates for natural birth argue that intervening and medicalising birth is dehumanising the natural process. 

"By medicalising birth, i.e. separating a woman from her own environment and surrounding her with strange people using strange machines to do strange things to her in an effort to assist her, the woman's state of mind and body is so altered that her way of carrying through this intimate act must also be altered and the state of the baby born must equally be altered. The result it that it is no longer possible to know what births would have been like before these manipulations. Most health care providers no longer know what 'non-medicalised' birth is. The entire modern obstetric and neonatological literature is essentially based on observations of 'medicalised' birth." - World Health Organization

Last Word

We're bombarded with positive images of celebrities & beautiful pregnant women sporting bikinis & lapping up the sunshine, but this can be a far cry from our own reality. You may not enjoy being pregnant, you may not be excited about giving birth, that's ok of course, pregnancy can be difficult and downright uncomfortable and giving birth is painful & I personally don't know anyone who has ever said otherwise (I have read birth stories of people who have found childbirth to be a pleasurable experience) but, please don't listen to the horror stories (why people insist on sharing them I will never know) because for every bad story there are thousands of good, we just never hear them because they are generally not very remarkable or have no shock value. 

Because it's not right there in front of us you often have to seek out the positive information yourselves to help you be in a positive place as you approach your labour. Never underestimate yourself on a physical, mental, emotional or spiritual level. Your body is designed to to give birth!

Enjoy your journey and your new baby.  

Useful links:

Maternity Coalition

Midwives in Private Practice

A Labour of Love - Gabrielle Targett

Dr Sarah J Buckley

Joyous Birth

Birthing From Within

The Medical Journal of Australia - With 20% of all births in Australia being by caesarean section, we have one of the highest rates among First World countries - 20%-50% of women overall were not completely satisfied either with the decision, their input into it, or the amount of information provided to them. Turnbull and colleagues concluded that giving women more information might contribute to a drop in Cesarean Section rates.