Birth
| Giving birth is one of the most powerful experiences a woman’s life. However, the anticipation of labor often fills women with apprehension, fear and dread as they face the unknown. Here you’ll find information on labor and birth to help you prepare for the day you’ll welcome your new little one into this world. Birth editor: Shannan Powell
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When I was having my first child, I was completely unprepared for what was about to take place "down there". I have since had 4 deliveries. A singleton, a set of twins and lastly a singleton. I am what the OB/GYN community calls "a pro". Not of course in the Michelle Duggar sense, but needless to say I know what I'm doing by now. So after our recent delivery of our fourth and final child, I realized something. There was a ton of mom's in labor and delivery with me that were terrified, having panic attacks and uncooperative with the nurses, causing long deliveries and unnecessary C-sections, because patience was wearing thin on all parties.
Among the many questions that a mother and her partner may ask themselves in preparation for the birth of their child, one question that parents have asked with increasing frequency in recent decades is, "Should we hire a doula?"
While labor is never a walk in the park, some women have an even more uncomfortable experience than others do. Back labor consists of intense and steady pain the in the lower back and can make labor even more painful. While most women won’t know beforehand that they will experience back labor, knowing what can be done to help relieve the discomfort may help, if they have this issue.
Many women dread labor and delivery. The pain, the stress and the uncertainty can be very frightening and worrisome. What some of these women do not realize is just how important labor is to the development and health of their babies. Though labor can be intensely painful for mom, part of this process is what helps babies’ bodies prepare for life outside the womb.
For most women, birthing is the first authentic experience they have getting in touch with themselves, their spirit and their inner strength. Although it is possible to labor with little or no pain, for most women the prospect is a terrifying unknown quantity, shrouded in secrecy and myths. Pain levels, for most women, seem to be influenced by the levels of fear and apprehension about the event, previous experience, the amount of mobility during labour, the sense of security and privacy they feel during birthing, the support given and accepted and cultural or religious ideas regarding childbirth. The relationship between each of these can cause an overwhelming amount of physical, emotional and spiritual pain.
Whether you recognize it or not, Christian faith and the bible underpins Western culture. It has affected our codes of justice, work ethic, sense of charity and the beliefs and misunderstandings surrounding sex, relationships and childbirth. Fear, pain and guilt have tended to be defining characteristics; and this is not reserved only for the religious. In now way am I diminishing the message of love, acceptance and charity the Bible – and Christianity also supports. However, I’d like to focus on the Christian belief that according to the Bible, God punishes women with physical agony in childbirth for Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden, and how this belief is closely intertwined with current medical practice and our society’s acceptance of painful child birth.
In recent years, there has been a dramatic rise in the number of labor inductions at most hospitals across the United States. In some of these cases, an induction is medically necessary for the health of mom or baby, but in many cases, induction is more for the sake of convenience. Before agreeing to an induction, be sure that you understand the reasoning behind the intervention and make yourself aware of the risks and benefits associated with the procedure.
Many women who give birth in a hospital setting have epidurals administered for pain relief during labor. Some studies show that up to 60% of women at some hospitals receive an epidural during their labor and delivery. While in some cases, these drug interventions are medically necessary, one must wonder if women are being educated on the potential risks of an epidural. Any woman considering using the epidural for pain relief during labor should do some serious research before making their decision.
We've all seen movies and television shows where an extremely pregnant mother's water breaks and moments later, she's delivering her baby in the back seat of a cab. While there is an off-chance of delivering shortly after your water breaks, chances are you have a long road ahead of you. Even though the spontaneous rupture of membranes can be a little unnerving, there is no reason to panic, especially if you know what to do.
Available only in limited screening dates around the world and through the websites as a DVD you can own, this documentary follows the intimate birthing journey of eleven women. Each is shown laboring undisturbed in a free, sensuous, joyous moment in a variety of environments and with a mixture of outcomes in the birth process; from homebirth to cesarean without demonizing one or the other. The film begs the question – “What would happen if women were taught to enjoy birth rather than endure it?”
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