Natural v's Normal

[MrsDribbleDrawers]

Curious...

Do you believe there is a difference?

To me, I'm looking to have a normal birth, as oppossed to a medicalised birth, however that may come around... and I'm more than likely to use gas and/or pethidine if the first labour is anything to go by, so does that make my labour "not" natural?

Looking forward to hearing your views.

Cate

[melfunction]

You are a very brave girl.

[Mamaduke]

I don't see the fascination in seperating womens' births into categories...
natural, vaginal, normal, medicalised...
What's the point?
Every birth to me is 'natural', giving birth is 'normal' - why draw a line in the sand and say okay this side is this and that side is that?
If there was a dire need to categorise my categories would be...vaginal and ceasarean...one or the other...with all of them falling into the larger category of 'natural' & 'normal'!

[WeThree]

To me, natural birth is normal birth, but everyone has differing views on what a natural birth is. IMO a 'normal' birth is a vaginal labour that is fairly straight forward and without to much intervention like forceps, epidural etc, but often includes the use of gas and sometimes pethidine. For most people a completely 'natural' birth would be as absolutely little intervention as possible, including internals etc and no artificial methods of pain relief, quiet, calm environment, preferably at home, that kind of thing, but then other people just see vaginal birth as 'natural', which it is in the sense that it is the way nature intended for it to happen :)

[AimeeB]

:wave: Hi my 3 children have all been born in the birthing unit of our hospital but I feel that i had both and am not really sure what the diff is.I had a midwife and no intervention,birthed how I wanted and did as I pleased.I did try gas but it made me vomit so didn't touch it again.I guess normal birth means letting the body do it's thing and your child being born vaginally with no intervention and perhaps natural means no pain meds etc,not sure but I am pg with #4 and on all my records it states that the other 3 were normal vaginal deliveries,but you can also have a normal cesarean I guess.Birth is natural in itself as it's a part of life.

[shed]

Some might say that a medicalised birth is a normal birth these days.

Natural means vaginal to some people who don't like to say the word vaginal.

Natural means no drugs such as epidural or pethidine to others.

Natural means no gas to others.

Natural means wearing no artificial fibres to others.




Okay, I made that last one up :D

[Sarie]

I think it's totally up to you. If you need to use gas it doesn't make you weak or a bad person. I had a birth plan all mapped out for DS1 every thing I wanted or didn't want down in writing, but when the time actually came nothing went to plan.
Different people cope with things differently and the birthing experience for you is no less 'normal' for you if you need to use gas.
Best of luck.

[WeloveHarriet]

I can't see why people insist on categorising births. It is fine well and good to have an idea in mind about what you would like but at the end of the day your body will determine what you can handle and also whether medical intervention is required. Remember there are no medals handed out for childbirth - the only thing that matters is a safe and healthy Mummy and Baby.

[Sarie]

I can't see why people insist on categorising births. It is fine well and good to have an idea in mind about what you would like but at the end of the day your body will determine what you can handle and also whether medical intervention is required. Remember there are no medals handed out for childbirth - the only thing that matters is a safe and healthy Mummy and Baby.

I completely agree I hate that everyone feels the need for a label and if you don't fit into a certain catagory than you don't/can't fit in. It reminds me of high school.

[chellegoth]

I agree with Marmaduke. If the baby comes out, to me that is a normal birth.

[DramaQueen]

I can't see why people insist on categorising births. It is fine well and good to have an idea in mind about what you would like but at the end of the day your body will determine what you can handle and also whether medical intervention is required. Remember there are no medals handed out for childbirth - the only thing that matters is a safe and healthy Mummy and Baby.

:smiliedance: :smiliedance: :smiliedance: :smiliedance:

Well said!!!!

[becca74]

I'm gonna stick a spanner in the works....

my most normal and natural birth was my most recent one.

I think it is a personal thing tho...and since it is so personal, I did feel my personal interpretation could be voiced on this lovely public forum ;)

When I compare all the births I've experienced, my most recent was the least dramatic.....i mean, all that happened was I pushed a baby out of my vagina. thats it. (oh, there was some beautiful birth song, as my midwife defines the roars I used to bring my baby out).

all my other births have involved some kind of crazy drama, as me as the pitiful patient at the mercy of those around me in white coats, being offered things to make me forget what I was doing, and then eventually being put in the position where I felt as though my body was incapable of achieving what it is designed to do, so these white coated 'saints' gave me a hand, either by standing at my nether regions fiddling, poking, feeling, prodding, sticking, ready to whisk away the child that was causing so much discomfort to me and probably moreso those around me (who were uncomfortable with my birth sounds or whatever), or stand by with an epi and a knife, so that they could do the baby removal from my body, for me. in retrospect, when comparing all my births, and how natural and normal DS4's birth was, the births of my first 3 sons seem quite abnormal, and unnecessarily dramatised, iykwim.

I just think of all the taxpayers money I have wasted, both in the UK and Australia, by going to hospital to have my babies removed, when I could have saved the taxpayer more than several thousands by just staying at home and pushing my babies out of my vagina the way I am naturally designed to do it.

but that is how I feel from my personal experience, and I dont argue with the fact that others feel differently to that, as they have never experienced what I have. (rebecca ducks now as the stones start flying :laughing: )

[SassyMummy]

I think normal can be 1 of 2 things:

1. The most "regular" type of birth taking place within a certain area. In some places, the "normal" way to have a baby might be having a c-sec because that's what the majority of women are doing. In other places, labouring at home, with your close relatives nearby, might be the "normal" thing to do. I think normal in that, is all about what the majority are doing.

2. "Normal" is in your own state of mind. Normal for some women might be labouring at home, before heading to a hospital. It might be giving birth in water. It might be having a c-sec under general. I think that "normal" could just be what each individual sees as the "normal" thing to do. For me, normal is VBing. It's normal because that's what I see as normal.

I want a VBAC next time, and I don't think that's normal. I don't have a problem with me wanting one (as in, I don't think it's weird or anything), but I don't think it's "normal" because it's not something that is widely accepted and encouraged in this country. I also don't feel it's "normal" because there will be limitations placed on me, and because I have already had a c-sec, and therefore already had an un-natural birth.

At the same time though, I think it IS natural for me to want VBAC because a VB, for me, IS normal and natural. It's more normal for ME to have a VBAC because I feel that nature had a reason for wanting women to VB... and it's not something I'm willing to let my body and mind miss out on.

I know that kinda doesn't make sense, but it somehow does to me.

As for natural, I generally think that natural birth has a bit of grey area... but I do think VBing in natural because it's how babies were designed to be born. That doesn't mean that c-secs and intervention don't save lives, but I still don't think they're natural. It's natural for mothers and babies to die in childbirth... and thanks to c-secs and other interventions, it doesn't happen all that much, and I think that's brilliant... but IMO, it's still not natural.

Generally, I think the MOST natural birth would be having a homebirth, with whomever you wanted by your side, doing what YOU want to give birth, using no drugs or any un-natural form of pain-relief.

But, like I said, there'd be a lot of grey area.

I think that, if I acheive VBAC

[spiritedfamily]

I think if we try to unclassify terms then we are trying to make everyone equal.. I think we already are equal and that despite the type of birth you had, you are still a parent at the end of the process.

But I do believe that natural is natural. The way I see it is...you take all your clothes and make-up off...your in a natural state ...as you were birthed.

Take away all the medical intervention around birth...and yes take all your clothes off find a place where you feel most yourself and at home and allow yourself to feel the contractions and move with them....your body will allow this baby to come out of your vagina...as you will know when to move a certain way...rocking pelvis...which all helps the baby come down and out...aided by natural hormones...which do exist and then do kick in.
This is Natural...this is how your body was intended to birth

Normal is perspective...ones view on what they perceive to be normal.

Natural was once commonly accepted as normal but its more and more becoming radical.

[Sholmes]

Hi Cate

I don't think it matters whether it's natural or assisted. As long as bub is breathing that's what's important. Some people might have their heart set on a natural, unassisted birth. Reality has it's way of stepping in and wiping out the first plan.

I'm sure there are some mums who were adamantly planning on having a natural birth, yet stuff happens beyond her control and drugs, forceps etc are required. Not being able to have a baby unassisted is not a failure at all. The biggest achievement is every cell working and growing together to maturity and then the baby being born any which way. That's the biggest feat.

I delivered my baby naturally, but it turns out I had a quickish labour. I had already decided if the pain was too much I would have an epidural, but I didn't need it in the end. I think it is safer to be open to whatever will deliver baby safely than to get caught up on what's natural etc.

[spiritedfamily]

I think that its fantastic to want to try to birth naturally...education and a well mapped out birth plan are a great start to trying to achieve a positive birth outcome....and from what I hear, hiring a doula can be well worth your money...

I prefer to hire a midwife and stay at home

This book has been reccommended here many times but here is a link to Sarah Buckley's website...her book is well worth a read
http://www.sarahjbuckley.com/

[Julie Doula]

The categories don't matter. What matters is that you get the best possible treatment and support during this significant time in your life. The best environment, the best information, the best informed choices - not pressured-into-it 'choices' or lack-of-options 'choices', the best support - kind, nurturing, non-judgemental - excellent support and being well-informed might be enough that artificial "help" is not necessary or is at least kept to a minimum. Sometimes you end up with what is usual or routine simply because a better option (like a warm deep pool or a massage or continuous emotional support) was either not on offer or you didn't know about it to know that you could campaign for it.
It's about being informed, empowered and having the right to assert your choices, and come out of it feeling good about it, knowing you did the very best you could. No mother need feel anything other than outstandingly, totally proud of herself! But at every birth you learn something more, and you think, 'next time I'm going to make sure that this, this and this (mentally tick list) are in place for me - to make it nicer, better, easier for me."
Sorry, hope this isn't too rambly - I just want to encourage everyone to go for the best birth experience and best treatment they can. Privacy, safety, respect, dignity, support, informed choice, full say in all decisions, continous emotional and physical support & nurture throughout the labour - these should be every woman's birth right.

[demeter]

Great Post Julie Doula!
Its for all those reasosn I want to homebirth :)