Choosing Natural Childbirth
Women choose natural childbirth for many reasons. Both the advantages and disadvantages of natural childbirth are outlined below to help you decide if natural childbirth is the best choice for you.
Advantages
- Natural childbirth techniques are not invasive and are unmedicated. There is little potential for harm or side effects.
- Empowerment. Many women feel a strong sense of empowerment after giving birth naturally.
- You are in control. There is no loss of sensation or alertness, since you are unmedicated. You will be awake and alert, so you can move around during labor, and select the position you would like to be in during delivery.
- Partnership. It will build the bond between you and your partner as you work together to get through the pain.
- Mobility. You will not be hooked up to a monitor or IV, so you can get up and walk around, shower, and use the restroom.
- Reduction in need for vacuum extraction or forceps delivery, bladder catherization or use of Pitocin.
- Relaxation techniques can be useful in other life events. Breathing, visualization, and self-hypnosis can be practiced and used again later, for example, in the early days of breast-feeding, coping with postpartum discomfort, or stress.
Disadvantages
- These techniques do not fully eliminate pain. If you do not deal well with pain, or if you have a complicated delivery, an epidural might be the answer for you.
- Remember, no matter what you decide, the best choice is the childbirth method both you and partner feel most comfortable with!