The Due Month
My beliefs regarding childbirth are very much shaped by the “natural” childbirth movement. The core belief is that childbirth is a normal process that our bodies are designed to participate in and it does not need to be over-medicalized or intervened with in most circumstances. (Yes, yes, yes, I’m aware of the other circumstances, and those are not issues I’m addressing right now. I know many people whose babies were saved because of appropriate medical intervention.) I do cringe a bit at the term “natural” childbirth because it feels somewhat exclusive and elitist, particularly if you’re a woman who hoped for a low-intervention vaginal delivery and could not have one, but as far as I know, that’s still the most commonly used term. A natural birth without medical intervention does describe what I have worked towards, made choices to encourage and hope to experience again.
Being informed and educated is definitely required to make this happen in our society. If a woman goes the current most common route of using an OB/GYN without a support team (eg, doula), without reading and regularly practicing breathing and relaxation techniques, and without fully buying into the belief that low-intervention is best for mama and baby, the chances are very high that she will have an epidural and sadly, way too high that she will also end up with a cesarean (latest US stats =32% births, WHO suggests any percentage over 15% highlights a systemic problem).
Given that my estimated due date was April 10th, the current topic at hand is when labor should commence. Lots of people are referring to me as post-due, which admittedly drives me crazy, so through this post I’m trying to simultaneously vent and educate. Due dates are simply the 40-week marker, whereas babies are considered full-term from 38 to 42 weeks. No one is technically post-due until after the 42nd week. It is at this point that nearly all providers will recommend medical induction. Many providers induce at 41-weeks, despite the fact that tests (ultrasounds and non-stress tests) can confirm whether or not this is truly necessary. I think it’s a CYA move.
Charlie came at week 42. We had the testing done at 41 and he looked tremendous: plenty of amniotic fluid, extremely active. I believe, given how long and challenging my labor and delivery were with all 9 pounds, 2 ounces of him, that induction would’ve led to a cesarean. My practitioner, doula and I also felt that an epidural would have, as well. Both of those situations would’ve robbed Charlie of the healthiest way for him to enter the world and stripped me of the most powerful spiritual experience of my life. I have never felt so centered or out of control. Both extremes taught me amazing aspects of prayer that I had never before experienced. They also taught me the importance of surrounding myself with support. (Isn’t this a perfect lesson to begin motherhood? We are not meant to do this alone.) I could not have made it through without having done a ton of reading about why low-intervention is best nor without a team of people surrounding me, providing physical, emotional and spiritual support, and a medical team who believed it was alright to allow me to keep going as long as everything was fine.
My next baby rant will probably be about breastfeeding! Oh, I can’t wait to have this guy in my arms… We’re ready when you are, sugar, and we’re willing to wait.
