WHY is natural labor looked down on?

This relates to my appnt. Today.

At one point the Dr. Said " once you get the Epi you will be fine."

I said, "I dont plan on having an Epi, and she looked at me like I had 4 heards and said, its no big deal, I reccomend you do. " ....I mentioned how I have very low Blood pressure and the risks are high it will drop and so will the babies and I dont want to take that risk....and Was met with " well then a C-section is always an option"....???????????????? WHY??? Why cant I just NOT GET the Epi??

I explained my fears, my wants etc. and was told that I should get over my fears of the numbness of an Epi, that means its doing its job, and that theres no reason to be in pain.

I felt like I was getting no where ....and It was so disheartening...

Then I asked about my birth wishes to NOT be hooked to a monitor as soon I get into L & D as if its a long labor, my vision is not to spend it on my back in pain ..I wanted to be able to labor the way I wanted to ( move around, shower, etc)...I was told that doesnt "Really happen"...once your there, unless your in distress, they want you hooked up...

So I said basically I need to then stay at home till Im blue and was told " if you want it that way , then yes".

I was almost in tears at just being "dismissed".

Why do Dr's, nurses etc make it so its easy FOR THEM??

This is MY birth?

NOW..if I go in there and act a certain way and want my birth to be mine, I KNOW Im gonna get an attitude from the nurses and such.

I wish I could give birth at home

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

I am all for drugs. I am such a wimp.

BUT I do not understand why they won't respect your wishes. Stand your ground and ask them to respect what you want. I would not buldge on the epi. Just tell them that IF you want it you will request it.

In term of monitors, I can understand where they are coming from. They are "responsible" for you and your baby. They want to be able to monitor you. Maybe you can see it as not being "too" invasive". I am sure it's because of liability. If they missed something they could be held responsible and be sued.

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I'm sorry they didn't respect your wishes. I am having a scheduled c-section and I have wished many times that I could do it naturally. I usually get a shocked reaction from BTDT mom's who say "no you don't". I wish you all the very best and hope that you are able to! I give you credit!

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

I dont mind being on the monitors for a certain period of time, but ya know if your pain is bad and you want to move and cant...its furstrating to be told, well get an Epi, you'll feel better ya know?

And for all I know, I will be BEGGING for an epi..I just dont want it forced on me.

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I haven't experienced much regarding the views of medical professionals and natural labor. I have to have a C-section. I did a lot of independent research on my condition and whether it is really necessary and I am positive that I have no choice. That being said, most lay people seem to be very much in favor of natural labor and have implied that I am wimping out.

Just like in your case, this is my body and I don't really want to be questioned about it.

Is a midwife an option for you?

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

I'm sorry that she didn't respond better to this. I think it is fully your choice and hope that when the time comes no one will be pushing the epi on you. I actually watched a Baby Story today and the woman did not want an epi and you could tell that her doctor wanted her to have one. He ended up going back in there and she ended up with one - but you could tell that he was slightly annoyed by it.

I don't know why they would care - it's your body not theirs.

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Don't EVEN get me started!!!

I am SO terribly sorry for your experience you had with the doctor.

I'm right there with you and wanting a natural-unmedicated birth should NOT EVER be looked down upon.

Woman have been doing it for years and years and years and just because technolgy has become so advance, having a drug induced labor has become "the norm".

I for one stand by and with you and I REALLY hope that in the next few weeks you're able to convey to your doctor and labor nurses your wishes. It frustrates me that they made you feel this way.

I hope you have the birth that YOU WANT!

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

Without a doubt, I blame the litigious society that we live in. Doctors want/need to cover themselves, and monitors and prescribed pain management is the way they do it. A natural birth has many more "what if" scenarios and many doctors may be fearful of being sued if something goes wrong.

A distant cousin of mine had severe complications during delivery. She wanted to sue her doctor. The first thing every lawyer told her - she went against the doctor's advice when she opted to do certain things, certain ways (I don't really want to go into details here, I know many of us are scared enough) - and she has no case.

Everything nowadays is about people covering themselves! It really is a shame - even on these boards you can see massive differences between the ways things are done here and abroad.

Message edited 5/24/2007 7:27:25 PM.

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

Not PG but have given birth options some thought. Assuming I am able to deliver vaginally, I would like to believe that I will at least try to deliver naturally - I am hoping to take some sort of birthing class to assist this process.

I applaud any woman who can do it. I thought I had a high tolerance for pain, but based on a semi-recent and unpleasant GYN procedure, I realized that I don't.

If you can do it, go for it, you deserve the opportunity to at least try it your way.

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

Donna I know EXACTLY how you feel.

I gave my OB a copy of my birth plan - which specifies DO NOT OFFER ME DRUGS - I will request them if I need to.

I had him SIGN this and put a few copies in my file, so that no matter WHO is on call my wishes are CLEAR.

He doesn't nec. agree with me either, but he isn't fighting me about it. He did say to labor at home as long as possible, as this prevents a lot of the early invasive stuff.

So stay home as long as you can and hopefully this will all be moot...

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

You HAVE to be your own advocate.

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

my sister didnt get an epi when she gave birth and was fine.

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I can't believe they did that to you! My best friend delivered 3 children and has NEVER had an EPI... and she's preggo with number 4 right now who will come into this world the same way. She was on A Baby Story when she delivered her second child, and on film the doctor commented about her refusing the epidural despite the pain she was obviously in, but she stood her ground.

I hope you get to deliver your baby the way YOU want to! I think it's terrible that they offered you a C-section when it's not a medical necessity, but I guess this is the world we're living in today.

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

Posted by eroxgirl

I can't believe they did that to you! My best friend delivered 3 children and has NEVER had an EPI... and she's preggo with number 4 right now who will come into this world the same way. She was on A Baby Story when she delivered her second child, and on film the doctor commented about her refusing the epidural despite the pain she was obviously in, but she stood her ground.

I hope you get to deliver your baby the way YOU want to! I think it's terrible that they offered you a C-section when it's not a medical necessity, but I guess this is the world we're living in today.

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

I'm so sorry your Dr. is not respecting your wishes, yet, giving you a hard time! I'm so mad at all the Dr.'s right now- it seriously is all on their terms.

I'm in a slightly different boat than you, but totally agree that your birth should be the way YOU want it.

I say different boat as in, I know I need a c/s. I'm willing to schedule this early, but the Dr. said NO- not when I want. She said "I'm messing w/ nature". She said I can do it when she's on duty the week of July 3rd. Well, I didn't like that, so I told her well, if I can't schedule it when I/DH want to, I'm not going to. I want to go into labor, and b/c she's breech and is NOT going to move, I will be a labor/breech and will bump any of the other mommies. She said that was selfish of me. I'm sorry, but it's not my fault that I have a heart shaped uterus and the baby is breech! If I schedule it, aren't "I messing with nature". She will come out when she's good and ready! That's the best I can do.

I'm sure in the end, you'll have your way- whether you request drugs or not, will be your choice.

Edited to add- I think it's c/s these days that are frowned upon- I'm getting a lot of "why don't you want to try to move the baby"

Message edited 5/24/2007 8:13:38 PM.

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

Who is your Dr?

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

I have never been encouraged to have an epi...except in the case of my last birth and they said I would need it to deliver the 2nd twin...I never got around to the epi (I went too quick) and found that I didnt need it...

I additionally have found that if you are in the hospital you are hooked up to the equiptment...That's pretty much just the way it is here..unfortunitely we live in a state which allows people to be sue happy and its just the doctors and hospitals way of protecting themselves....

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

Ugh. Freaking doctors. Women have given birth without drugs for all of time. Hell, they've given birth in fields and at home. There's no reason in the world you should have an epi if you don't want one. Just stay adamant. They can't give you one if you don't want it.

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The critic in me thinks they just want you drugged so you arent a PITA.

BUt honestly its the nurses at the hospital that make all the difference.

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Posted by rose825

The critic in me thinks they just want you drugged so you arent a PITA.

BUt honestly its the nurses at the hospital that make all the difference.

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

Aww Donna, that sucks. In a way, I'm glad that I took the prenatal class offered at my hospital- that's where I found out that I won't have the option of walking around and changing position throughout my labor.

We were told if we wanted to go natural, then we should hold off on checking in as long as possible becasue once we're their and in active labor, then bedbound I will be, hooked up to monitors.....

The nurse who ran the class said they've had many couples who were not happy about this when they arrived at the hospital.....

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

Posted by prncss

Ugh. Freaking doctors. Women have given birth without drugs for all of time. Hell, they've given birth in fields and at home. There's no reason in the world you should have an epi if you don't want one. Just stay adamant. They can't give you one if you don't want it.

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I'm sorry you were treated this way.
DH is convinced the doctors do everything according to THEIR schedule & the whole birth revolves around them. When my SIL was induced, DH said "the doctor probably has a golf outing this weekend & doesn't want you to interfere with his weekend" I know it's a bit different than what you are saying but in the same sense it's as if the dr is taking away from the patients birth experience.

Re: WHY is natural labor looked down on?

Posted by nrthshgrl

Best advice I can give you - in the end it doesn't matter which way you give birth. While I'm proud of myself for doing it, I'm more proud of the mother I am than how I became one.