Happy Labor Day!
Today, Labor Day takes on a new meaning for me... I can't think of a day more fitting on which to remember this day two weeks ago when I was literally in labor! It is still surreal to think back on the details of that day- the most intense, yet rewarding day of my life.
Really, though, our story of labor started nine months ago, when JJ and I made the decision that we wanted to prepare for a natural labor. We realize each birth experience is different for each person, and there is no one right way to deliver a baby into the world. I've had many friends who swear by an epidural, c-section, or induction of labor; I respect each of these as a personal decision (and a decision which was sometimes out of their control). Things happen during the labor process that are unpredictable; however, we decided to plan for the best case scenario and realize that ultimately the process would be in God's hands, not ours.
Many people have asked me "Why natural labor when we have modern medicine to assist and make it more comfortable?!" "Are you crazy?!" "It doesn't make you any better of a mother; you won't get a medal or anything..." I've gotten all kinds of strange looks, from friends and strangers alike, when this topic has come up. Ironically, though, the ONLY people who advised me against taking a completely natural approach, were women who had NOT done it themselves! Every single women I know who's elected to forgo medical interventions during labor has encouraged me to take the natural approach, each claiming they wouldn't do it any other way and that it was the most amazing experience of their lives (including women who have delivered both naturally and with medical interventions).
Natural labor is an athletic event; therefore, during the nine months leading up to it, we trained as if we were training for a race. This helped me in my decisions regarding nutrition, exercise, etc. as I focused on labor as the "finish line." Having had the experience of training for and completing a marathon was incredibly helpful as an analogy in my mind for what I would need to endure, both physically and mentally.
We enrolled in The Bradley Method Class, a 12 week course in which we met with our instructor and 3 other couples who were dedicated to learning about ways to prepare for labor and deliver naturally, using a husband-coached method. We learned a lot in those 12 weeks about the benefits of avoiding the effects of medications during labor, including the lower rate of surgical interventions, quicker postpartum recovery time, and the alertness of the baby at birth (which aids in breastfeeding and bonding), just to name a few. We learned the importance of the father's role in coaching through the labor process and the fulfillment that he receives by playing an active part in this process. Additionally, we found an incredible nurse midwife who would be a huge advocate for our birth preferences and would play a key role in protecting the natural process of labor. These two components, the Bradley Method class and our midwife, turned out to be essential for us to have a successful natural birth experience.
I can honestly say that Monday, August 18th was the most intense day of my life and that nothing could have possibly prepared me for the range of emotions that I would experience on that day. But I can also say it was the most beautiful, incredible experience that I would do over again in a heartbeat.
5 things I will cherish most about this experience:
1. My husband-coach. I will never look at my husband the same way again. He was more than just a supportive husband, offering encouragement during labor; he was literally my rock, coaching me through the entire process, never leaving my side. For me, this was the single most defining experience of our marriage, and I didn't realize it would be possible to fall even more in love with him! The medical staff asked him if he was a personal trainer because he was the best labor coach they'd ever seen.
2. Freedom. As an athlete, the thought of working through pain with the freedom to move around was incredibly appealing to me. The thought of having decreased sensation in my lower body due to an epidural, and being confined to a bed, however, was not at all. Because I was unmedicated, I was able to move freely through contractions, labor in the bathtub, walk the halls, etc. unattached to continuous monitors.
3. Empowerment. It crossed my mind several times throughout the experience that natural labor is no heroic feat, not deserving of a medal or reward (as some have sarcastically suggested). It's simply what I was made for, the way God designed me, a miracle of the human body. Along with my mother, grandmother, and all the women in my family before me, I also labored in a manner that women around the world - from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe - were delivering their babies at that exact moment.
4. Alertness. I can say that I fully experienced every physical and emotional aspect of labor, fully aware and unmedicated. The moment that Charlotte entered this world and was handed directly to me, we made eye contact - a moment I will never forget! She was equally as alert and aware of her surroundings from the second she was born. Everyone in the room was impressed at how quickly she connected with me and began nursing immediately. "That right there is an unmedicated baby!" my midwife said.
5. Recovery. I was astonished at how "normal" I felt, only hours after giving birth. I literally was walking around within an hour of Charlotte's birth, and I simply took an ibuprofen before I went to sleep. My nurse kept asking me the following day if I needed any pain medications, and I was surprised to find that I truly did not. I am no hero, no stronger than anyone else; this is simply the amazing thing about the body's recovery following a natural birth.
Naturally,
L
Today, Labor Day takes on a new meaning for me... I can't think of a day more fitting on which to remember this day two weeks ago when I was literally in labor! It is still surreal to think back on the details of that day- the most intense, yet rewarding day of my life.
Really, though, our story of labor started nine months ago, when JJ and I made the decision that we wanted to prepare for a natural labor. We realize each birth experience is different for each person, and there is no one right way to deliver a baby into the world. I've had many friends who swear by an epidural, c-section, or induction of labor; I respect each of these as a personal decision (and a decision which was sometimes out of their control). Things happen during the labor process that are unpredictable; however, we decided to plan for the best case scenario and realize that ultimately the process would be in God's hands, not ours.
Many people have asked me "Why natural labor when we have modern medicine to assist and make it more comfortable?!" "Are you crazy?!" "It doesn't make you any better of a mother; you won't get a medal or anything..." I've gotten all kinds of strange looks, from friends and strangers alike, when this topic has come up. Ironically, though, the ONLY people who advised me against taking a completely natural approach, were women who had NOT done it themselves! Every single women I know who's elected to forgo medical interventions during labor has encouraged me to take the natural approach, each claiming they wouldn't do it any other way and that it was the most amazing experience of their lives (including women who have delivered both naturally and with medical interventions).
Natural labor is an athletic event; therefore, during the nine months leading up to it, we trained as if we were training for a race. This helped me in my decisions regarding nutrition, exercise, etc. as I focused on labor as the "finish line." Having had the experience of training for and completing a marathon was incredibly helpful as an analogy in my mind for what I would need to endure, both physically and mentally.
We enrolled in The Bradley Method Class, a 12 week course in which we met with our instructor and 3 other couples who were dedicated to learning about ways to prepare for labor and deliver naturally, using a husband-coached method. We learned a lot in those 12 weeks about the benefits of avoiding the effects of medications during labor, including the lower rate of surgical interventions, quicker postpartum recovery time, and the alertness of the baby at birth (which aids in breastfeeding and bonding), just to name a few. We learned the importance of the father's role in coaching through the labor process and the fulfillment that he receives by playing an active part in this process. Additionally, we found an incredible nurse midwife who would be a huge advocate for our birth preferences and would play a key role in protecting the natural process of labor. These two components, the Bradley Method class and our midwife, turned out to be essential for us to have a successful natural birth experience.
I can honestly say that Monday, August 18th was the most intense day of my life and that nothing could have possibly prepared me for the range of emotions that I would experience on that day. But I can also say it was the most beautiful, incredible experience that I would do over again in a heartbeat.
5 things I will cherish most about this experience:
1. My husband-coach. I will never look at my husband the same way again. He was more than just a supportive husband, offering encouragement during labor; he was literally my rock, coaching me through the entire process, never leaving my side. For me, this was the single most defining experience of our marriage, and I didn't realize it would be possible to fall even more in love with him! The medical staff asked him if he was a personal trainer because he was the best labor coach they'd ever seen.
2. Freedom. As an athlete, the thought of working through pain with the freedom to move around was incredibly appealing to me. The thought of having decreased sensation in my lower body due to an epidural, and being confined to a bed, however, was not at all. Because I was unmedicated, I was able to move freely through contractions, labor in the bathtub, walk the halls, etc. unattached to continuous monitors.
3. Empowerment. It crossed my mind several times throughout the experience that natural labor is no heroic feat, not deserving of a medal or reward (as some have sarcastically suggested). It's simply what I was made for, the way God designed me, a miracle of the human body. Along with my mother, grandmother, and all the women in my family before me, I also labored in a manner that women around the world - from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe - were delivering their babies at that exact moment.
4. Alertness. I can say that I fully experienced every physical and emotional aspect of labor, fully aware and unmedicated. The moment that Charlotte entered this world and was handed directly to me, we made eye contact - a moment I will never forget! She was equally as alert and aware of her surroundings from the second she was born. Everyone in the room was impressed at how quickly she connected with me and began nursing immediately. "That right there is an unmedicated baby!" my midwife said.
5. Recovery. I was astonished at how "normal" I felt, only hours after giving birth. I literally was walking around within an hour of Charlotte's birth, and I simply took an ibuprofen before I went to sleep. My nurse kept asking me the following day if I needed any pain medications, and I was surprised to find that I truly did not. I am no hero, no stronger than anyone else; this is simply the amazing thing about the body's recovery following a natural birth.
Every birth story is unique and beautiful in it's own way. I share my experience simply to encourage anyone else who is considering a natural approach, in the same way that I was encouraged! I am so thankful for our experience, and I stand amazed and humbled by a God who designed this miracle of life!
Naturally,
L
Comments
Post a Comment