Looking_for

We went on visiting hospitals, clinics and midwives . And asking around for doctors who shared our view on birth. As I later found out it is not well viewed in the medical community to consider the “ecological” or “ancient natural methods”, so even if certain doctors would understand this they would not be quick to endorse it. Also hospitals have certain rent ability quottas- unofficially of course.

After a lot of research and asking around we ended up with the Sage-femme we spoke to at first... and had a very enlighting appointment at her maison de naissance. We talked extensively and she did give a lot of credit for the medical skills doctors in the region have but she also said that the problem was that for them giving birth was a problem to fix, an illness and for us and nature it was a physiological and natural process.

She said that she didn’t like taking women with previous cesareans. At this point I was beginning to think that I had had an unneeded cesarean and it was also preventing me from finding natural ways to birth because of the “risk” factor. This said, she still heard our story and since we were so motivated she suggested we had our baby at a salle de naissance"Aquila", which is a room in the hospital (hopital du Chablais) that is independently managed by midwives. This gave us the reassurance of the hospital while it also implied an unmedicated and non-invasive birth unless otherwise needed. The only disadvantage was that we had to drive 45 min (no traffic). We also needed to find a doctor who would do a last check up to make sure everything was fine.

By this point my Gynecologist has “confessed” she was going for a cesarean at 38 weeks. Needless to say we changed doctors and ended up going with the only doctor who actively supports and enjoys natural births in the region. We loved going with him because he took his time to explain and be absolutely supportive and clear on his explanations. What a difference it makes speaking to someone who actually shares your views...

People said I could still end up with a cesarean but now I was absolutely sure that we would go all the way before deciding on it and we would use all the resources nature has given us before we started invading.

Annie, my second baby was better than a dream birth. It helped me understand things at so many levels and to get over the cesarean.

After all the research I we did I have come to the conclusion that each medical intervention (on no risk labor) leads to or induces another. For instance, induction with oxitocin often leads to the need for painkillers and or cesareans because it is usually done to speed things up meaning the body in many cases is not ripe and If artificially accelerated the process becomes increasingly dangerous and exhausting for both mother and baby. Contractions are not always effective and the cervix can be damaged. The risk of uterine tearing is also increased also contractions are continuous so it doesn’t give rest periods in between , which raises the pain. If the body is not ready, it just isn’t. Especially before term. Though sometimes it is really a medical need. It is too widely used.

Epidural can be a blessing in long labors to aid the mother to rest for a while but it also removes sensation and more often than not, slows down labor. Thus opening the “need” for oxitocin. It also prevents the mother from moving around so the lying down position decreases the oxygen supply for the baby and doesn’t help the baby descend. Increasing the use of forceps, and vacuums. I could go on and on...