What is a non-natural birth?

ldmw

This is my first pregnancy, and I'm trying to learn about labor. What is a natural birth? I know it means drug free, but what else does it mean? What drugs (besides an epidural) are you not taking? TIA for helping to educate me!

soulcupcake

If you're asking about drugs along, IV narcotics and epidural analgesia. However, that simply refers to "med-free," which may be different from "natural birth" depending on who you ask. Some view natural birth as a birth that is free from ALL artificiality, and that means interventions. Be it AROM, IV fluids, uterine stimulants (pharmaceutical or herbal/natural), mechanical induction methods (foley catheter), vaginal exams, pain medication, coached pushing and/or pushing in the lithotomy unless that is the position mom desires.

Basically, interventions that disturb the normal, physiological process of labor in a low risk woman. A mom can have a med-free birth, but had a lot of other interventions. Really, it can be defined in different ways. It just depends on the individual.

ldmw

Thank you for clarifying med-free vs. natural. I need to learn a lot, as a lot of what you mentioned is foreign language to me. Do you have any good sources you recommend?

Stephij1

I think for most people, they define natural birth as completely drug-free. No pain meds, no pitocin, just your body doing its job. I'm sure there are different definitions depending on an individual's goals. For me personally, I'm ok with pitocin to help deliver the placenta because I'm prone to hemmoraging, but I don't want anything before that. I'd still call that a natural birth.

sschwege

ldmw said:

Thank you for clarifying med-free vs. natural. I need to learn a lot, as a lot of what you mentioned is foreign language to me. Do you have any good sources you recommend?

A couple of books I really like are, "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth" this book breaks down many of the common interventions and sites the pros and cons.  Another good one is "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth", the first half of the book are some of the most beautiful birth stories I have ever read and the second half has more practical information.

I like the documentary "The Business of Being Born" as a starting place, though with any documentary it is biased and the information at times can be misleading, but if you can keep that in mind I think it's worth watching. 

As to your original question the term 'natural birth' has no real definition and can mean a lot of different things.  Some people use it to describe any birth that is vaginal, while others would say it means a birth with no interventions and everywhere in between.  More specific terminology would be:
med-free: no pain meds or any other types of medication used while in labor and for delivery

pain med-free: would be a birth where a woman was given some form of medication, such as Pit, but did not have any pain meds while in labor

intervention free: would be a birth where a woman had no interventions, such as having your bag broken, an IV, etc

These terms and descriptions are just the way I define them, others may have variations. 

Welcome to the board!

Mama-Bear

Everyone defines it differently.  I hope to have as med-free of a birth as possible (no epidural, no narcotics, no pit, etc).  Most on this board are at least looking to avoid an epidural and narcotics.  Honestly, don't worry about a label, decide what you're comfortable with and let that be the definition of your birth.

margaritachikita

I agree with PP on watching business of being born (free on netflix), and the two books that were mentioned.

JCWhitey

Technically "Natural Birth" is a medical term that first appeared in medical journals in the 1930s to define a labor without pain medications, where the mother remains conscious through the labor, and where the mother takes a birthing class to learn natural ways to cope with labor pains.  This was coming out of the "twilight sleep" years where mothers were basically knocked unconscious to deliver their babies.  That's the medical definition and where the term comes from.  These days "med-free", "intervention-free", and "vaginal birth" or more commonly used to describe what many consider a natural birth. 

Generally I think most moms on here would agree that a natural birth today means no epidural/IV narcotics and a vaginal birth.  Therefor most also want to avoid induction medications like Pitocin because they can interfere with the body's natural way of going through labor and create contractions that are much more powerful and painful than they would be otherwise.  

MsMacual

@emmyg65- I use the same terms over "natural".  I had a drug free birth with my first, but it wasn't exactly low intervention, which was fine, but not exactly what I would have thought of as a "natural" birth prior to giving birth. 

There were some wonderful definitions given and I completely agree that you will need to define for yourself what it all means.  Educating yourself is the best starting point so you can make informed decisions about what you do or don't want.  Also, I firmly believe that the philosophy of your care provider is important.  Some are very supportive of doing everything possible to help mom deliver without pain meds and other interventions, while others are less concerned with the steps taken to have a vaginal birth. 

ryemo

I'm a student midwife and I'd say a natural birth involves no pain meds and no pitocin or other augmentation. In my head, I draw the line at birth of baby. If mom needed pit or lidocaine after that it's still natural in my book. Those are much more appropriate uses of pit and pain meds.

iris427

Non-natural birth: baby beamed from an alien spaceship.

soulcupcake

danisgossipgirl said:

I don't like or use the term natural birth. Natural has become a values-laden term, applied to birth or anything else. Physiologic or minimal intervention is better IMO, and more descriptive. I saw on my company's hr website for leave planning, birth would be classified as cesarean or natural. Natural seems to get used when people are afraid to say vagina lol.

*nods*

I usually say I'm planning or had a med-free or low-intervention birth.

littlepawsbigears

I learned on my M15 board, that using the word natural can be offensive. I still use it with friends and my midwives. But I'll say low intervention/ med free when on the internet. Some people truly believe that a c section is "natural". I guess I'm a stickler for holding Webster accountable for a definition of a word. I mentioned it at a natural birth group and they said women who don't elect a natural birth can feel offended by the word, like maybe their birth wasn't a "good" birth. Or they feel like I'm saying that I'm better than them because I'm having a natural birth. And I honestly don't want anyone to think those things.

jennypolkadots

I'm planning to birth without access to pain relief medicine, in an out of hospital environment. There will be oxygen if I need it, and pitocin and other hemorrhage stopping drugs for after labor if needed. I would consider this a natural birth or med free birth. I usually say med free when someone asks because "natural" feels so hippy dippy and judgmental.

For me a natural birth is one that runs the natural course. No augmentation. No anesthetics or narcotics. Natural pain relief through water, massage, relaxation and movement mostly. I wish there was a word for a pitocin induced birth with no pain relief - because that is (from what I have seen personally) so much worse than a natural labor. It should be called a super hero birth, honestly! With contractions practically one on top of the other and confined to a bed. I don't consider this natural or med-free though because obviously meds were given and that sort of pain is not part of natural labor. It really does need it's own title for how awesome it is for anyone who is able to do it.

In common usage, most women consider "natural birth" as just refusing the epidural. At least where I live that is the norm. 

ldmw

Thank you ladies! You have been so helpful to start educating me, and I have some more reading to do. One more question - where can I learn about all of the drugs you've mentioned and their "purpose" in birth?

nolanova85

It's funny that natural is seen as offensive (though I can certainly understand that view point.  To a mother that has to have a c-section, her birth is no less natural to her).  Our Bradley instructor said she doesn't like the word "natural" because of all the different interpretations, so she prefers the word "normal."  Which just cracks me up, because isn't "normal" equally as problematic?  

Anyway, to me, natural basically means no pain meds & pitocin.  If I need antibiotics or need my membranes stripped for some reason, to me those are still low-intervention.

I agree with others - if you're starting with zero knowledge, watch The Business of Being Born and read Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth.  Both were excellent.

JCWhitey

Well if we are really going to get picky with terms, no birth can be "natural" according to Merriam-Webster as the definition is "existing in nature; not made or caused by people". I'm pretty sure I made my kid and I'm a person.  :P Unless you go by the third definition given which is "usual or expected" in which case a scheduled c-section would be the most natural form of labor since it's the most expected.  Usually Natural Birth is used as the medical term (which I gave above), but if you go off that then anyone who did not take a birthing class that taught natural pain management also did not have a Natural Birth.  Which is ridiculous.  So the term is both outdated and not corrct as far as definition.  BUT it's a lot easier to say in conversation than "I would like to have an intervention and med-free vaginal birth".  And I think most people understand what you are saying if you use that term.

littlepawsbigears

@JCWhitey‌, we'll shoot! I was so confident in my feelings toward using the word natural because of the definition. I just interpreted it as "human made" being surgery or synthetic drugs. Not human making a baby. And I never thought about the third definition relating to c-sections being the expected outcome therefor they are the "natural" option. You've twisted my world around. I guess I'll use the mouthful, medication-free, low intervention, vaginal birth. Here's hoping I pull it off, no matter what it's called.