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So discouraged! :(

csalagicsalagi
in Natural Birth

Why are so many people against natural birth?!  When did childbirth become a disease or medical problem and not something that our bodies were naturally created to do?  How is it that our bodies can grow a baby for 9 months naturally and yet when it's time to come out its considered so unnatural?  I'm so discouraged by how everyone around me is so against natural birth.  I feel like I'm having to fight the world on this issue. 

How do you ladies who have chosen to have a natural birth deal with all the negative responses and opinions of people around you?  I need some advice/encouragement!

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Re: So discouraged! :(

  • rawrandstuffx10rawrandstuffx10
    My whole family, and SO's family actually made fun of me for wanting to go natural...all i can say is to let that be your encouragement, if they say you cant/wont be able to handle it, show them you can, and you will.
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  • pepomntpatpepomntpat member
    I have just stopped discussing it.
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  • pinksweetpea2pinksweetpea2 member

    I just smiled when friends/co-workers/etc. told me I was crazy.  I sent articles and statistics to my family who were worried (about the homebirth).  And I pretty much didn't discuss it with anyone else.  It is not their business anyway, and truthfully they just don't get it.

     

    Edit-  I let my story be my advocacy.  It is harder before you have giving birth because people come at you with the, "You'll see" bull.  After you have been through it, they really have nothing to say. ;) 


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  • ridesbuttonsridesbuttons member

    I don't know anyone who is actually against natural birth, just very few people who want to consider it an option for themselves.

    One of the reasons that  I chose natural is because a friend of mine told me that I would not be able to handle the pain of labour/delivery.  That actually annoyed me so much I decided to show her that I could.

    Funny thing is, after I went natural, she started backtracking and telling me that her epidurals only worked on one half of her body and wore off during labour (etc., etc.) which was, if possible, even more annoying.

    I don't judge anyone who uses epidurals, drugs, whatever; but I encourage anyone who is on the fence about going natural to go for it and tell them my excellent experience with it.

    promised myself I'd retire when I turned gold, and yet here I am
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  • csalagicsalagi
    imagepinksweetpea2:

    Edit-  I let my story be my advocacy.  It is harder before you have giving birth because people come at you with the, "You'll see" bull.  After you have been through it, they really have nothing to say. ;) 

    That's exactly what I'm getting and it's so annoying/discouraging.  At least DH is totally supportive of whatever I want to do.

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  • MassageMomma2010MassageMomma2010

    When people see how excited I am about it they don't say anything negative. It's only when I show signs that I'm worried about it that they jump on me. So I just always talk about it confidently and brag about my MWs and talk about how beautiful the birth center I'm using is and stick to the upside of the conversation.

    And if the occasional person makes a rude comment I shoot them a look and stomp on their toe. JK. But I think about doing that and it helps.

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  • Emiliana7Emiliana7
    I think it comes alot from their own inadequacies and also lack of knowledge/education on the matter.
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  • emilysbeaulieuemilysbeaulieu

    For the most part anytime anyone says anything to me about it I just say well my mom did it 4 times and my sister did it 2 times so I figure I can do it.  That shuts them up usually. 

    More recetly however I have have just been avoiding the conversation with people I get a negative vibe from.  I mentioned something about me and my DH discussing my birth plan in passing to a coworker and she got this look on her face like I just said I was from Mars.  At that point I decided to end the conversation.  It's just not worth the aggravation.

     

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  • jwurnigjwurnig
    I also usually just keep my mouth shut.  Both HypnoBirthing and the Bradley method tell you that negative stories are essentially your kryptonite.  It allows fear and doubt to creep in when really, there is no room for fear.  So, if you don't tell people what you're thinking, they can't tell you how silly you are.  I do think it's interesting that as soon as people find out you're pregnant, they want to tell you their birthing horror stories.  I don't know why people think this is fun or appropriate.  Just use all of their stories as strength during your own prep and birth.  It'll be so fun to come back to the nay-sayers and tell them how you did it med free!
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  • csalagicsalagi
    Thank you, ladies :)  I'm starting to see that I just need to make sure I'm armed with information about it to be able to defend my decision and to just be confident about it.  This is what I have wanted since before I even got pregnant and I'm not going to let peoples negativity or uneducated opinions change that.
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  • superMillersuperMiller

    imagepepomntpat:
    I have just stopped discussing it.

    Same.  

    My mom is really interested because she had 2 miserable pitocin induced births.  She always complained about how terrible child birth was. "Why would anyone DO that voluntarily??"   Once I started telling her how pitocin contractions are harder and worse, and the whole confined-to-the-bed thing, it's like a light went on for her.  But most people say right off the bat, "The epidural needle hurts a little, but it's SO worth it.  I didn't feel a thing..."  I hate the automatic assumption that THAT'S what child birth is supposed to be.  I just smile at most people, nod and say, "Yeah, that's what I hear."  

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