Definition of Natural and Natural Childbirth
enkb
member
The word natural and the phrase natural childbirth have specific meanings linguistically and based on cultural usage. Natural is defined as ‘existing in nature and not made or caused by people’ or ‘not having any extra substances or chemicals added : not containing anything artificial’. Natural Childbirth is defined as ‘a method of giving birth to a baby in which the mother chooses not to use drugs to reduce pain or to make the birth happen more quickly’ (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Neither of these definitions is inherently positive or negative, this is simply what the words mean. I am getting really tired of reading the defensive language of women choosing or requiring a birth that does not fit this definition regarding women who have made a different choice.
Two main issues seem to come up over and over again. The first thing that the person decides themselves that the word ‘natural’ means good (which is doesn’t) and so they want to be allowed to use that word too, even when their circumstances clearly don’t warrant it.
The second issue is that (often in the same breath) women make derogatory comments about those choosing to have a birth which does fit the definition of the word natural, by saying things like ‘if you aren’t having your baby in a cave on a bed of leaves, yours isn’t natural either’.
You can’t have it both ways, you can’t decide the word means something good and use it in a case where it doesn’t fit, and at the same time make fun of women who are having a birth that fits that definition as being either not natural enough, or old fashioned and primitive.
Can we all just agree that we will get out babies out in the way that works the best and is safest for us, and let everyone else do the same? Do we have to pick fights over word definitions so that we feel better about our own decisions? If you truly believe that natural is better, strive to have that in your birth. If you truly believe that whatever intervention you choose is best, then strive for that, but don’t expect the world to change the definition of the word to accommodate you.
Re: Definition of Natural and Natural Childbirth
Med-free birth or Medicated birth
Natural or Unnatural
I think there is an obvious way of speaking about deliveries that is less offensive to the majority of women so maybe it's time to start.
It is what it is by definition.
Just because it is a definition medically, doesn't mean it's not offensive when put into the context that many people use it in.
Like previously stated, the opposite of natural is artificial or unnatural, and in the event you need medical intervention to save your baby's life, you'll feel like garbage when someone throws their "natural" birth in your face.
ETA: the medical terminology for miscarriage is spontaneous abortion. Would you feel self righteous enough to also use that terminology simply because you found it in the dictionary?
First, there is a difference between denotation and connotation. So for everyone arguing medical or dictionary definitions versus what something sounds like or what they feel someone means when they use said term, it's an ambiguity of language that is likely magnified by the (relatively) diverse audience of this board.
That is, some here may say natural birth and mean med-free or intervention free. That's all.
Some here may say natural birth and mean, "I'm better than you. I went med free because I'm tough and I do what's right for my children no matter how much being ripped in half with no pain killers hurts me." But I seriously doubt it. Then again, there is a lot of mom-on-mom judging and guilting so maybe I wouldn't be surprised if that was what some meant.
Point is, there is a staunch difference between what someone might be implying when they use a term and what someone might infer when hearing the same statement.
And I say everyone in a general sense.
She's also arguing it's the colloquial term, so analogously, "baby" would be fine also.
I'll take my unnatural, surgical birth with a baby that comes out alive, and you can keep your self righteousness.
I feel like you're projecting. Chill out.
Implied versus inferred? No? See above.
Perhaps
Married DH: 2013
DD: Dec 2015
BFP 8/14/17 --> Due 4/27/2018
The fact is people don't like the terms natural child birth. Why do we need a thread to berate those peoples feelings? That's a whole topic of conversation now? I don't like that some people don't like this term I want to use, so I'm going to start a thread to pick on those people... The people who don't like it don't have to use it, they are free to use whatever term they choose, as are the people who use the term natural. And the world will keep spinning. Let it go.
DD - January 2016
Mention of "natural" birth invites ridicule. It's ridiculous.
I'm sorry if you were unhappy with your birth experience. As you said it's the outcome that matters, right? So why don't you focus on that instead of making up something in your head about how people are shaming you by simply uttering the word "natural." And I'm not talking to everybody here, who might just have a different opinion than me. You know who this is directed at, those getting all puffed up at the word "natural" like its usage is somehow an implicit condemnation of any other circumstance or choice.
People I speak to still use the words "natural" and "childbirth" together in a non-judgemental way to indicate nonmedicated, how did pp put it, NSVD.
It's not ignorance, it's not self righteousness.
I had a "natural" birth, not to be superior, but because I was really afraid of having a c-section!
It wasn't superiority, it was fear.
Language evolves, so if it's as offensive as you say it is, take solace in that idea.
This argument is like, as Kierkegaard put it, trying to help a drunk peasant in to his horse; you help him up one side and he falls off the other.
Now I'm going to go make a "lamptern" for Halloween with my three year old. Out.
Also, I really really wanted to avoid interventions last time and wasn't able to. I have never once been offended or upset by any term anyone has used to describe their own birth experience. In fact, I love hearing other moms (especially other twin moms!) tell, brag and boast, or whatever, about their planned or actual intervention free births. I have so much respect for women who try/tried to and women who actually did that and I like to share in their celebration of their accomplishment. (I also have incredible respect for moms who go through c sections and then deal with the early days of motherhood while recovering from major surgery-talk about being a tough as nails mom. That's much more badaas than the birth I'm hoping for IMO.)
I use the term intervention free birth on here (when I don't forget) and natural birh everywhere else because I'm not setting out to ruffle feathers here but I think the latter term is better understood when I'm not on here. But I roll my eyes at all the comments OP is referring to and get annoyed when posters say how offensive the term is to mothers who have had previous births with interventions because, while that's obviously true about some moms, it's definitely not true for all of us.
ETA: I'm not picking on your comment intentionally @krisdee123. Yours was just the first one I saw that mentioned the argument I wanted to address. I generally enjoy your comments I see on the board and respect your input.
If someone were to insist on thinking of one, I would argue that a better "opposite" word in reference to natural birth would be "assisted" rather than "unnatural" as it better describes the alternatives (vacuum assisted delivery, medication, etc) and has less of a negative connotation