Why Natural Childbirth?
Birth is a beautiful, natural process. It is not something to fear. It is a rite of passage. The beginning of a woman’s menstrual cycle is the passage into womanhood. The process of birth is the beginning of a woman’s passage into motherhood. Birth has historically been the highest honor a woman could achieve.
A woman’s body is designed to give birth. Her hips widen and ligaments and tendon’s stretch and loosen to prepare for birth. Muscles contract to move the baby through the birth canal.
A woman’s hormones are designed to support a woman during labor.
- Oxytocin, which is the hormone of love (we also get it during sexual activity, hugging, eating, touching and breastfeeding). This hormone drives labor and prepares the mother and baby to bond with each other. It also keeps the mother from bleeding too much after birth.
- Beta-endorphin, which is a natural opiate. It has properties in common with Morphine and Demoral. It is a natural pain reliever as well as a way of giving the woman a feeling of pleasure and connectedness.
- Adrenalin and Noradrenaline. These hormones gradually rise so that they peak at the moment of birth. This protects the baby my stimulating the circulatory and respiratory systems. They raise the baby’s blood sugar and fat levels to nourish the baby until feeding is established. They also make the mother more alert to begin bonding with her baby.
- Prolactin. This is the mothering hormone. It is very important to reset the brain in preparation for motherhood. It is also present in breast milk and is thought to be very important in proper brain development for the baby.
- Medical interventions can block the natural flow of hormones. If you are given Pitocin, your body doesn’t know to make Oxytocin. The whole birth process may be disrupted and more pain experienced. It may also cause greater difficulty with breastfeeding.
- Epidurals also interfere with the body’s natural pain relieving hormones. It has also never been proven safe for the mother or the baby.
- Movement is very important in labor. It helps the labor to progress more quickly. It aids the baby in descending in the correct position, which reduces the pain the mother feels. It also keeps the mother’s muscles from getting stiff and aids in blood flow to her body. You are unable to move if you have an epidural.
Information taken from Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Dr. Sarah Buckley.