I suppose "hate" is a bit strong--it's just that nowadays "natural birth" can mean just about anything short of a c-section. It's vague, and it also carries some judgmental connotations. I prefer to try to find better terms: vaginal, unmedicated, unhindered, physiologic, active, etc...
Well, by my definition for the video, "natural" simply meant unmedicated and with as few interventions as possible, and I used the term because of it's popular usage being easily recognizable to other natural childbirth advocates. I had two in the video who were staunch NCB advocates but had to be induced for TTTS who asked to be included. One was otherwise unmedicated. The other had a doc who required an epidural for TTTS inductions. Other than that, everyone else was unmedicated, and most were also unhindered, as I'm not one for gleefully interchanging "vaginal" and "natural" as if they are the same. So, it's not simply a montage of vaginal births, and I think a lot of the women in the video (myself included) who worked hard to have completely unmedicated, unhindered, physiologic births find calling it "vaginal" a bit misleading, as it doesn't convey the love of truly natural childbirth that we all have in our hearts and the efforts that we all went to in order to have natural births.
Hi, here to join the semantics discussion. Unmedicated, does that customarily refer to pain relief or any pharmaceutical? An induction without analgesia/anesthesia, is that unmedicated?
Well, in my common usage of "natural," I wouldn't even include an induction. But since I know what TTTS is, and that in serious cases avoiding the induction could be irresponsible and harmful, I kind of made exceptions simply because it meant something to me that those moms cared enough about showing other moms that those complications don't mean you can't have a vaginal birth. So many twin moms get scared into a cesarean over TTTS, so including them seemed like a good idea. But no, normally I don't think of induced labors as natural.
If you have a better term than "natural" to describe the kinds of births in that video, I'm open to it! I can edit the youtube description, you know. I just want something that better conveys the, ummmm... , natural-ness of it than just "vaginal."
Natural - no drugs. (Pitocin is a tricky one, since it's not technically a pain reliever, but it is still a drug)
It bugs me too when people say "natural birth" and they really mean they just had it vaginally. I'm not one to pick apart semantics, but that's how I see it.
Mamaofquiteafew, you totally did the right thing by including moms with medically indicated inductions. Because this is where we get into the very sensitive area of pride versus disappointment around birth... how we can continue to encourage expectant moms to aim for the healthiest birth possible for them, without shutting out from the discussion the moms who ended up with a variety of interventions. In short, how to inspire without bragging, really. You're on the right track with those induction births.
Er, I don't know... sounds a bit snooty to me. I might be more willing to go for the argument that only home birth CAN be intervention-free, since being in a hospital itself is an intervention. Arguably. But this doesn't even mean that all home births are intervention free. Then there's the question of what's an objective definition of intervention. Hard to stick labels on birth, isn't it?
Thank you for posting Rixa (and thanks to mamaofquiteafew for making it) - this was gorgeous and such a wonderful change from typical twin stories. I passed it on to my AP group. I am happy to see positive induction twin births as well...we all know how so many inductions end :( I was also amazed with the weights on some of the twins!! Some of those mamas birthed two babies, each bigger than my biggest singleton! *wow*
Late to join on the "natural" verbage discussion, but I remember so well coming home from the hospital after the birth of my first baby (Pitocin induction, AROM, Epidural, Episiotomy, continual Fetal Monitoring, Catheter, Fetal-skull screw thing, IV fluids, narcotics and Mag Sulfate...) and having my friend's husband ask me "Did ya have her natural or Cesarean?"
I didnt really know what to say. I think I said that I did not have a cesarean, but that it was far from natural....and that was about it.
Thats my little anecdote about "natural"!
Our computer has been down so I am way behind on stuff!
What do you hate about the term "natural"? Just curious, as I'm the one who made the video.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI suppose "hate" is a bit strong--it's just that nowadays "natural birth" can mean just about anything short of a c-section. It's vague, and it also carries some judgmental connotations. I prefer to try to find better terms: vaginal, unmedicated, unhindered, physiologic, active, etc...
ReplyDeleteMake sense?
Well, by my definition for the video, "natural" simply meant unmedicated and with as few interventions as possible, and I used the term because of it's popular usage being easily recognizable to other natural childbirth advocates. I had two in the video who were staunch NCB advocates but had to be induced for TTTS who asked to be included. One was otherwise unmedicated. The other had a doc who required an epidural for TTTS inductions. Other than that, everyone else was unmedicated, and most were also unhindered, as I'm not one for gleefully interchanging "vaginal" and "natural" as if they are the same. So, it's not simply a montage of vaginal births, and I think a lot of the women in the video (myself included) who worked hard to have completely unmedicated, unhindered, physiologic births find calling it "vaginal" a bit misleading, as it doesn't convey the love of truly natural childbirth that we all have in our hearts and the efforts that we all went to in order to have natural births.
ReplyDeleteFair enough--edited the original post.
ReplyDeleteHi, here to join the semantics discussion. Unmedicated, does that customarily refer to pain relief or any pharmaceutical? An induction without analgesia/anesthesia, is that unmedicated?
ReplyDeleteWell, in my common usage of "natural," I wouldn't even include an induction. But since I know what TTTS is, and that in serious cases avoiding the induction could be irresponsible and harmful, I kind of made exceptions simply because it meant something to me that those moms cared enough about showing other moms that those complications don't mean you can't have a vaginal birth. So many twin moms get scared into a cesarean over TTTS, so including them seemed like a good idea. But no, normally I don't think of induced labors as natural.
ReplyDeleteETA: I just think of natural as usually meaning without any unnecessary interventions. I guess we might all define what is necessary differently.
ReplyDeleteIf you have a better term than "natural" to describe the kinds of births in that video, I'm open to it! I can edit the youtube description, you know. I just want something that better conveys the, ummmm... , natural-ness of it than just "vaginal."
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion:
ReplyDeleteNatural - no drugs. (Pitocin is a tricky one, since it's not technically a pain reliever, but it is still a drug)
It bugs me too when people say "natural birth" and they really mean they just had it vaginally. I'm not one to pick apart semantics, but that's how I see it.
A friend of mine (who had an unnatural birth :) ) put in her signature...
ReplyDeleteMom of 4, including twins born without c-section.
Mamaofquiteafew, you totally did the right thing by including moms with medically indicated inductions. Because this is where we get into the very sensitive area of pride versus disappointment around birth... how we can continue to encourage expectant moms to aim for the healthiest birth possible for them, without shutting out from the discussion the moms who ended up with a variety of interventions. In short, how to inspire without bragging, really. You're on the right track with those induction births.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'm missing something. What is "TTTS?"
ReplyDeletetwin to twin transfusion syndrome! (can you tell I'm proud I knew that off the top of my head LOL?)
ReplyDeletetears and tears and tears!
ReplyDeleteI have heard some say that a hospital birth is not natural but unmedicated vaginal birth. That only birth at home qualifies as natural childbirth.
ReplyDeletehmm. just a thought I suppose. A rather interesting one I think.
Er, I don't know... sounds a bit snooty to me. I might be more willing to go for the argument that only home birth CAN be intervention-free, since being in a hospital itself is an intervention. Arguably. But this doesn't even mean that all home births are intervention free. Then there's the question of what's an objective definition of intervention. Hard to stick labels on birth, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI just LOVE this video! :)
ReplyDeleteChantel
-37 weeks with twins and planned home birth
Thank you for posting Rixa (and thanks to mamaofquiteafew for making it) - this was gorgeous and such a wonderful change from typical twin stories. I passed it on to my AP group. I am happy to see positive induction twin births as well...we all know how so many inductions end :(
ReplyDeleteI was also amazed with the weights on some of the twins!! Some of those mamas birthed two babies, each bigger than my biggest singleton! *wow*
Super Cool, Rixa! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLate to join on the "natural" verbage discussion, but I remember so well coming home from the hospital after the birth of my first baby (Pitocin induction, AROM, Epidural, Episiotomy, continual Fetal Monitoring, Catheter, Fetal-skull screw thing, IV fluids, narcotics and Mag Sulfate...) and having my friend's husband ask me "Did ya have her natural or Cesarean?"
I didnt really know what to say. I think I said that I did not have a cesarean, but that it was far from natural....and that was about it.
Thats my little anecdote about "natural"!
Our computer has been down so I am way behind on stuff!