If you thought it is
impossible to apply the 'do it yourself' philosophy to childbirth,
think again. Many expectant mothers in North America are now opting
for unassisted childbirth, which means that they go through labor
and give birth without any outside help or intervention. Unassisted
childbirth is, after all, childbirth left to its own devices. Thus,
there are no doctors, midwives, doulas or even a friend or relative
as a support person for the mother.
Interestingly, the place for unassisted childbirth is not the
impersonal labor and delivery room but the bedroom. Often it
involves giving birth straddling a bathtub or squatting on the
bathroom floor or any other place the mother finds comfortable. The
mother also chooses the most comfortable position - squatting or
lying down flat on the ground - to help get the baby out. There is
no checking for dilation of the cervix or attaching heartbeat
monitors to the baby inside the womb. Once the baby comes out, it
falls into its mother's hands rather than those of a nurse. The mum
or dad then cut the umbilical cord.
The idea behind unassisted
childbirth is that women can take personal responsibility for their
children's birth. Alternatively, when healthcare experts get involved,
the mother's autonomy is lost. This practice has been on for some time.
However, of late, it has gained in popularity. In 1977, Laura Shanley, a
resident of Boulder, Colorado, USA, and her husband, David, decided to
have their first unassisted childbirth. Their son, John, was born
without the help of doctors or nurses.
In the last two decades since John's birth, Laura has gone through four
more unassisted deliveries. She has also written a book, 'Unassisted
Childbirth', and runs a website,
www.unassistedchildbirth.com, for mothers who want know more about
this practice.
"There are no exact figures on how many mothers have gone in for
unassisted childbirths but of late, there has been a lot of interest,"
she says. One indicator is the number of hits - about 50,000 a month -
on her website. "A lot of women are researching on the internet and
trying to find out more about how to give birth to their children
without assistance," adds Shanley, who also runs a discussion forum on
the procedure on her website.
According to her, the cause of increased interest in unassisted
childbirth is the high C-section rate of almost 30 per cent. "As medical
practitioners are interfering more and more in childbirth there is
hardly any birth which can be called normal," she says.
However, not everyone is convinced about giving birth without medical
help. Prabhjot Sachar, who is 36 weeks pregnant, says she would feel
vulnerable giving birth without the help of doctors or drugs to help
her. "I want my delivery to be smooth and under the observation of my
obstetrician. I have made up my mind about taking the epidural to help
me with the delivery pains. Even the idea of giving birth on my own
without the help of doctors or drugs is scary," she says.
Shanley has a word of advice on risks involved in childbirth. According
to her, the most important thing for any mother willing to do it alone
is to be mentally and physically tough. "Childbirth is a very natural
and safe process, which should go right provided the mother is not
overworked or underfed." She advocates building up mental strength to
get over the fear of delivery pains. She says what is also helpful is to
have faith in the power which keeps things right. "This power can be
given any name - God or your own inner strength. If you believe in it,
it is possible to look beyond medical care," she says.
Shanley has some tips for women interested in unassisted childbirth: No
aspect of the birth should be rushed; Once the baby is born, the
umbilical cord should be cut - after it has stopped pulsating, which may
take about 15 minutes - an inch or two from the baby's belly button with
a clean pair of scissors; She believes that it isn't necessary to have
any sort of a kit; After the birth, she recommends that the baby be
immediately put to the mother's breast, as breastfeeding helps the
uterus contract, which ensures the delivery of the placenta.
"Some people take the baby to a doctor after the birth, but I did not. I
don't believe that babies are born sick. A newborn baby needs to be in
its mother's loving arms after the birth. Also, most doctors do not
react well to unassisted birth. The parents may be reprimanded by the
doctor, in spite of the fact that unassisted birth isn't illegal. Going
to a midwife would be a better option, as most are not as critical," she
says.
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC), an
Ottawa-based association of doctors, has opposed this practice calling
it risky. "The SOGC supports natural childbirth, but the evidence is
overwhelmingly in favor of giving birth with a skilled attendant
present," says Dr Donald Davis, the outgoing President of SOGC. "Whether
you choose a registered midwife for a home birth or trained healthcare
professionals in a hospital setting, having a skilled attendant's
experience and knowledge at the mother's side can be the difference
between life and death."
Dr Vyta Senikas, Associate Executive Vice-President, SOGC, couldn't
agree more. "Unassisted childbirth is unsafe. People who advocate this
are tragically uninformed and are promoting high-risk, dangerous
behavior disguised as sound medical advice. You have to look at the
source. These are not trained and educated medical professionals," she
says.
However, advocates of unassisted birth say that any medical
interference, no matter how well-meaning, can disturb the natural and
hormonal processes of labor, triggering a stress reaction that hinders
the birth's progress. "By constant supervision and observation doctors
and nurses interfere in the natural process of childbirth, and when
somebody is observing you that changes the whole process," says Shanley.
However, doctors point out to the statistics of risks involved in
childbirth. According to SOGC, up to 15 per cent of all births involve
potentially fatal complications and the risks of an unattended
childbirth outweigh any possible benefits. Skilled attendants have the
training required to identify and react to potential problems for the
mother and baby as early as possible - both during childbirth and in the
critical period that follows. Choosing to give birth without this type
of assistance poses a danger to the mother and child and can lead to
tragic consequences, they warn.
July 22,
2007
By arrangement with
WFS
Image under license with Gettyimages.com
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