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Natural vs. C section

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Pros of vaginal birth With vaginal birth, women can expect a shorter hospital stay and quicker recovery time, as vaginal birth is less surgically intensive and doesn't scar. Any subsequent births are less likely to require a C-section as well as being quicker and shorter. Vaginal births are also less risky for the mother, as less interference from the hospital staff means a lower chance of an emergency scenario for the mother. According to the American Pregnancy Association, the mortality risk for mothers is much lower in vaginal births. For the baby, there are a number of benefits. Because they are able to come when they are ready, as the body begins the process naturally, the baby is more likely to be finished maturing and developing. Passing through the vaginal opening also expels the amniotic fluid in the baby's lungs. The baby also picks up protective bacteria that they ingest, helping them form more balanced immune systems as the bacteria colonizes in their intestines.

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Cons of vaginal birth Because vaginal births are more dependent on the mother's body, there isn't really a way to schedule the labor and delivery. The mother may feel more stress and anxiety as the uncertainty of labor looms. Vaginal birth also increases the risk of incontinence for the mother, as well as sexual problems in the first few months after the birth. For the baby, risk of birth trauma increases, due to the passage through the birth canal and the possible need for forceps.

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C section pros The ability to schedule a C-section can give the mother peace of mind, as she knows exactly when she will be giving birth. She is less likely to suffer from incontinence, and will not suffer the same sexual problems that woman who give vaginal birth suffer from in the first few months after birth. The baby is less likely to suffer birth trauma that can happen with forceps or vacuum extraction.

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Cons of c section Because C-sections do not occur when the baby is ready to come, there is the possibility of pre-term delivery if the mother's due date has been calculated incorrectly. As a surgical procedure, there is a risk of damage to the mother's organs, as well as increased blood loss and complications from anesthesia. The mother is also more susceptible to infection and blood clots. There is a slightly higher mortality rate for the mother and twice the risk of infant mortality. After the surgery, the mother might suffer from decreased bowel function. Because she needs to recover from the surgery, there is a longer hospital stay and recovery period. This can lead to complications with breastfeeding, and take a mental toll on the mother, increasing the chance of postpartum depression. The scar tissue can also present problems in future pregnancies, increasing the chance of complications.

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What is it? Home birth During a planned home birth you'll give birth in your home instead of in a hospital or birth center. You'll need to be assisted during labor and delivery by a knowledgeable midwife or, in some cases, a doctor to help ensure the health of you and your baby. During your prenatal care your health care provider will review a list of conditions during pregnancy and labor that would require treatment by a doctor and compromise the safety of a planned home birth. Your health care provider will also review the challenges that can occur during childbirth, how he or she in comparison with a hospital would handle them, and the possible health risks for you and your baby. During labor, your health care provider will periodically rather than continuously monitor your temperature, pulse, blood pressure and your baby's heart rate. After delivery, you'll be close to your baby. Your health care provider will examine your newborn and determine whether he or she needs to be transferred to a hospital. In addition, your health care provider will give you information on how to care for your newborn. Follow-up care might include home visits and lactation support.

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What to choose? Because birth is a deeply personal experience that varies from person to person, you need to choose the process that best fits you. Talk it over with your healthcare professional and come up with a birthing plan that takes all risks and benefits into account.

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Home birth vs. hospital

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Natural birth is more painful in a hospital than outside a hospital. In a hospital your laboring position(s) will be limited by fetal monitors, IVs, hospital staff requests, and simple lack of facility to support a variety of positions (for example, if they don't have a birth stool, you can't labor on one). There is no continuous professional labor support staff to help you find and to implement the natural methods that are most effective in controlling labor pain for you, even if they are available. For example, there is no staff available to put counter pressure on your back during each contraction, a most effective method for reducing labor pain. This lack of support and options will make your labor more painful, and make you more likely to need an epidural. In a birthing center or at home you have many more effective options and you have continuous, professional labor support and people dedicated to helping you through your labor. You are more likely to accept drugs in a hospital because they are so readily available. They will certainly be offered to you, perhaps many times during your labor. At an intense moment in your labor you may yield to these offers, whereas if you were properly supported in a birthing center or at home you wouldn't feel the need for them or be exposed to this suggestive undermining of your natural birth desires.

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It's more convenient for the hospital and doctors for you to have an epidural, and they will encourage you to do so. An epidural makes you less likely to make requests of the staff, and makes it easier for the staff to call your doctor to arrive "just in time" to catch the baby. Without an epidural you will want more frequent visits from the nurses, have more questions, require more support, and they will have to call the doctor sooner for your delivery because without an epidrual the exact timing of the delivery is less predictable. Without an epidural they can't reasonably tell you not to push if the doctor hasn't arrived yet because, if undrugged, your uterus will do it's job on it's own time. This convenience factor makes it more likely the hospital staff will encourage you to have an epidural. Hospitals and the providers who work there get paid more when you have an epidural. This gives them a profit motive to encourage you to have one. Did you know that when you have an epidural you have to pay an anesthesiologist you otherwise would not have to pay, your nursing charges per hour increase, the amount of supplies and drugs you will need will increase, and your complications rate will increase, likely resulting in further procedures and charges? The estimated total increase in cost when you have an epidural (including hidden charges no one tells you about) is about $2,000. Even if you have insurance and do not have to pay these charges yourself, it is important to realize that the hospital and its staff do have financial pressure to encourage epidurals. You are less able to handle labor in a hospital than you are out of hospital. When you step into a hospital in labor you will be in a strange place, lying in a strange bed, cared for by strangers to you. You will be asked to strip and don strange clothes, you will be hooked up to a variety of strange wires and tubes, and suddenly there will be strange rules for what you can and cannot do, which you will have to discover as you go along. The combination of all this strangeness results in a personal sense of insecurity that most people don't realize until they leave the hospital. Have you ever asked permission to go to the bathroom, drink a glass of water, or have or hold your baby? I guarantee you'll do it in the hospital. This insecurity will undermine your confidence in yourself and your body to birth naturally, and will increase your fear, which will increase your pain, and it will make it more likely you'll choose an epidural.

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Can I choose the hospital where I'll give birth? In most cases, you'll deliver your baby at the hospital where your healthcare provider has admitting privileges. So keep in mind that when you choose a doctor or midwife, you'll likely be choosing the place where you'll give birth. It's worth doing some research to make sure the hospital's policies and approach to birth fit your needs.

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What if I have a high-risk pregnancy? If you're at high risk for preterm birth or other complications that might affect your baby and you live in an area where there are a number of hospitals, you'll want to choose one with a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU

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What if I want a hospital birth in a more low-tech environment? Some hospitals have on-site birth centers in addition to traditional labor and delivery suites. Birth centers offer the option of laboring and giving birth in a more relaxed setting, often with amenities such as a whirlpool bathtub for you and a comfortable sitting room for family members. If you need to be transferred for any reason if, for example, you decide you want an epidural you'll only have to move down the hall or up a floor or two. Of course, you'll have to make sure that the caregiver you choose is willing to deliver in a birth center.

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Shouldnt have a home birth if A planned home birth isn't right for everyone. Your health care provider might caution against a planned home birth if you: Have diabetes, chronic hypertension, a seizure disorder or any chronic medical condition Previously had a C-section Develop a pregnancy complication, such as preeclampsia Are pregnant with multiples or your baby doesn't settle into a position that allows for a headfirst delivery Are less than 37 weeks or more than 41 weeks pregnant

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Why do women choose planned home births? You might choose a planned home birth for many reasons, including: A desire to give birth in a familiar, relaxing environment surrounded by people of your choice A desire to wear your own clothes, take a shower or bath, eat, drink and move around freely during labor A desire to control your labor position or other aspects of the birthing process A desire to give birth without medical intervention, such as pain medication Cultural or religious norms or concerns A history of fast labor Lower cost

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To eat, or not to eat? The placenta can be eaten raw, or it can be incorporated into a special meal. Placenta recipes are a real thing that are on the Internet. Lest you never want to eat lasagna again, I have not included links. It can be cooked (usually steamed) then sliced, dehydrated, and encapsulated into a pill. Sometimes women freeze it in small chunks and blend it into a smoothie

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