Green Birth

[Imani]

What we need to do is start where it all begins...at the moment of birth.

Memories of my last birth floated though my head yesterday as we just celebrated the fifth birthday of our youngest daughter, Concordia. Coincidentally we showed a beautiful film, "Birth As We Know It", in our cafe for our free film series the same evening.

The film depicts the ecstatic, blissful aspect of giving birth as nature intended and inspires mothers to claim their feminine wisdom to birth without interference. http://www.birthasweknowit.com/ The film sharply contrasts another film I recently saw that brought me to tears entitled "The Business of Birth".

I was astounded to discover that in the fifteen years since I birthed my first baby at home the cesarean rate has increased from one in four women to one in three! It is as if all of the progress made to empower women to trust in their bodies inherent ability to birth their babies is null and void. Women are buying into the consumer based selling of a medicalized birth. Scheduled cesareans are becoming increasingly popular with some OBs stating that ALL women should have them! What???

This is outrageous! Odd parallel with the introduction of GM foods and cloned animals - all moving us towards a sterile world void of any real connection to the earth we live upon. How can we expect women who are disconnected from their children at birth to protect them from such insanity? Hmmm...It all appears quite intentional....

I am inspired to use the "green" consciousness that is emerging and apply it to the world of birth in hopes to attract the attention of the masses of women choosing to seperate themselves from this most essential life experience. My intention is to restore the balance for both babe and mom and thus worldwide.

"How we treat the child, the child will treat the world. "- Pam Leo

I am curious to know if any of you have had your babies at home, assisted or unassisted, and what your reaction to this idea to reintroduce what we already know under the guise of something new.

One of the most critical steps in circumventing the extinction of our species is to rekindle the bond a mother has with her baby that enables her to protect them from harm. In a world where danger abounds, it is essential that mothers stay rooted to this most instinctual, intuitive survival skill to ensure the survival of future generations.

Thus, a "green birth" frees mothers from the manipulative marketing tactics applied to birth in this country by encouraging them to trust themselves and the process. It allows women to heal their own wounds and prevent future birth traumas. If we allow our values as mothers to dictate our births only then will our births begin to reflect the integrity by which we live our lives. Any thoughts?

[Alex]

My thought is this.

Birth "as nature intended" often leads to the unnecessary death of babies. In our babies' case, they developed TTTS (which kills more babies every year than SIDS). If left "as nature intended", their chance of survival would have been 10%. They required every medical intervention available, including laser surgery in the womb and an emergency C-section, to be born safe and well. But there were plenty of TTTS moms we met online who didn't want to "over-medicalize", didn't get the surgery, and lay on their side and drank protein shakes. One after another, they lost their babies.

The lesson of this is: a natural birth is terrific - if there are no medical problems detected during pregnancy, and if medical assistance is available in case something terrible develops during the birth process. Nature is terrific, but nature also has a failure rate that none of us would really like to see.

[Imani]

I agree - natural birth is terrific if no medical problems are present. There are always medical emergencies that warrant the technology of a c-section ,but when the technology becomes the process of choice, it obliterates the females body's right of passage. The resulting void psychologically imprints on both mother and child affecting society as a whole.

In no way does this medical ritual justify the overuse and misuse of technology, that not only robbs babies of the physical experience of being born, but disempowers women as well. Instead of intimate experiences with our beloved partners, we give birth with strangers in sterile environments. The trauma many women suffer in their births replicate previous abuses and spirals them down into states of postpartum depression while caring for their newborns.

We cannot overlook the obvious pattern in our society to keep women in their place. One only has to look at the history of birth in this country to see how women have been blindsighted to believe that they are benefiting from something when really an essential part of them and their power are being taken away. Birth IS the quintessential feminist act.

[Marta Jespersen]

I had both of my children in the hospital and well I have to disagree with you on the point that medical professionals are pushing C-sections and/or other methods for intervention. Maybe it's so in the States but here in Canada the nurses and my OB/GYN insisted that I do things as naturally as I possibly could handle. In fact, when I finally decided (after 9 hours and 9 centimeters and 1 week of weak labour) to get the epidural the nurses insisted that I was doing so well that I didn't need it but, after all, it was my choice. I decided to get the epidural b/c I wanted to have enough energy to push and I was frankly beginning to feel weak. With that same delivery my doctor had to step in and make the decision to use the vaccuum method since I had pushed for 3 hours and my son refused to move down past -2 station.

I know that in the USA all medical services are privatized and so there is a definite financial drive to perform a C-section. Here there's no such drive; the doctors get paid either way for the service of delivering a baby and the OB/GYN does not get paid extra for the services that a surgeon must provide since their job is done once the mother and baby(ies) enter the O.R. I've had very positive experiences with the birthing process especially from my doctors and nurses. I actually had a student nurse present for the birth of my first son (the one I described earlier) and he was so wonderful, gentle and encouraging! They do such a wonderful job here caring for us and I really hope that the USA can one day experience a state controlled health care system because it really insures the best quality care without a price. In Alberta, if you make over $35K per year you pay $40.00 per month as an adult for the Alberta Health Care program. It's truly wonderful.

[Lilu]

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree that the outlook on birth here in Canada is so much less focused on interventions. Our cesarean rate is only slightly lower than in the US and the hospital where I gave birth has a 90% epidural rate.

While doctors do want what's best for their patients, I believe that their outlook is skewed heavily towards the "Pregnancy is an ailment that we must manage" mentality. There are many cases where cesareans, epidurals, and other interventions are medically necessary in order to save lives, but many interventions are totally unwarranted. A cascade of interventions often takes place, which may result in a cesarean where a natural delivery may have been possible. Interventions have all sorts of consequences, and I see new moms on a regular basis who have issues with breastfeeding which can be directly linked to things that happened during birth.

I have had two hospital births. One was a highly-medicalized birth which left me with feelings of disappointment. The second was done on my terms with very little medical intervention and it was one of the most rewarding experiences I've had.

The next time around, I'm thinking of doing an unassisted homebirth. My labours have both stalled out when I've entered the hospital. My body doesn't want to birth in that building.

[Marta Jespersen]

I guess that that's the beautiful thing about birth! Our bodies know exactly what we need; they know if we're too exhausted to keep going without intervention or if we're strong enough to go it without help. Each birthing experience is unique and wonderful in and of itself. No two women will ever have the exact same experience. I found my doctor(s) and nurses to be very supportive and anti-drugs but, when I finally made the choice to get the epidural they gave in...after trying very hard to convince me that I don't need it...and called the anaesthesiologist (sorry if that's spelled wrong). Trust me the very first time I went to the hospital--I had been "labouring" (or so my family doc and I thought) for 4 days (med. intensity contractions every 4 minutes) and my doc. told me to go to the hospital 2 hours after eating supper--unless something happened sooner--when I got to the maternity ward my labour stopped and they sent me home. A day later my mom and husband rushed me to the hospital and out came Michal.

I considered doing a home birth with a mid-wife but, unfortunately, we couldn't afford it so I went with the conventional hospital birth. Maybe next time I'll do a hospital water birth. We'll see how well I can manage the pain! What can I say I have a low threshold and I'm okay with that.

[Amy J.]

I completely agree Imani. I have three children, and I have had two homebirths. I planned a homebirth with my first, but when I was in labor we discovered that he was breech-at the urging of my midwives I went to the hospital where he was born via c-section. So I have experienced both sides of the equation.

There were many reasons my husband and I chose homebirths. The main reason was because we just feel that childbirth is a natural process and in most cases does not belong in a hospital. Hospitals make oodles of money from their maternity patients, and to capitalize on this they need to project the image that all pregnancies are risky and must be medically monitered. That is just not true. Your baby is safe inside, growing the way nature intended it to. Most prenatal tests are completely unnecessary, and unless you are truely "at risk", then there is no need to give a single penny to the medical world so they can reassure you that everything is okay. We also really wanted to be able to birth in the comfort and privacy of our own home, and in the case of my second and third child, I really wanted them to be able to experience the birth as well. It is truely a family event, and my children don't see childbirth as something Mom leaves them for, only to come home with a new baby! It is something we all experience together. There is no better feeling in the world then to have your brand new baby snuggled up to you while your children stroke his face and hands and revel in the miracle that they just witnessed.
I like your "green birth" label. You are right on with that- I think that when the homebirth option is put out there, most people who are more green and socially conscious tend to at least cpnsider the option a viable one. Unfortunately though, it is not always an available choice for many. I live in Ohio, and direct-entry midwifery, or lay midwifwery, is alegal here. It is not legal, it is not illegal, it hovers uncomfortably in the middle. Once in awhile there is a grassroots legislative push, but nothing happens because while legalizing lay midwifery would open up the option of homebirth to many (insurance coverage), the midwives would be bound to regulations that they may fund disagreeable and restrictive. Those who want homebirth here have to actively seek it out and pay out of pocket.

I want to mention that after I had my c-section with my first, my midwives were there for me and helped me to grieve the loss of the birth experience I had desired so badly. It was truely a situation where they were very uncomfortable attending a first-baby breech, and I trusted their recommendation. They went to the hospital with me, held my hand through the surgery, and because of them I believe I was able to retain some of the dignity I may have lost had it just been me and my husband. Luckliy I had a sympathetic surgeon who allowed the midwives to do their thing. My midwives have attended hundreds of births, and not one baby has died. They know when a homebirth is not the best scenario, and direct the mother as such. They are masters IMO of empowereing women to reclaim birth as their own, true feminists.
Anyone who does the research will find that infant mortality in a homebirth situation is extrememy rare. Ethically a midwife will not and should not accept a woman who has medical risks, and the ladies who do unassisted homebirths are usually experienced mothers who know what they are doing.\
Thanks for the post Imani, I will have to check out the movies you mentioned!

[Stacey]

AMEN!

I had a c-section with my first child (thirteen years ago), and it was a horrible experience. I was nineteen, unexpectedly pregnant, on medicaid. I was mistreated, talked down to, and uninformed.

I decided things would be different with my last pregnancy (my son was born January 31, 2007). I researched, interviewed, agonized and ultimately made the decisions that were best for me.

That turned out to be a Certified Nurse Midwife who agreed (one of very few who were willing) to do a VBAC at home.

My son's birth was an intimate, transforming experience for me (and my husband). There are no words to describe the empowerment I felt in doing it my way.

I chose to have a home water birth (no one but me, my husband and mid-wife in attendance), my music, soft candles, warm water. I learned so much about myself through this experience. Mostly I wanted to be left alone, to rock back and forth and find a place inside myself that was strong and could work through the pain. I was the FIRST person to ever touch my son. I felt his head come out (I was on all fours in the birthing tub with my hand on his head the whole time) As he emerged into the world, I caught him in my arms, twisted around to a sitting position and looked at him for the first time.

Completely different from my previous experience where I was knocked out the whole time, awoke to find out she was a girl and passed out again for the night. At the age of nineteen--The nurses and doctor dictated what I was "allowed" to do then.

At 33--no one dictated anything to me. I created the environment, the experience and found myself in the process.

[Gloria]

Brave women are we! you found the courage to go forth and do the right thing all along. Good for you, it takes alot out a girl to become a women in the world. To like who you were before the moment you became a women, and to bounce into the new role of motherhood, with a new person that is innocent and nows nothing else besides it's mother and yes it's father, if it's father is available. The mother thankfully is usually the resource that makes everything work. Even though statistically those are antiquated facts so they say, I still think there are truly good men out there that want to do the right thing. Thank God, but the other ones that want to be players, and just "fool around", well...my thoughts there, are these people are in for some education. Because a lot of people find out the hard way, the easy way is uaually the easiet road there.
I just feel bad for young girls that don't have the support of never mind family, but the guy on the other end of the rope so to speak. Having a baby is big deal, it's not as easy as we would like to belive, it's a full time 24 hour a day job, pretty much for the rest of your life, your child will matter. I give you a lot of credit for being able to have your baby in circumstances that seemed less than desierable. I was 20 giving birth to my first son, it was like I was inducted into a whole new world. I can just hear that song by Disney in my head, it was one of delights, closures, beginings, getting advanced in the world as being able to know what it was like to bring a person in to the world. And the constant caring for little ones, the ooohs, and ahhas, of that baby is amazing, the wonder and the generation in the family going on. That is the new generation, that is the next impression, the one generation ends there, and begins anew in the face of that little person. It is one of the most wonderful experiences that life has to offer, and just imangine the ones that can't have, for what ever reason.
I wish you much luck, and enjoyment for you and your family.