Natural Childbirth: Not Martyrdom or Heroism

I'm not a martyr. And yes, I am fully aware that a successful natural childbirth does not earn me a medal.

Those of us who promote and practice natural childbirth are often viewed as a strange breed who either love pain, or who want to prove themselves better than other women by "going natural". "Why be a martyr?" and "What are you trying to prove?" are common questions from people who don't understand. Many women who have gone the traditional medical route wrongly assume that in vocalizing my reasoning for natural birth, I am judging them as deficient or bad and they often get angry and defensive.

The truth is, choosing natural birth has nothing to do with some twisted desire to play the martyr, or with a need to somehow be a better woman than others. For most, the choice is made from a desire for a safe birth (physically and/or emotionally), or a personally empowering birth, or an uncomplicated birth, or a quiet, un-rushed birth, or a birth not involving scissors, scalpels, vacuums, stirrups, straps, "Property of" hospital gowns, needles large and small, and a clock quickly ticking away the seconds they are permitted to "try" to labor naturally before the OB jumps in and starts trying to manage nature. For me, considering the risks and benefits of various ways to give birth played a huge part in my decision to refuse all routine interventions and only allow any intervention after serious consideration and with a pressing medical reason. All I have to do if I start to get nervous about my impending delivery is to go over the risk-benefit list.

Elective Cesarean section is the most obvious example of this. Lets not forget that this method of delivery carries with it all the risks of any major surgery, because that's what it is. Even if all goes well, there are many "normal" but seriously unpleasant side effects of this surgery that do not come with natural childbirth. In the case of a healthy mother and baby with a normal pregnancy, C-section might seem like and easy and convenient option, but it carries far more risks than going through a normal, natural labor.