Facts on Natural Childbirth

Came across this article on benefits on natural childbirth. I'm glad Benjamin is delivered naturally! :)

• labor often progresses quicker
• less of a risk of stalled labor, which often leads to a hospital recommending a C-section
• Drug-free means you can feel everything that is going on with your body
• you won't need the assistance of others to tell you when you should push as you can feel the contractions
• babies born naturally seem to fair better
• Unmedicated births result in a significantly fewer number of babies who become distressed in labor and require support with breathing after delivery
• the babies from unmedicated births are more alert and integrate rapidly with the surrounding environment

These are from another source:

• Quicker recovery for mother and baby
• Shorter labor
• More effective pushing, shorter pushing time
• Less tearing of the perineum
• Lower Cesarean rate
• Less chance of damage to baby’s brain due to drugs or misused forceps or vacuum
• Less chance of bodily harm to baby from forceps or vacuum
• Less need for interventions such as internal fetal monitor, continuous monitoring, IV, catheter
• Mother can move freely and get in comfortable position
• Shorter hospital stay
• Baby can latch on better and more quickly for breastfeeding moms
• Mother is in control of her body and can use instinct to birth the baby
• Mother is unmedicated and can bond more easily with her child
• No risk of prolonged pain from botched epidural or from Cesarean wound
• No long-term negative developmental or behavioral effects on the baby

Of course, I do believe every woman who is conceiving would hope to go for natural delivery but if things doesn't work out the way they wanted (due to complications to either the mother, baby or both), and they have to go for C-section, that doesn't mean they are less a mother than one who delivered naturally.

For those who are pregnant while reading this post, I pray that you will consider natural delivery and if possible to go drug free during the labour process (I used Entonox aka gas & air). I will blog on my delivery process next time - a miracle delivery to sum it up! :)