natural childbirth - never possible?

[Lil]

When I hear the rally cry to 'natural childbirth' and the cynicism of modern intervention, I am always curious as to how many women/babies in current times would 'probably' have died without today's medical help?

Although my own 2 were easy 'natural' births (plus gas 'n air). I know my mother and therefore me, would not have survived, as baby Lil had to be induced 2 months early on due to my mother's kidney failure. Without sounding morbid, does anyone else here think their lives were saved through modern intervention?

I planned for a natural birth. I'd ordered my birthing stool, and was al revved up for dealing with it all 'naturally".....you can NEVER predict what is going to happen. My birthing stool had not even arrived when my waters broke at 37 weeks and unfortunately my birth had to be induced. It was bloody painful and I ended up having an epidural, after being all hippy and optimistic for the previous 8 months.

Why were you induced at 37 weeks? I know your waters had gone but was it a gush or a trickle????

Again this is a case of one OB doing it one way and another doing it another way!

I'm with Maryz - my DS was also born with the same condition and without an emergancy c/s he would have died, so might I - in fact when my DH asked if everything would be alright - as he was banished from the theatre - he was told 'your wife will probably be OK' What annoys me is that I had asked for an elective c/section in the first place and was told it was totally unecessary & then ended up with an emergancy!!

MaryZ - sorry to ask you on this thread but haven't 'seen' you elsewhere recently - I believe on another thread you mentioned that one of your children had special needs, is this related to the saggital synostosis - if so, could you let me know if I should be looking out for anything. Sorry if this appears intrusive.

Thanks Maryz - yes, does seem a bit of a coincidence for your family!

I have no doubt that medical intervention can save the lives of babies - there simply is no doubt! But I have the same conviction that natural birth (ie with no drugs) is poosible. I had a water birth at home with my daughter with no medical assistance whatsoever.

One just has to be careful when deciding on where/how to give birth. I do beleive that a healthy woman has a very high chance of having a natural birth. One must also remember that environment can also influence whether or not intervension is needed.

yup me and my little ones wouldnt be here without medical intervention. dd was birth from hell & em c/section, ds was el c/section. I have an odd shaped pelvis. My gran persisted to tell me when dd was born that in 'her' day dd would have been cut out of me after I had died-grannies are lovely arent they.

monkey my friend had an undiagnosed breech baby, the hospital didnt know until her dds buttocks appeared-needless to say it wasnt a very pleasant experience for either of them & poor friend couldnt walk for a fortnight