Should it be called a “natural” delivery?

[CaptainJason]

I’ve got two DC, my first was an emergency c section and my second was a VBAC, so I’ve had both types of delivery.

I have noticed the use of the phrase “natural birth” or “natural delivery” (one doctor asked if I’d had a “normal delivery”), and I wondered what people think of it.

I personally think it should be referred to as either a c section or a vaginal delivery.

I theoretically understand that a vaginal delivery is “natural” in that it is what nature intended, but I also think if you’ve had any form of intervention at all, “natural” doesn’t seem to fit.

@Relocatethecockringsbeforethemormonsarrive should medical professionals call it “natural” instead of “vaginal”? When does it become unnatural?

I just couldn't be arsed to be offended whatever the medical professional decides it is 🤷‍♀️

'natural' to be always meant no meds etc, now I dunno what it means.
And I had a semi - emergency c section. Not ashamed, I probably would have died without it

That's how I would define it: unmedicated vaginal delivery.

I had a vaginal delivery but definitely wouldn't class it as natural as I needed pretty much every intervention except for a c-section (but it was close). It ended with a dr using his foot to get leverage to haul dd out of me. Very grateful for everything they did, but it felt a long way from the peaceful water birth that I imagined!

It's pretty normal if it prevents the baby or mother's death wouldn't you say!?

Well I got the 'oh so not a REAL delivery then' from my DH's ex wife when she found out I'd had a (medically advised) section!

Is there a distinction between natural and forceps for example? Still vaginal but needing intervention.

Either way I’ve had all c-section deliveries and as long as medical professionals do their jobs in terms of keeping me and my baby safe and healthy they can call it whatever they like.

This made me chuckle 20odd years ago when I was having my children. If anyone asked who delivered them I replied "I did" used to drive me nuts..

For me I am ok with the term natural birth and vaginal. I'm not ok with normal.

I've given birth 4 tines 1 with an epidural 1 with pethidine and 2 homebirths. All technically "normal as used by many. However very different births and due to this I prefer vaginal or natural as I dont think any 2 births are the same and due to this none can be "Normal"

“Through the sun roof” bothers me a lot more than “natural”.

I've had a vaginal birth and most recently a C-section. Personally, I wouldn't be offended by this, as I don't see my c-section as a natural or normal birth. It was a surgical operation to urgently remove the baby. Very different from my first birth.

No, everybody knows natural birth means baby coming out of the natural route of birth, the birth canal not that it was an unmedicated labor.
Pain relief in labor doesn't stop a vaginal birth being natural.

This thread alone has had people who think natural = vaginal, natural = vaginal with no intervention and natural = vaginal, no intervention and no pain relief!

A c section is not a normal birth but that doesn't mean it's something to be ashamed of as it's often a necessity.
Women who give birth naturally also recieve insensitive comments on their vagina and sex life and can have life changing injuries and lasting effects but it's always the c section mums that are on our case about wanting to erase and minimise this huge event to a woman's body. By all means campaign for reducing c section stigma but hands off natural, normal births. They are a separate type and deserve their own separate acknowledgement because the effects on a woman's body and baby are indeed scientifically different physically and psychologically to that of a c section so don't lump all births in one basket for the sake of sparing some women's irrational internalised feelings of inadequecy because that actually does women and babies a disservice. Words have meanings and it's important to call a spade a spade.

Because they are being deliberately disingenuous to inflame the discussion and dismiss natural births. It's very obvious and happens everytime we have a thread on this topic.

I disagree. I've met people in real life who have different meanings for the term natural birth

If someone asked me if I had a 'normal' birth I would assume that meant no complications rather than vaginal or c sec.

Within this thread, the OP and a few others make a good case, on paper, for the use of 'vaginal birth'. It makes sense. However, I don't think it matters. It's an emotive subject and many mothers care about not being made to feel 'less than', while others possibly enjoy feeling 'more than'.

I like to think I know what a mother means whichever and whatever terms they use, and if I don't, I'll ask a question (if appropriate at the time). Yes, there are many 'more correct' words to use and arguably words matter, but I would feel a total grunt bringing up this topic during a conversation with another mother or in a mums group. 'Don't you mean vaginally, because...?'

I don't think we are there yet societally. However, the PP who was told she was the only mother in the antenatal (?) class who didn't have a normal birth did not need to hear that! The lady clearly needed training.

Many women are already very sensitive about this topic much like they are when discussing breastfeeding v bottle feeding, or having one child over multiple, or ... etc.

I wouldn't feel comfortable discussing how I became a mother to someone I've just met (not that OP's advocating this). I do recall it wasn't straightforward! But if that person (usually a woman, right?) simply didn't ask other questions and seemingly wanted to just know whether it was vaginal, natural, normal or conventional over having an abnormal, unconventional, unnatural C-section, just so they can file it in some binary mental folder system of theirs, then I'd know enough about them to similarly file them in a 'less so' category.

Of course words matter, but in this context of women discussing the topic amongst each other, intention is important as well.

@Mum2So I completely agree that intention is important; I’m not ashamed of my c section but I did find at some baby classes when DD was tiny that some women were very smug that they’d had a “natural” delivery when I’d had such an unnatural experience (and quickly learned who not to become friends with!).

For those who prefer the term “natural” delivery, if you went for a smear or similar and got asked what sort of birth/delivery you had, would you say “natural” or would you say “vaginal”?

Not being goady there, I’m just curious, as I would always say I’d had a c section followed by a vaginal delivery!

I don’t think “normal” is ok, but natural is. Because it’s what is natural. Vaginal would also be fine.

I’m pretty sure I’ve said both of these to be honest.

Forgive my ignorance here, but isn’t a c-section usually because of complications? I know there’s the phrase “too posh to push” but I thought it was quite rare to opt for a c-section “just because”?

I think normal or natural is totally fine to use

@GretchenWienersHair I think elective c sections are becoming quite common now; when I queried the statistics at another nearby hospital to me, they claimed that over half of the c sections they do in a given month are elective.