A Change of Heart-Part 3 of 3

I learned quite a bit from these films, my books and the childbirth class. First, the c-section rate in this country has and continues to skyrocket. (Remember my main motivation for doing all of this was to avoid a c-section, if at all possible.) Also, women who want to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) are being told no more and more often. For the most part, it's not because it isn't possible. Plenty of women have very successful VBAC's. Many doctors don't want to take the risk and it is much easier/convenient for everyone (or so we're told) to just keep having c-sections. 

Now, I realize there are definitely situations that arise where a c-section is absolutely necessary. And thank God we have medical advancements that allow doctors to save us and our babies! However, we've become a culture of convenience, including childbirth. You pick the date you want your baby born and you've got it.

Personally, I believe God designed our bodies to go into labor when the baby is ready. Not when the doctor thinks the baby is ready. (God really tested me with baby #4!) Of course there are exceptions. Our bodies do not always function the way God intended. But, we've become a society that has made it the rule.

The second bit of information I learned from the films and books was how Pitocin and Cytotec work. Pitocin is a synthetic drug given via IV to induce labor and/or get contractions regulated. The contractions are much stronger than normal contractions and cause added stress to the baby. This is another reason why a lot births end up in an emergency c-section.

Cytotec, also known as Misoprostol, is another drug used to induce labor. It is much less expensive than Pitocin and works better to induce labor because it also causes the cervix to thin out. Sometimes the two drugs are used together if the cervix hasn't changed. Cytotec is in a pill form so it is given by being inserted vaginally. 

What I didn't know is that Cytotec is NOT approved for labor induction. Its intended use is for the prevention of ulcers. The manufacturer warns that it should not be used on pregnant women because it could induce labor. Since it is a less expensive drug, physicians started using Cytotec "off label" to induce labor. 

The result? Women and babies have died because Cytotec can cause uterine ruptures and a doubled risk of amniotic fluid embolism. Because it is being used "off label" and is in a pill form, the physicians guess the dosage. Generally, the dose is half a pill. The manufacturer wrote a letter to warn against this "off label" use, but The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists doesn't think there is enough evidence to support discontinuing its use for labor induction.

If you've read the birth story of baby #2, then you know I was given Cytotec because my contractions slowed down after I received an epidural. Nobody told me the risks of this drug. I trusted my doctor to do what was best for me and my baby. 7 years later, I chose to take control of my childbirth experience and learned a lot more than I thought I would.

Ladies, we've given up our power. We're not very educated about one of the most important decisions of our lives. We go along with whatever our doctor suggests because they know best, right? I would encourage you to do some research and find a doctor or midwife who is willing to listen to you and help you experience the best childbirth possible.

Childbirth was intended to be an amazing, miraculous experience. Instead it's filled with horror stories. The end result is a precious baby. I wanted to experience an amazing childbirth in the process too...and let me tell you, it was truly amazing and rewarding! I will be sharing his birth story soon!

A Change of Heart-Part 2 of 3

My husband didn't understand why I would want to change things. He said having a natural childbirth was like getting a root canal without pain medication. Why would I want to do that to myself? Medical advancements have given us wonderful drugs to mask the pain. The epidural worked fine with the other 3 and since this was going to be our last birth, he figured we shouldn't change it now. Especially because I would be delivering in about 6-8 weeks.

After a few days of talking and tears, he finally understood how important it was to me. Particularly because it was going to be our last birth. I found out he was nervous about being my labor coach. When you go through labor just as long as you have to before getting an epidural, you really don't need a labor coach. He's never had to be that kind of support for me. I can understand the pressure he would be feeling. We agreed that I would look for a doula (professional labor coach) so he wouldn't have to be my main source of labor support.

I checked to see if my friend who teaches the childbirth classes would be available to offer us a shortened class. She got me in touch with a lady who was able to give us a private class. I'm so glad we took the class. It helped answer some of our questions and got us on the same page. It was great to gain more knowledge from another woman who has gone through natural childbirth. Her encouragement really helped give me confidence and hope that I could do it too.

My next task was finding a doula. I was talking with a good friend who suggested I see if a friend of hers would be willing to be my doula. She was almost certified to be a midwife so she might be a good fit. After a couple of emails and a phone call,  she agreed to be my doula. I was so relieved! It looked like I was finally going to get a better birthing experience where I was in control.

I continued reading my books and doing the exercises to prepare for the big day. There were a couple of documentaries on Netflix that we watched. The first was The Business of Being Born. I had a "lightbulb" moment while watching this film. They talked about how common it is to hear women sharing their horror stories of childbirth. SO TRUE! The film really opened my eyes to childbirth in America. Frankly, it's very sad to see how we have given up control of our childbirth experiences. I highly recommend this documentary, but be forewarned, there are a few scenes of women giving birth. ;)

The second documentary we watched was Pregnant in America. A father expecting his first child decides to document their experience. I thought it was a very good film. It also peaked my interest because they live in my hometown of Tucson, AZ.

Watching these films gave me more confidence and knowledge that I was making the right decision for me and my baby. I realized that many of the issues I had with my previous births were most likely the result of the interventions I received. It is VERY common for contractions to slow down once you receive an epidural. It is VERY common to receive Pitocin or Cytotec in order to get the contractions going again. It is also VERY common for these chain of events to lead to a c-section. Thankfully, I had a doctor who gave me a chance to deliver on my own with baby #2 & #3, without jumping to an emergency c-section like too many doctors would have done.

And now, for the rest of the story:
Change-of-heart-part-3-of-3

A Change of Heart-Part 1 of 3

Ten years ago, I was pregnant with baby #1. I had no doubt in my mind that I would get an epidural come delivery time. I couldn't understand why anyone would choose to have a natural childbirth in this day and age. I figured there was no reason to attempt it when there are great drugs to eliminate the pain.

We took a childbirth class at the hospital. I didn't get a whole lot out of it though. With baby #2 and #3, I didn't think I needed to take a refresher class. I thought I was a pro by this point and didn't think a class would be of any help.

I experienced back labor with baby #1. It was difficult to go through the pain of labor until I was dilated enough to get an epidural. The biggest side effect I experienced was uncontrollable shaking. I was so cold from the fluids rushing into my body. It was miserable, but I thought it was better than the pain of back labor.

Baby #2 was not back labor. I was very thankful! The labor was still very painful, but at least it wasn't in my back. When it was time, I got an epidural. I experienced the same side effects as the first time. However, this time the epidural caused my contractions to slow down too. In order to get the contractions back on track, the nurse gave me a drug called Cytotec. It worked and labor progressed.

When baby #2 was born, he was very quiet. The nurse ended up taking him from me right after he was born because she said he was holding his breath. She put him on oxygen for a little while and thumped his foot to get him to start crying and breathing better. After that, he was fine.

My labor and delivery with baby #3 was pretty traumatic. It was back labor again. I did not handle the labor very well. I was close to hyperventilating, my face was tingling and my eye was twitching. When I got the epidural, I experienced the same side effects as the first time. Then my blood pressure tanked and the baby's heart rate plummeted. I had to be put on oxygen and an internal monitor was placed in the baby's head before he was born. Thankfully, he delivered normally and was just fine.

After baby #3, I decided that if we were going to have a baby #4, I wanted it to be different. I didn't want to experience the panicked, out of control feeling I had with baby #3. My other fear with having a fourth baby was ending up with a cesarean section. I had 3 normal deliveries and I didn't want to end up having a cesarean with the last birth.

I wasn't sold on the idea of having an unmedicated birth because I wasn't sure I could do it. But, I did want to learn some techniques on how to handle my labor better. I have a friend who teaches childbirth classes and I was interested in learning more about it in order to be better prepared for baby #4. The classes were once a week for about 3 months. With my husband working and going to school full time, he wasn't interested in adding something else to his schedule. I understood and accepted the fact that I would probably end up getting an epidural and pray I could deliver without a cesarean.

When I was 32 weeks pregnant with baby #4 I had a change of heart. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law were in town with their baby. We started talking about her labor and delivery. I found out they went through the same set of childbirth classes that my friend teaches. She also told me that she had an unmedicated birth WITH Pitocin! I was completely amazed! (Pitocin is a synthetic drug that is used to induce labor. The contractions are much stronger and much more painful than normal.) It was then that I decided, if she can have a natural labor and endure the added pain of Pitocin, then surely I could do it! 

I was inspired and had a whole new respect for my sister-in-law. She encouraged me to read the Bradley Method book called Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way and practice the exercises on my own. Her encouragement and faith in me that I could do it meant so much to me.

I immediately bought the book and contacted my friend who teaches the classes. I was hoping to be able to take a shorter version of the class. She suggested that I buy Ina May Gaskin's book called Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. My friend was a huge source of support for me as well. I had my mind made up and had some good support, but I needed to get my husband on board...

Here's the next part of the story:
Change-of-heart-part-2-of-3