A case for natural birth - it's NATURAL!

Of all the frivolous reasons I could think of when I hear about first-time mothers opting to give birth by caesarean section, the one that takes the cake is the doctor playing up to the fears of the pregnant lady by suggesting the option of going under the knife to bypass the so-called "risks" and pain of natural birth.

This is more common than you'd think.

I have come across many healthy expectant first-time moms who, because of ignorance and undue pressure from their doctors, have been persuaded to go for a C-section so that they do not have to deal with the unexpected arrival of their baby at odd hours, the pain of labour and yes, the horrifying thought of a stretched and loose vagina. We need not go further to discuss the real motives behind such unscrupulous doctors.

I am all for C-sections if there are VALID medical reasons whereby natural birth would be a great risk to the lives of the unborn child and mother.

But other than that, consider the fact that for thousands of years, women have given birth naturally, they have survived the process and that is how it is meant to be.

And please, do not fall for the stupid rumour that your husband will notice how "loose" you have become once the baby has pushed through the birth canal. Nature has a wonderful way of healing and there are in fact Kegel exercises that a new mom can do, not just to tighten up but also to maintain the muscles that will prevent problems like incontinence when you start to age.

Giving birth naturally is really not as scary as some people make it out to be. Yes, it is painful but bear in mind that pain is not going to last forever and ever. It'll be over soon enough and when you hold your baby in your arms, all the pain will be erased from your mind. If you don't believe me, ask the majority of women who continue to go through the same process again and again. If it was THAT bad, would they have willingly gone through it again?

Most people are just crippled by the thought of it, instead of thinking that well, it's all in a day's work, isn't it? That would have made things easier - at least, that was how I overcome my own fears by adopting a rational approach to dealing with the unknown. I went into the labour room thinking I have a job to do and I'd just get on with it, sweat it out if I have to and try not to cause too much fuss if I can help it. Half the battle was already won before I even step into the labour room because I figured it would be pointless and ridiculous to allow myself to be reduced to a total wreck out of fear for something which is part of the natural process of evolution.

I feel that women are sometimes bullied into a magnified state of fear whereby they are already defeated and gave up the whole idea before even giving it a chance. They probably did not factor in the likelihood that once they have a C-section birth, all future pregnancies would most likely end up the same way.

And in this matter, I think private doctors could play a more proactive part in encouraging natural births in first-time mothers and thereby reducing unnecessary c-sections than the numbers we are seeing today, especially in urban areas.

Why?

Because there are inherent risks with caesarean section births that a lot of doctors are not telling you.

One of them is as reported in theSUN's frontpage today.

Madam S. Amutha Devi, 28, was expecting her third child and because of placenta complications, she was admitted for one and a half months to Bukit Mertajam Hospital before being sent to Penang Hospital on Sept 11 for close observation.

On Sept 14, Madam Amutha was wheeled into the operating theatre of Penang Maternity Hospital for a caesarean section.

When the doctors brought her son out after the operation, her husband M. Muthukumar saw to his horror a deep cut measuring almost 7cm running down the right side of the baby's face. The doctors told him that the cut would be stitched up and the baby was sent to the plastics surgeon.

A gynaecologist, who did not want to be named, said such cases happen but doctors need to be careful and must know when to stop.

"The doctor usually has to cut through the outer, middle and then inner layer before going through the uterus wall. Sometimes the amniotic fluid is still around the baby, so there is some space. However, when there is no fluid left, and the baby's head is pressed against the inner uterine wall, and if the cut is too deep, the scalpel may nick the baby," he added.

It is most unfortunate and certainly traumatic for the parents and the baby that such a thing had happened. But we have to also bear in mind that this is just ONE of the risks of caesarian births that many may not be aware of.

Whether it was accidental or due to negligence, there was nothing much that Madam Amutha and her husband could do now as they could not have avoided the caesarian section birth nor could they have foreseen such a thing happening to them.

But, what IF Madam Amutha could have given birth naturally but CHOSE to go for the c-section due to non-medical reasons?

Would it be something she and her husband will regret for a long time?