If you are feeling short on miracles just spend some time around birth and babies. We just need to open our eyes to
the wonder of it all. I recently spoke at the first Western ICEA – International Childbirth Educators Conference in Burbank, California. My seminar was, “The Power and Psychology of Birth Comforts. How to Teach Them and Why They Work.” We gathered to learn and “Bridge the Gap and Connect the Birth Community.”
We all know that epidurals are the choice of most birthing mothers today. A pain free birth … sounds good to me. In fact, I recently saw a web video and a television segment on epidurals. The epidural sounded so good I wanted to request one and I wasn’t even having a baby! In fact, if you do a word match game and shout out “labor” the first word back is “epidural” or “pain.”
The birth of choice for over 65% of American women is – NUMB.
Yes, mom can be numb and pain free while her body carries on the miracle of birthing her baby. With an epidural, mom can watch TV, talk on her phone, have visitors, and do anything as long as it is in bed because she has no feeling in her lower extremities. No Worries, you just have to put up with a few tubings; a small medicine catheter in your spine, a blood pressure cup, IV fluid and medicine lines, a fetal heart monitor, and an urine catheter. And if they need any other equipment or attachments they will be quick to get it for you. No Worries, because the hospital staff is ready for any epidural complications or anything that might disrupt the calm.
When an epidural is given if a mother’s blood pressure drops - No Worries, your hospital staff will increase your hydration IV, give medications or oxygen
OR, if the labors slows – No Worries, they got it covered with a synthetic hormone in an IV and if that doesn’t work to keep things going. No Worries, they can still get the baby out with a C-section
OR, if baby’s heart beat seems to be a problem – too slow, too fast - No Worries, they are monitoring in anticipation for this and will change your position, try other interventions and if they are still concerned they can quickly do a C-section.
OR, when your bladder is numb and you don’t know when to pee - No Worries, that’s ok, because they will insert a special tube up into your bladder that empties your urine for you
OR, if you get very itchy from the medication in the epidural, don’t let that drive you crazy – No Worries, they will give you another medication that can help with that itchy sensation
OR, if you get sh-sh-shivers because your body’s heat regulating system is confused - No Worries, ask for a warm blanket
OR, if you (and your baby) get a fever – again No Worries, they know this happens and can treat it with ice chips and medications
OR, if you have difficulty pushing your baby out because your pelvic muscles are numb - No Worries, the medical staff will prop your legs up and shout when the monitor says you should push
OR, when your body feels like your mouth does after the dentist and it is taking awhile to push baby out – No Worries, they know it will take extra time to push baby out with the epidural so they will keep helping you, as long as it takes
OR, if you just can’t feel enough to really push effectively and birth your baby - No Worries, your doctor has tools including a baby-getter-outer-vacuum that fits on baby’s head just for this problem and helps suck baby out
OR, if you need more room to get the baby’s head out – No Worries, your doctor can cut a little down there (it’s ok, your completely numb, you won’t feel a thing) and make the birth opening wider to get the baby’s head out. No Worries, after the baby is born your doctor will sew up the cut with stitches that dissolve later.
No Worries throughout pregnancy your body has know just what to do … from two tiny cells to a little individual, the mother’s uterus muscle that grows an inch in thickness to prepare for the hardest work a muscle will do, amniotic fluid that cushions and surrounds the baby refreshes itself every two hours, on-and-on zillions of little miracles go …
Until labor and birth begins …
Oh no, this must be a bad joke.
What? Mom’s body isn’t made to get her baby out!
No Worries, we’ll take over from here …
No Worries, we will numb you, it’s the best. After all, you should know, birthing a baby is way too hard for most women.
Ok, I am worried. Most women request an epidural early in their hospital stay. Already they are scared, exhausted, uncomfortable, and in pain. Epidurals are offered and it sounds wonderful, just like their friends told them it would be. And it is good relief, because we have forgotten how to birth and have lost the pathway to the powerful comforts that are within. Coaches and doulas guide us there, but it takes work and conditioning to learn our own bodies and how we might cope with the intensity of birth. Birth is a marathon and a miracle. It can be the hardest work a woman’s body will do in one day. It takes training mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually to fully participate in this amazing event.
I have had six babies. I wanted them. I waited for them. I labored hard for them. Even as a young twenty-year-old mom, I wasn’t afraid and wanted to own my birth experience. The harder my body worked the deeper I went. Someone along the way told me my body was made for this and I trusted it. No Worries
Was it all easy? No. But it was my journey, my step into motherhood with each of my children. I was blessed to have a great husband-coach and the knowledge and techniques of how to work with my birthing body. I know not everyone wants or can have, due to medical complications, the experiences I have had. For me, it was magical, and it was empowering.
Shortly after my first baby was born, I trained to become a Childbirth Educator. For over two decades I have taught couples to embrace the miracle of birth.
No Worries, the magic goes on.
