Pressured into Inducing

Two years on and the stories I hear are still the same:

Women being "gently" pressured towards induction for non-medically threatening reasons like "a few days over due date".

And the storyline that unfolds from there on is all too predictable and familiar:

Mom isn't prepared for induction. Mind isn't prepared for induction. Body isn't prepared for induction. Baby isn't prepared to come out.

So Mom's body is tense. Because her mind is tense. It goes against her natural instinct of giving birth to her own baby.

She starts to doubt her own body's ability to birth her baby.

And when mom tenses up, her birthing muscles tense up, and the cervix can't dilate. AND NO AMOUNT OF INDUCTION MEDICATION CAN UNDO THIS.

What happens next? Mom is told baby is in danger due to long labour, Mom feels helpless and tired and disappointed with herself. By now, she just wants the ordeal to end, so "whatever you say doctor, if you think I need a c section now, then so be it."

Mom comes out of the c section traumatised, but tries to convince herself that she did the best thing for her baby, and that her baby is healthy is the most important. All attention is now on the baby and mom is left wondering what she had just put herself through. She feels scarred (literally and psychologically) and in most cases, feels the anti-climax of the birth she never experienced.

THIS HAS TO STOP.

Moms, start educating yourself about the birthing process. Learn the techniques to get the natural birth you want. Do not "leave it up" to your gynae to dictate what's best for you.

Despite what you have been taught at hospital pre-natal classes, that casually tell you about various pain relief options as if they are the norm, find out for yourself alternative ways of pain management that are drug-free and effective.

I am sure there are many out there who are simply resigned to "screaming it out" and "enduring until cannot endure" when the time comes. And if cannot then "no choice" ask for epidural.

You have a choice.

YOU CAN HAVE A GENTLE BIRTH IF YOU PREPARE FOR IT.

Like a triathlete preparing to run a marathon trains for months. Like a gungfu master who spends hours each day training his mind. Like a diver practises a new way to breathe underwater.

It is possible if you set your heart, mind and time to it.

You can call it hypnobirthing, gentle birthing whatever. It's about a technique of breathing that needs to be practised daily, and mind conditioning.

Because only if the mind is fully relaxed can the body fully relax. And only if the body relaxes can the cervix dilate, and the birth passage expand to allow baby out. The concept is that simple.

Of course not everyone is a suitable candidate for a VBAC. But if you are, as confirmed by your gynae, do prepare yourself well for it.

So you can fully enjoy the empowering experience of a natural birth.

May you have a successful VBAC!