Women’s Voice, Women’s Choice, Women’s Right

Hi ladies,

I’m gathering together, with your kind cooperation, womens’ thoughts and experiences of childbirth and thoughts/opinions/experiences about what women are expected to experience and conform to. Nature versus intervention, what have you been told you have to do. Are you immediately supported in having a natural birth or are you being denied this opportunity? Are you wanting intervention before or as soon as labour starts? Is caesarean your only option for your birthing experience. What have you been told about VBAC’s, breech births and pelvis sizes? The stories will be going into a book and I’m hoping it can be presented to the various medical bodies that govern how our doctors and midwives perform.

If you would like to participate could you please email me:
mymagenta@hotmail.com

Thank you for your interest.
Toni

well i think all women should experiences natural birth,i had gas and air but i still felt everythin and its amazing.like when i pushed kieran out not many women gets to feel that,its weird but amazing at the same time.i think i can go with out gas and air but its funny so i will have it again lol xxxx

I agree catgirl with my first I just had Gas and Air and with number 2 I had no pain relief and I'm so glad I was able to feel and control the whole thing

i agree hunni i have only had gas and air with my three girls i was asked if i would have a caesarean with 2 of mine as they was late and i am elergic to the prostin gel they use to induce you but i refused because i wanted the experience again of delivering my babies on my own and i did and there fine. its amazing there is nothing else like it

i definately think that women should be given more of a chance to experience natural birth. its all a bit medical these days with staff telling you that you can only go overdue by twelve days or that things are progressing to fast/to slow. its my opinion (i do not wish to cause an outrage here its just my thoughts xxx) that the medical proffession interfer far to often and as a result women loose faith in their ability to birth their baby and are more easily persuaded to follow somone elses birth plan. i realise that in many cases it is necessary to intervene but i agree that women should be given more encouragement and more chance to have a natural birth, and how they want it rather than being told that they cant move, use the pool etc. x

casey27 said:
i definately think that women should be given more of a chance to experience natural birth. its all a bit medical these days with staff telling you that you can only go overdue by twelve days or that things are progressing to fast/to slow. its my opinion (i do not wish to cause an outrage here its just my thoughts xxx) that the medical proffession interfer far to often and as a result women loose faith in their ability to birth their baby and are more easily persuaded to follow somone elses birth plan. i realise that in many cases it is necessary to intervene but i agree that women should be given more encouragement and more chance to have a natural birth, and how they want it rather than being told that they cant move, use the pool etc. x

i agree hun, think back a few years to when women had children, child birth was so different back then, things weren't so medical, i know alot more babies and women wouldnt of survived then like they do now but surely there is somewhere between!i had pethidine, which may i say did absolutely nothing for me and so then used gas and air but i would love to try it without anything next time! i do think women should have more of a say than what they do! xxx

I don't usually post here, but I so totally disagree with this that I can't resist.

WHY should we be forced to experience a natural birth? What is so great about pain? Why should we be made to feel guilty if we have pain relief or other interventions?

I hate it that we are told natural birth is best, and made to feel guilty for asking for help. Why is natural best? I just don't get it.

I have had two children by c-section, one I had no choice, one I did. I don't regret it now, but after the first I felt a total failure for not giving birth naturally, midwives added to this feeling and I felt so down and miserable.

Medical science gives us the choice to take the pain out of childbirth, why shouldn't we make that choice?

Dorothy, you are so right in your experiences and your own observations. What you are missing from the intention of this thread is that the choice of childbirth is being taken away.

These are the stories that I am seeking. It's the gap inbetween what you expected when pregnant, what you had written down in your birth plan and what you ended up receiving during labour and post-birth.

Dorothy, it sounds like you do have a story from your first birthing experience. I'd dearly love to read it if you're interested in sharing. I think you have a voice in your story that needs to be heard.

If anyone feels that they do have something to say about their own experiences, please feel free to email me... mymagenta@hotmail.com

If you wish your story to be anonymous, your wish will be obliged.
Thank you ladies x