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What is ``natural childbirth?``
Added: 80 days ago.
Added by: MichelleMc
Section: General.
Status: This question is Closed. (Questions will be closed after 10 days.)


Hello. I always thought when people said ``natural childbirth`` they were referring to a birth with no pain relief, or, depending on the person, also no vacuum, forceps, etc. Lately I keep seeing people saying they had an epidural, then in the next sentence saying they gave birth naturally. Someone I knew in real life had some kind of pain intervention, then told everyone afterward that she had her son naturally. Can someone clarify what natural childbirth actually is? I`m all confused now, lol. :)

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MichelleMc - 78 days ago Thanks, everyone! So it really does vary per person, hehe. I guess in the future I'll just have to ask a few more questions to clarify what someone's birth process was. Thank you very much for all your replies. :)

RobinG - 79 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) In my eyes vaginally with or without drugs ~ even if you have drugs, if you have the baby vaginally it is still natural but with meds. I prefer to call it 3 things ~ section, natural unmedicated or natural medicated :)

mrsbekki - 79 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) Natural birth is when you deliver vaginally with NO pain relief and a little medical interventions as possible. I have never heard it anyway when talking with others or reading books. I find it strange when people consider it Natural when they have had medication. Its not letting your body react Naturally to the birth process. I looked online for the the definition and this is what I got from freedictonary.com - Noun 1. natural childbirth - labor and childbirth without medical intervention; no drugs are given to relieve pain or aid the birth process; "natural childbirth is considered the safest for the baby" This was in http://www.merriam-webster.com: a system of managing childbirth in which the mother receives preparatory education in order to remain conscious during and assist in delivery with minimal or no use of drugs or anesthetics Hope this helps with all the confusion.

corrin - 79 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) i have people ask me that all the time when they find out how big my son was when he was born... i just say well he came out the right way but i had drugs...lol...some people look at me like what????? but i suppose everyone is different...i guess some people think naturally is out the va jay jay like the way a baby is supposed to come out i guess and haveing a c section is intervention. who knows who cares as long as the baby gets out i say!!!lol

preggaliciouslydelicious - 79 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) Im my eyes, a natural birth is a vaginal birth with no drugs. i do hear many people saying the same thing but using an epidural. To make it simple... i say "did you give birth naturally?"... "yes" ohhh... "did you get an epidural?" then they tell you:] or they say no but the dr gave me some kinda meds to ease the pain. hahahaha.

ibaheir2dathrone - 79 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) Lol, I bet your still confused!! (I know I am, after reading the answers)lol It looks like it depends on who you ask. What's natural to one isn't to another. lol.

BBno3 - 79 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I would say that giving birth "naturally" means you gave birth vaginally and not by csection. Although I have heard women that gave birth vaginally without drugs say that THEY gave birth naturally & meant that they didn't use drugs so... I guess it's a toss up for some people.

Spike - 80 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) natural childbirth is not necicerly drug free (gas and air otherwise known as entox is classed as a drug as it alters your state of alertness) but it is an unasisted vaginal birth where there is no episiotomy done, or use of ventouse (vacum) or forcepts used.

moms the word - 80 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) Natural childbirth is a drug free, vaginal delivery. The use of delivery aids like forceps and vacuum does not make it not a natural birth in my opinion. Every woman obviously has her own idea of what natural is and that is mine.

mommy-of-3 - 80 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) A natural childbirth is a vaginal delivery with absolutely no drugs of any kind from start to finish....

mariettap - 80 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I wonder if the confusion you've noticed comes from some people's discomfort saying the word "vaginal" out loud.

MichelleMc - 80 days ago Okay, so to most people vaginal childbirth = natural childbirth, apparently. I see what you're saying about everyone have their own definition of it, lol. Thanks for your replies. :)

sarahann - 80 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I always believed that a natural childbirth was a vaginal childbirth (regardless of drugs etc) however when I was pregnant I realised that it actually meant a drug free (no intervention) birth. I think most people just regard a vaginal birth as natural though. I agree, it is confusing!

ibudoris - 80 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I think everyone has their own definition of "natural birth" it sounds like many you have talked to, and from my experience too, that most people think if it isn't a c-section, it is natural no matter what drugs or helps were involved.