The Renaissance of Natural Childbirth

Truth Overtakes Myth

By Linda Sechrist

Is there any one among us, boy or girl, man or woman, able to resist the lure of a story told by our mother about the day we made our flailing entrance into the world? Our mother’s birthing story–details of the midnight rush to the hospital, an unexpected home delivery, or the flood of emotions as the precious little one was gently laid on mother’s chest–can be an everlasting source of delight and interconnectedness.

In a recent book, Adventures in Natural Childbirth, editor Janet Schwegel brings together a collection of 39 personal birthing stories of women who have chosen natural childbirth. Accompanied by midwives, doulas or physicians they share personal stories of pregnancies, labor and natural births, mindful that this archetypal rite of passage calls forth a woman’s inborn power and strength. Opening doors for others who want to trust their body’s ability to birth naturally, their narratives support and encourage a return to a less medically and technically dominated process as was the norm before the 18th and 19th centuries.

Informed Choices

Here in the west Michigan area, Susan Wente, midwife and owner of Home Birthworks has been helping families return to a more natural means of childbirth for 28 years. And now, even after assisting women in birthing more than 2500 children, Wente is still in love with her work and finds it refreshing to see more women educating themselves about natural childbirth options.

The benefits of homebirthing slip easily from Wente’s lips as she readily drops her top ten. "Most important," she says, "is the fact that women feel much more satisfied and empowered. Husbands feel the same if they choose to be involved. There is a lower instance of infection and hemorrhaging, less need for the use of forceps, rarely an episiotomy, lower instance of C-Sections and comparably higher instances of success in breastfeeding. Also women have more energy after the birth."

Pointing out the real secrets to a successful homebirth, the only Certified Nurse Midwife in the region says, "A healthy mother and a healthy pregnancy." Wente presently does prenatal care in the home. However, in her newly opened office, she will give physicals, prenatal and postpartum care. Wente’s gynecological check-ups and family planning sessions emphasize the need for full women’s health care, not just during pregnancy.

Midwife, Barbara Olsen, is quick to speak of the safety myth surrounding homebirthing. She cites the recent North American study published by the BMJ Publishing Group comparing the outcomes of 5,000 women planning homebirths with a midwife to women electing low-risk hospital births. "The outcomes of planned homebirths were as good as hospital outcomes, but with fewer interventions and greater satisfaction," Olsen says. "The national rate of transfer from a planned homebirth to the hospital is less than 15 percent and if there is a problem we can assess it and decide if we need to call an ambulance or if it is safe to transport the mother ourselves."

A professional midwife involved in an average of 50 to 60 births a year, Olsen assists her midwife colleague, Patrice Bobier, with whom she apprenticed with for three years before becoming a midwife. With a smile in her voice, she advises the love of her work is the result of the glow on women’s faces when their baby is laid in their arms. "It changes their life," says Olsen, "because natural childbirth is a wonderfully empowering experience that allows women to be the strong and competent beings that they are."

Patrice Bobier, of Full Circle Midwifery went to her first homebirth in 1977 and shortly after she began midwife training. She has been in private practice since 1982 and has delivered nearly 1200 babies. A busy midwife who handles about 45 to 55 births a year, she can attest to the growing popularity of homebirthing. More women are searching us out," says Bobier. "Hospitals have backed away from offering vaginal birth delivery services to women who have previously had a C-Section. Homebirths and midwives are now the only option for women who want to do this."

According to Bobier one of the highlights of being a midwife for so many years is being able to deliver babies for the children she once helped to bring into the world. "It is very special to reconnect with parents whose birth I attended 25 years ago."

Yolanda Visser of Birth Song Midwifery has been a midwife for 26 years. "I come from the old school and particularly value preserving the cultural roots that make homebirthing a family centered event. It is a life initiation for a women, one in which she goes from a maiden to a mother and if a woman opts for a traditional hospital birth, she may sleep through it and miss the part where she takes ownership."

From Visser’s perspective, women need to reclaim their pregnancies just as much as birthing which means getting intimately acquainted with their bodies from the first moment they know they are pregnant. "Women should be attuned and recognize their body’s monthly changes as well as interested in how they can take part in the important prenatal care of their baby from month to month," says Visser. They can do this by being active participants and drawing their partners into the process as well as by paying attention, showing interest, and asking questions about what they can do and the choices they can make. Bonding starts at the beginning and continues beyond delivery.

Comforting Options

At its best, homebirthing is a family affair. Women can enjoy the comfort of being able to walk around, have meals, take a shower and spend time with her children and husband while waiting on the baby’s arrival. Husbands can be involved and supportive during and after the delivery. Mother and child need never be separated so families can experience a sense of continuity and unity. Quite the contrast to a traditional hospital birth where the mother is treated more like a sick patient, belted on to the delivery table and injected with an IV for the sake of hospital policy.

Wise Decisions

To all these midwives, birth is a wonderful and fun experience. One in which a family is being created, therefore they all register dismay at the fear surrounding homebirthing. Each agrees that much of the fear is the result of the negative media images. To counteract this, each takes pride in educating women all through their pregnancy. Using lending libraries, videos and answering questions is just part of the way they do this from prenatal to postpartum.

Today’s woman must have the freedom to make decisions and choices that enable her to have her pregnancy and birthing process her way. A birthing plan shared with the midwife, physician and birthing companion ensures this will happen at every step. Informed involvement in this healthy and normal process presents many opportunities for precious personal growth.

According to statistics reported by Adventures in Natural Childbirth, midwives believe that more than 90 percent of women can and should birth naturally. Since by definition a renaissance brings about a revival of learning and advancing thought, it’s possible that as more women awake and overturn past presumptions about childbirth, the medical fraternity too will awake to the fact that natural childbirth is good for the majority of women everywhere.

Home Birthworks is located at 5505 Centerline Road in Newaygo. Call Susan Wente at 231-519-1081 for more information on homebirthing or visit HomeBirthWorks.com.

Full Circle Midwifery Service is located at 4220 East Loop Road in Hesperia. Contact Patrice Bobier at 231-861-2234 or Barbara Olsen at 616-402-9090 or visit FullCircleMidwifery.com.

Birth Song Midwifery Services is located at 1514 Wealthy S.E. Suite 238-B in Grand Rapids. Contact Yolanda Visser at 616-458-8144 or visit BirthSongGR.com.

Source: Originally published in Natural Awakenings West Michigan August 2007 Children's Health issue.