I am newly pregnant and am very interested in natural birth. I plan to have my prenatal visits and birth with a midwife. I'm having a hard time finding other like me. I would love to get together with other women who believe in natural birth and share stories. I could really use some positive encouragement.
Thanks everyone! I had my baby completely drug-free with a midwife at UCLA. I took the advice here and signed up for a Bradley class. I can honestly say that had it not been for that class I wouldn't have had a natural birth. Futheremore, I have become friends with my classmate. We both have healthy 5 and 6 month old babies! Thanks for all the advice.
Good for you!! Look into Bradley Birth Classes to find like-minded moms/couples, and read these books for support as well: Birthing From Within and the Laborinth both by Pam England, anything by Ina May Gaskin, and The Thinking Woman's Guide to Better Birthing by Henci Goer are good places to start if you crave more information and support. Best of luck!
Hi C.!
I'm a doula and have personally had the chance to go through "the process" with my two boys, one of whom was born into his daddy's hands. And you've got the right idea! Surrounding yourself with other women who have had a natural birth is the thing to do. Build your network and you can lead onto to others for support. In my doula experience, I've noticed those who started off wanted no medication ended up with an epidural do not know those who have had a natural birth. But those who have friends that have gone "naturally", normally end up with a non-medicated birth. So, I guess it comes down to your community and how they can encourage you. :) Good luck, C.. And if you get the chance, check out my website: www.cedarbirthservices.com :)
____@____.com
Online chat group of AP moms, many of whom are having or had natural childbirth, practice AP with children, etc. They also organize some get togethers. Good luck,
T.
Hello C.. First off, congrats to you on the pregnancy!! I'm not in the South Bay area, but I wanted to let you know I am here for you if you need some positive encouragement. I am 20 weeks pregnant, and also plan on having my child naturally, as I did with my other two children.
C., I know how difficult it is to find other Mamas like yourself around this area! I went through it when I was pregnant, and felt so frustrated sometimes.
My husband and I took a Bradley birth class, which was not only enormously helpful, but also opened up a lot of doors for us as far as finding others who birth and parent naturally.
I would be happy to share our positive experience with you if you'd like.
Join us online - www.TigerMama.com - we have a community of conscious moms, and we are meeting regularly! Also - in South Bay, there is a great doula Patricia Grube who is animating activities for birthing moms. She is one of TigerMama Experts. This Sunday, I have attended a great event for pregnant and nursing moms - held at her home in Redondo Beach!!
See her website - www.SerenityBirth.com. Great person to connect with!
Nominated the Most Inspiring Doula of the Year!
With Love,
E.
I've had to non-medicated births in the past two years. I was in a hospital setting though with a midwife. I had pre-eclampsia with both pregnancies so the hospital was the best setting for me. If you want to talk you can e-mail me at ____@____.com.
Hi C.! Congrats on your pregnancy. I'm in Long Beach and I had both of my deliveries natural. The best decision ever. My 1st delivery the nurse was so insistant about getting an epidural I almost requested another nurse. I also went to my chiropractor the entire time. Even now both of my kids are going to chiro since birth. There immune system is so strong, no allergies and also no vaccinations! Here's a site with great resources or you can send me a message if you ever need to chat! http://www.birthingnaturally.net/
Congrats again on your pregnancy and your decision to have a natural childbirth!
Hi C.. Hooray for you. Although I'm not from the South Bay area (I'm from South Pasadena, CA), I had my 2nd baby at home in a water birth tub. It was the most amazing birth experience, considering I had a horrible unplanned hospital birth for my first child. You are doing the right thing. I, too, had a lot of resistance from my friends and my family. But, it's my child who benefits. My 2nd child is so very healthy, much more so than my first one who had the drugs in her (epidural/pitocin) before she was even born. She's got a lot of allergies (which have been shown to be the result of these drugs) and her immune systems is just not as strong. Natural birth is the way to go, for me, and for many other women. Don't get discouraged. You know what you need to do for you and your baby. Trust your instincts.
Contact Patricia Grube at Yogaworks in El Segundo. Her class and her expertise is all about natural child births and she's also a labor doula who know many people who've delivered/will deliver naturally.
