The whole goal of a natural enjoyable pregnancy is for you to remain healthy, as well as, thinking of the health of the little one inside of you! I learned the hard way and want to share my story with you. I had planned on having a natural delivery without any intervention from the medical community except for catching the baby. Well, after always struggling with my weight, I figured, if I am going to get fat while pregnant….I might as well have fun doing it! The local bakery became my best friend, as I brought donuts in the office for all to share with me. I didn’t watch what I ate and therefore I didn’t end up with my dream delivery. Instead, I got HELLP syndrome, which is a severe type of toxicity in the late stage of pregnancy. So, at 34weeks pregnant and with this disease, the only way to cure it, is to deliver the baby! After trying to induce labor for 24 hours without having any success, I was rolled into my worst nightmare…the surgery suite. I delivered a healthy, very small baby girl. I am telling you this story because I was very humbled by my experience. Before this experience I had very strong feelings about having a natural childbirth and feel if I had just taken better care of myself and my growing baby, I could have had my natural childbirth and today my daughter would have stronger lungs. Now my conviction for my patients is to help them avoid an unwanted c-section. I now believe there are circumstances that are out there that warrant a c-section, but, there are things you can do to avoid it in in most cases. Interestingly, I was having a conversation with an obstetrician who had been in practice for many years and he told me that while he was in school they delivered breech babies. He told me the doctors in training today, don’t deliver breech babies, vaginally. So, from what I understand, if your baby is breech it will warrant a c-section. On the flip side, I have a midwife, of whom I have a working relationship with and of whom I think is very courageous, has delivered several babies feet first, in the comfort of her patients home!
So as in my previous post, there are some great recommendations for having a healthy enjoyable pregnancy. I would suggest finding a Bradley course, or book and learn all the information they have to share. Learn early in your pregnancy, so you can make sure you are eating the right things for you and your baby. AND STAY AWAY FROM DONUTS!