I’m happy that she’s thinking positively about her birth experience. She plans to go natural and, like most new moms, is probably scared of birth still, just a little, but hopes all will go well and she will have a happy healthy baby.

And, as far as the silent birth goes, I don’t think she said she was having one. And, even if she strongly believes in Scientology, whether or not she has a silent birth is her option, not a requirement.

I say go Jenna!!

You know I read all your comments here about the dispute on NATURAL..NOT NATURAL..GOOD BAD..Birth experiences..ANd All I can think is the baby alive after this…GOOD EXPERIENCE THEN..I lost my little boy in November..his heart stopped beating in the womb..and i found out during a checkup..I had no drugs was in enormous pain and delivered him..It still wasnt the best birth experience for me because he wasnt born alive..I think that people need to keep their judgements and opinions private..Leave it up to the individual woman on what she needs to do..Because in the end a live baby equals a good birth experience..Drugs C- Sections..Midwife..Doesnt matter..All just logistics..If you have a screaming baby..That is the important thing..That is what makes it all good..

Aura-I am sorry, but I must disagree with you. Unless there are complications with the labor and/or delivery, C-sections are certainly not safer than natural births. In fact, they actually carry risks, just like any surgery.

shouldn’t it be up to mothers how they give birth? Because lot of people here seem to be attacking those who don’t give birth ‘naturally’. My mother had me so-called naturally, after 23 hours, with only a shot of pethdine, and frankly she wishes she could have had a c-section, as it was so painful for her. Also I ended up being born deaf, and the doctors later told my mother that it could have been because of the long labour, and the fact that I was in distress in the labour. So really, c-sections are probably safer than natural births.

I gave birth to my twins vaginally, in the O.R., with an epidural and I don’t think it was any less beautiful than a “natural” childbirth. Hubby and I still cried the first time we saw our son and our daughter. (Hubby was holding our newborn son while I pushed our daughter out) It was truly amazing and although I felt like crap, I would do it all over again.

And for the record, before I got the epidural and before my labour really started progressing, I all but begged the OB for a c-section, and he refused. I don’t think the doctors actually want to do a c-section. I suppose maybe if he had to stay until the baby was born he might. But because I was in labour for 52 hours, I went through several OB’s. (shift changes) It wasn’t even my OB who delivered my twins… it was one of his partners and a resident.

ANY time a baby is born, it’s beautiful.

re natural birth v c-section, I have had both, and I would not say one birth was “better” than the other. Both resulted in my beautiful daughters delivered in what was the best and safest way for them. I think Jenna is sensible to prepare herself for the possibility of an emergency c-section, otherwise it could be very distressing for her and her family if the birth does not happen as she wants it to.

I love this website but I have to say I wish you all would stop allowing these comments by Greg in which he pushes his religion and website.

We will remove the personal site address in the signature, because that is considered advertising and is against our commenting rules. But Greg has been commenting on Scientology-related posts since June ’06, and we welcome the opposite viewpoint, especially since he’s quiet polite about it. We don’t feel he pushes the religion, just corrects what he considers misinformation.

I ‘m not sure it is even possible to opt for a c section over here. And epidurals aren’t offered easily either. I don’t know any figures but vaginal births with epidurals are pretty unheard of even though there is some action group trying to change that.

The Australian government has put the nix on elective ceasarians to reduce the amount we’re having in this country.

I think Jenna’s wise to be realistic about the situation. I’ve known a few women who were gung-ho naturalists- there would be no interference, no drugs, etc – but it didn’t go to plan and they all had emergency caesars or epidurals. Two of them actually went through some guilt and depression about it because they didn’t feel like they’d had the full experience. It’s silly to put so much pressure on your body and your baby and the “experience”. I like that Jenna’s hoping for the best but is prepared if things don’t go to plan.

Wow, for the above poster who went on and on about how you should be grateful for a healthy baby regardless of the birth, I’m sorry your birth didn’t go the way you wanted it to. How you give birth is VERY important.

Epidurals CAUSE fevers. If you didn’t get the epidural, most likely you would not have had the fever and you wouldn’t have had your “emergency” c-section. Sorry, but that’s the truth.

If you want to learn more about it google “epidural fever”. And why in the world schedule elective surgery to deliver your 2nd baby?– a vaginal birth after c-section is perfectly safe and would have at least allowed you to heal from your first birth that didn’t go the way you intended.