regret natural childbirth?

I Regret Having a Natural Childbirth

When it comes to labor and delivery, even the best laid plans can go awry.
By Amanda Loudin as told to Charlotte Hilton AndersenPUBLISHED: Sep 26, 2016
Comfort, Finger, People, Product, Eye, Skin, Shoulder, Room, Social group, Photograph,
Courtesy of Amanda Loudin

As a long-time athlete, I've always prided myself on my high pain tolerance and ability to power through even the toughest situations. So when I got pregnant with my first baby, I knew immediately I wanted a natural childbirth. I trusted that all the strength and stamina I'd built up — I once finished a whole Ironman — would help me, and I was committed to keeping the experience drug-free for health of the baby. Plus, I'd heard that epidurals could slow down labor and increase the risk of a C-section — I definitely did not want a C-section.

To make sure I'd the all-natural delivery I wanted, I hired a midwife and signed up at a birthing center. Throughout my pregnancy, my husband and I also took classes in the Bradley Method, which stresses that childbirth is a natural process and that women can be taught to deliver without unnecessary medical interventions. It's all about helping the woman be an active part in the delivery process — something they say is much harder to do if you're drugged up — and focuses on using natural breathing and relaxation techniques, along with proper nutrition, exercise, and education.

All of this sounded beautiful and wonderful — until the day I actually went into labor.
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