Why “Birth and Botox?”
I have only gotten botox once in my forehead, but I loved it. It was something I thought I’d never do, yet at 35 I did. I got pregnant not long after my trial with botox and have been pregnant or nursing ever since so I have yet to get a second round but I definitely might again once my baby making and nursing journey is over!
I chose this title because, one, it’s kinda catchy, and two, there are a lot of stereotypes, misperceptions, and misinformation about birth in general and specifically home births. This blog will be talking about more than just home births but planning one has served as the catalyst to my growing interest in advocating for maternal rights and changes to our distorted healthcare system and fear driven beliefs with birth.
Many women are choosing a home birth as their preferred way to give birth to their babies and they aren’t all 100% “woo woo vegan hippies” (no offense to anyone who is vegan, wish I could eat that clean myself and I love “woo woo”). Hence…”Birth and Botox.” You can be a someone who wants botox sometimes, colors her hair, and doesn’t homeschool her kids and also wants a natural birth without interventions. Since the rate of intervention is so high in hospitals…home becomes a very good place for a natural birth. Now… I have to add though that, this luxury of being able to have a home birth with qualified midwives is not something available to everyone. Since insurance usually doesn’t cover most of it (I received 30% of cost back after having to pay upfront), if you don’t have the money, you can’t do it. MANY women are denied this option due to the structure of maternity care in the US.
“Giving birth outside of a hospital has become more common in the U.S., especially for white women, with almost 60,000 out-of-hospital births in 2014, according to a new study…Currently, it seems difficult for women wanting a natural birth to be assured of having that experience in the hospital, where one out of every three U.S. births are delivered by cesarean section, and where induction rates and other interventions are very common,” MacDorman told Reuters Health by email.” By Kathryn Doyle (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/out-of-hospital-births-on-the-rise-in-u-s/)
I hope my blog can help someone sift through some of these misconceptions, as well as their own fears, and journey with birth. I may fit some of the stereotypes of a woman who would choose a natural birth at home: I’m an artist, yogi, former yoga teacher, don’t drink, and prefer my coffee from a Chemex and I could name a few more… but stereotypes are never helpful anyways and they are harmful and limiting. My desire is that our culture can shift out of fear based pregnancy and birth and give the power back to the mother with the new normal being trusting in the natural process and a woman’s ability to birth, without unnecessary interventions. I also hope for a healthcare system which doesn’t lead to huge divides in care. There is definitely a place for interventions and a small amount of women will and do need medical interventions but it is not the majority. 1 out of 3 women having a c section is not a reflection of human evolution going to hell and women’s bodies failing, it’s a reflection of the maternal healthcare system being OB/hospital/insurance company/policy centered as opposed to being mother/baby/family centered. (15% of all c sections are actually unnecessary as we are at a 31% rate in the US). “It’s estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) that 10 to 15 percent of all births medically require a c-section.” (https://www.sciencealert.com/who-global-caesarean-rates-double-15-years) I’m grateful to all of the midwives, advocates, doctors, doulas, and change makers who have been shedding light on this topic and who allowed me to realize ALL of my options with a low risk VBAC as opposed to just going with the status quo.
I’m writing this as I go, pregnant with my second child. We are preparing for a home birth. If my pregnancy changes from low risk to one with concerns, then, things will shift to a different plan and so it goes. I don’t know what will happen but I know I can make informed choices and come from a space of trusting that birth is normal and natural and does better when left alone, and the woman can move, eat and drink in labor (tons of research supports this…check out my resources page). Most hospital policies don’t allow this for VBACS as they force continuous fetal monitoring (which is one of the reasons why the c section rate surged in the US and something in which ACOG is now beginning to make statements on it not being a good thing…thanks) and hospital policy of not eating in labor. These are only a few of the reasons why I am choosing a route that actually has a better outcome rate for VBACS.
Please comment, reach out and share if you are in the same boat or can relate or have any questions about my experiences.
Sincerely,
Anonymous Birther
Update: No longer anonymous as of May 2020
Author:
Veronica Bruce Woodward
veronicabrucewoodward@gmail.com
Please check out my Instagram page with my birth related artwork.
Birth and Botox 