One mom didn’t quite make it to a hospital for the birth of her third child. But, she was very close.

She and her husband knew the birth of their baby was imminent as they walked up the sidewalk to the hospital. But as they neared the entrance, Elissa realized she couldn’t make it inside. Josh says his wife got down on her knees next to a bench as he bolted into the hospital to find help.

By the time her husband ran back outside with medical personnel, Elissa had given birth, behind the bench. Mother and baby were rushed inside.

1.  You look like you’re about to PoP!

2. Are you having Twins?

3.  When are you due, last week?

4.  How much weight have you gained?

5.  Enjoy ____ while you still can!

6.  You are eating for two!

7.  What are you having?  or Do you know what it is? (a dog. I’m having a dog.)

8.  Are you going to have a natural birth?  (no, i will have this baby via teleportation)

9.  He/She is going to be a soccer player!

10.  Your vagina will never be the same.

Here is a story from the LA Times

Fewer pregnant women and their partners are attending prenatal education classes these days and appear to be quietly following whatever advice the doctor or midwife recommends, researchers said Monday.

Doctors, led by Dr. Michael Klein of the Child & Family Research Institute and University of British Columbia, surveyed 1,318 healthy pregnant women. They found many seemingly unprepared to make their own decisions regarding childbirth options, such as whether to have natural childbirth or a Cesarean section.

Fewer than 30% of the women, all first-time mothers, said they had attended prenatal childbirth classes. Many said they used the Internet or books to become informed about childbirth. Still, a shockingly high number could not answer basic questions regarding the pros, cons or safety issues associated with epidurals, episiotomies, Cesareans and other childbirth options. The women who were receiving obstetrical care from midwives tended to be more informed about their options compared with women receiving care from a medical doctor.

“[E]ven late in pregnancy, many women reported uncertainty about benefits and risks of common procedures used in childbirth,” Klein said in a news release. “This is worrisome because a lack of knowledge affects their ability to engage in informed discussions with their caregivers.”

The study was published in the June issue of Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada.

The type of provider mattered greatly in terms of what kind of care women received. The researchers published a related study in May in the journal Birth that showed younger obstetricians were much more likely to favor the routine use of epidurals and expressed more concerns about the safety of vaginal birth compared with older obstetricians. The younger obstetricians seemed to view C-sections as the preferred option for childbirth, the authors noted. In the United States, efforts have begun to reduce C-section rates. About one-third of all U.S. women have a surgical birth.

I have found the opposite to be true among women who network socially with other women online and in person.

If you are choosing to have a natural birth without pain medication, here are some tips from Lamaze International to help you have a smooth and natural birth. Talk with your support person beforehand to let them know what your plan is for the birth. Remember to listen to your body’s cues and rhythm. Having a natural birth can happen, but make sure that you are prepared for medical intervention.

1. Find a place that will support your choice of a natural birth. Whether this is at a hospital, home, or in a birth center, choose a place that supports your choice of birth.

2. Look for a healthcare provider that will support you in your choice of having a natural birth. Many women have found that the care provided by midwives and doulas includes more labor support and less medical intervention.

3. Do not request or agree to induction of labor unless it is medically necessary to do so. It is a good idea to let your body go into labor on its own, because that is the best sign that your baby is ready to be born. Give your body time to find its own pace and rhythm during labor and don’t focus on the clock. Don’t use any medications such as Pitocin to speed your labor.

4. Try moving during labor. You will be much more comfortable if you are able to move around freely, and your labor will progress much quicker. If you stay upright and respond to the pain of your labor by changing positions, your baby will move through the birth canal easily. Try different positions such as rocking, straddling a chair, lunging, walking, and slow dancing with a partner.

Labor & Delivery

5. Aside from your partner, consider who else you want to support you during labor and birth. You might want to hire a doula to give you and your partner emotional and physical support.

6. Ask that your baby’s heartbeat be monitored intermittently instead of all the time so that belts, cords, or wires do not tie you to a machine or a specific place.

7. Follow your instincts and eat and drink as your body tells you. If you drink plenty of fluids during labor, it will give you energy and keep you from getting dehydrated.

8. Try to use non-medical pain management strategies. Many women like to get into a warm bath and showers to relieve pain. Practice using birth balls, massage, hot and cold packs, aromatherapy, and focused breathing to help you deal with painful contractions.

9. If you can, avoid giving birth on your back. Use an upright position such as sitting, squatting, or standing to give birth. This will increase the effectiveness of your contractions and enable you to work with gravity. Push when your body tells you to and ask your support persons to give you only quiet encouragement.

10. Have your baby with you right after you give birth. Skin-to-skin contact keeps your baby warm and helps to regulate your baby’s heartbeat and breathing. Staying with your baby in the same room will help you to get to know each other, and it lets you respond to early feeding cues and get breastfeeding off to a good start.

If problems arise, ask questions about the risks and the benefits of any recommended intervention. Understand that sometimes labor and birth don’t go as expected. If you’re involved with decisions about your care and have good labor support, you’re more likely to be satisfied with the birth, even if medical interventions are necessary.