A vaginal birth is the goal of pregnant couples and medical professionals. The reason is because the body is perfectly designed to transition a baby from the womb to the world. There are times that the risk of a vaginal birth is greater than the risk of not being naturally introduced to the world. More important than the goal of a vaginal birth is the goal of a healthy baby and mother, so there will be times a vaginal birth will not be able to occur and delivery has to be done by Ceasarean.

Many women feel they can only get through a vaginal birth with medication. A baby has an undeveloped excretory (kidneys) system and though it is estimated the drugs that pass through the placenta are at safe levels, a newborn cannot process or filter toxins like medications efficiently. Babies who are born to mothers who do not take medication are more alert and nurse/bottle feed better than those whose mother’s are medicated. It is tiring for both the mother and baby to go through the birthing process, but unmedicated moms and babies seem less tired afterwards.

A vaginal birth is painful, but it is a manageable and tolerable pain. The hormones that are released after the birth of a baby will provide the mother with energy. It’s amazing how holding a newborn son or daughter can quickly fade all memory of pain and discomfort. After a vaginal birth a mom’s self confidence is elevated not only because of the reality that she created a human being the past nine months, but also that she accomplished an amazing task by delivering the baby.

There are some concerns about long lasting affects physically on a woman who has had a vaginal birth. Tears and episiotomies can be uncomfortable, but they heal quickly, with tears healing better than episiotomies. Positioning and labor management by a skilled doctor or midwife can avoid them all together. During the pregnancy and afterwards, simple Kegel exercises will help strengthen the muscles there. Like with other parts of the body, it may take a little time, but there should not be any noticeable difference.

A vaginal birth is hard work for a baby as well as the mom. The process of moving down the birth cannel is perfect preparation for a baby to make the changes needed to go from womb to the world.

Though a vaginal birth is ideal, some women may not be able to have one. A woman with an active case of herpes may not be able to have a vaginal birth due to the risk of transferring herpes to the baby. Other health and medical issues may also affect if a vaginal birth is best for mom and newborn. When a vaginal birth cannot happen, the parents should morn the loss of the birth experience they had planned and move on to appreciate that the goal of a healthy mom and baby was achieved.