Can we stop calling vaginal birth “natural” birth?

I had 2 csections and 1 vaginal birth

Vaginal birth can be natural without drugs or assistance or with drugs & assistance. We are designed to have it vaginally but things happen and people have influence. C section is assisted birth via major surgery 💁🏾‍♀️ maybe you can shift but it is what it is.

I think calling on vaginally birth natural makes some mums who have a c section feel like they have failed at labour .... any way of birth is all bringing a life into this world and all mums should be proud with either delivery xx

But it is natural… it’s the way the world works… I admire anyone who’s had a section because I would be terrified! But it’s still surgery….

@Benet completely agree. It’s not a bad thing nor is it an insult in any way. As you said, it is what it is. I had a c section. It was not natural. It was major surgery. That’s just the facts of it.

@Kristy You cannot lay that blanket on all of us. Yes i feel like the system failed me because the doctors & other people make c sections sound so easy around me when i wanted to be able to have a better healing time. C section is harder and not enough people talk about it being a challenge post op. I could've had my baby naturally had they not used a machinery to limit my mobility, i was 8cm dilated and they had to break my water. Next I know better, so I'll do better.

When I hear “natural birth” I think of unmedicated vaginal births. But not all vaginal births are natural - as you have pain management and hormone drips and vacuums, etc etc. So I correct people when they say natural/naturally and I go “you mean vaginal?”

I mean, vaginal birth is "natural" birth. A C-section is a major abdominal surgery, there's nothing natural about it ...that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with doing it that way.

I'm not laying a blanket on every one I said some ...

Many of us who had c sections had unsurvivable “natural” birth scenarios. To call it like it is, natural birth means 10% mortality rates. Natural birth means no intervention or management or tools. Few of you had natural births. Let’s not diminish any birth experience and use the appropriate language: vaginal, cesarean, unmedicated, etc :)

I agree with @Alana it's only a natural birth if it's an unmedicated vaginal birth as pain management is not natural even if you delivered vaginally. This argument is bit like the "fed is best" debate.

@MK it is sometimes, but not usually.

I think people get too caught up in the language. No one is diminishing anything by saying natural birth. My partner says that my kid was born via sunroof ....that doesn't mean it didn't almost kill me just because of the language. Natural vs surgical is a completely appropriate way to discuss delivery, in my opinion.

@MK haha I joke that our son couldn’t find the door and came out the sunroof too! But I usually add on “of a car that didn’t have a sunroof or equipped for a sunroof” 😂

definitely aimed at me as i posted today about it🤦🏼‍♀️ everyone views it differently but a vaginal birth is a “natural” birth as that’s how women “naturally” have a baby .. like some people say it’s how the world works. i understand c section mommas might see that and not feel great when someone says ‘natural birth’ but i am a c section mum myself and my sons birth was traumatic but i don’t think it should be taken the wrong way as like me i don’t mean it maliciously by saying it.

I get that this topic is sensitive for some, but I think we have to be honest about the terminology. There are natural births and there are assisted births like C-sections. That’s just the medical and practical distinction. I don’t think language should be changed just because it triggers discomfort- especially when it's describing a factual difference. Recognizing those differences doesn't devalue anyone’s experience.

I had sections and I have no issues with the term natural. There’s nothing natural about baby coming out the sunroof and I’m totally fine with that as I didn’t want natural 😂 Vaginal is natural, obviously some mums need interventions like forceps and inductions but that’s the natural way to give birth. I’ve never felt diminished in my birth experience because I didn’t have a natural birth. Bloody thankful for medicine that I didn’t.

@Autumn oh I know!! No malice at all. I’ve seen it 5+ times in the last week. The natural order of things really would be for a big chunk of us to die in childbirth and I think it would simply be recommend to just use language that is inclusive and doesn’t exclude anyone

As long as well are all still here and have gorgeous babies in our arms who cares?

I don’t understand how using the term “natural birth” is excluding anyone? Or being not inclusive? When it literally a term used for those that didn’t have a c section. Genuinely confused.

I also think a lot of people use the term ‘natural’ as they feel awks using the word ‘Vaginal’. I think whatever way we deliver our babies is hard/dangerous and has risks and we are all heroes whatever way they come out!!

no cause vaginal birth is natural. surgery is not. doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with c-sections

Natural birth can be confusing though because some people do mean it as in medicated vaginal birth vs just vaginal birth. And tons of people just don’t want to say vaginal…

Natural birth isn’t always vaginal though. You can have an unnatural birth using pitocin and induction Natural birth would be going into labor and having the baby without any form of assistance Tbh to me, if the term natural birth offends you, you should really look into the root of why it does and your own feelings about your birth experience. It’s okay to not have a natural birth. If the term natural birth upsets you, then internally you may not feel it was okay you didn’t have one.

My issue was when my grandmother (different generation obviously) said to me 2 weeks PP that I didn’t give birth, like in general, because I had an emergency C-section due to abruption @ 33weeks. “Maybe next time you’ll get to give birth, sorry you had to just have the surgery this time” I just sat there silently stunned. My step mom just patted my shoulder like she doesn’t know any better; but it still hurt a little.

Well sure as anything after then saying they had to break my hips for me to birth my little girl after a week of being induced 4 times etc etc etc I went for a c section I was far too tired to have broken bones

@Alexis i guess i wouldve given grandma a education lesson with the help of YouTube. I did the same for my father in law when he asked about how long will i breastfeed & even shared how people didnit back in the day. Just because she dont know better doesn't entitle her to an ignorant opinion. 🤣💁🏾‍♀️ People wont understand unless theyve had to give birth that way or supported someone who did.

💯💯💯 I found this stigma around SO much (had to have an elective c-section due to a medical condition). So many of the courses I attended were targeted towards those having a vaginal birth, and their births were often coined "normal" while mine was very much viewed as an anomaly. We shouldn't be made to feel inadequate for medical diagnoses beyond our control. Even choosing to have a c-section for non-medical reasons does not mean you are in any way deficient as a woman or mother. Just as fed is best, successfully birthed and a happy and healthy mum and bub is best!

Vaginal birth is natural birth people can call it whatever they want so get a grip lol

@Donna Woods would you consider a vaginal delivery where the pregnant person had an epidural, required an episiotomy, doc had to use forceps and vacuum, and mom hemorrhaged so needed multiple shots of pitocin and stitches natural? Arguably, that’s more interventions than a c section.

Yep.

In my head natural means vaginal without an epidural

@Benet not harder but it is still hard and birth, I had a c section and I’m on your side up until you said worse, I have a fried that gave birth vaginally and her experience is something I could never understand, just the same and she couldn’t imagine having to go have surgery after hours and hours of laboring No one’s experience is worse nor better, so many things that every person has differently that aid to the delivery and childcare from that point. For example I have a friend that is jealous of me because my fiance, the father, plays a large roll in her life and she has to deal with court and I’m jealous of the fact that she got to have her water break, labor, and give birth all within the same day

I think people say natural in order to avoid the word vaginal a lot. I understand it 9/10 times doesn't come from a malicious place but I also understand your point. Feels like a thousand cuts in my heart everytime someone tells me too.

@Hanna-Sofia exactly. Intention of words matter and the vast vast majority of people use natural because it’s “easier,” but words have meaning. Many people don’t feel good enough because they had a c section. My mom was asked if she really fully felt like a mom because she had to deliver that way. I’m relieved I had access to the procedure because I would have died in childbirth without it. But I do think if it is harmful to people to use the term natural as if a c section isn’t natural, we owe it to ourselves and others to do better and use language that isn’t going to be hurtful to people

For me ,the language around childbirth is incredibly important. I think the term ‘natural’ is hugely problematic. Beyond the fact it immediately puts everything that is medicated into opposition with it, as ‘unnatural’, it is also heavily politicised. I would HIGHLY encourage a read of this article as one source to deep dive further into it. For me, it is the root of a hell of a lot of misery for women who have been sold a narrative around their bodies and childbirth, by men, with the natural birth movement being born ( forgive the pun) in the 1930’s and still being peddled today. It’s a really important debate to have so thanks for starting it. https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/article/2024/jun/06/childbirth-natural-birth-c-section-epidural

Personally I try to use the term vaginal unless whoever I am speaking to would be uncomfortable with that (got a few family members who are prudish). Natural to me would be no medical input. But I also think the trauma is mine to bear a bit too. I get hurt when people use the term, but I don't get upset at the person using it.

Sometimes this bothers me, it depends on the intention I think. To me, when people say ‘natural’ birth meaning vaginal, there’s some implication that a c section birth (and the way I’ve birthed my two children) is unnatural. Realistically, it’s all semantics isn’t it really, but when there’s an implication that your experience was unnatural, it isn’t nice to hear.

i don’t see the issue with a vaginal birth being referred to as a natural birth. because it is. but no matter how it happened, it’s still giving birth so i don’t really get “hardcore” defensive over it. birth is birth, as long as mum & baby are safe, happy, healthy 🤷🏼‍♀️

@Cece one thing we gotta do as a society is not only kill stigmas around every birth natural being hours of labor through education like movement is key and all that media consumed about being in bed for hours is for the hospital benefit for $$. I was on the move with cramps that turned out to be contractions but i was able to breathe through them for a while day due to attending classes.....i walked into the hospital 8cm dilated and the staff were in awe with a bulging bag....all because I opted to educate myself with aeroflow and a local birthing class...if those resources were more affordable & available we would be able to not set a standard of laboring for hours to enhoying the labor process to work for us. I said my experience with an unplanned c sections was worse because i couldn't do the regular things let alone take care of my baby, Or take care of myself for a while.

@Benet Now this kinda comment does upset me 😅 Especially in a group for c-section mothers. Maybe I am miss-reading your comment, but no amount of breathing would have made either of my births natural. You can educate yourself as much as you can and you should, but the truth about natural birth is that there is a high mortality rate no matter how much you breathe!

@Hanna-Sofia I thought it was just me. I was like uh. Breathing wouldn’t stop my placental abruption, no amount of teaching would have stopped either of us from possibly dying. But I thought I was being sensitive again 😂😂😂

@Hanna-Sofia I agree with you that there are many valid medical reasons for c-sections, and no amount of preparation can fully account for unexpected complications during childbirth. This is precisely why c-sections (and other interventions) are essential and often life-saving options. That said, it’s important to note that c-sections generally carry higher risks of maternal mortality and morbidity compared to vaginal births.

I eventually ended up giving birth spontaneously and didn’t make it to my planned C date but I take offence at people saying it’s only “natural” birth if it was unmedicated. It shits on the medicated vaginal birth I had like I also failed for having interventions.

@Madeleine yes. I would suggest saying “natural” birth isn’t necessary in ANY situation and makes a lot of people feel uncomfortable and judged for whatever birth experience they had.

Totally! Nobody gets a medal for raw dogging it and neither should they be on a pedestal. Our only prize is our baby/babies and god willing we all win that

I think people say it because they are afraid to say vaginally. Like subconsciously cause they have been taught it’s a bad word. To me a “natural” birth means no medical intervention

@Haley I will say my inner Catholic prude cringes when I have to say it out loud 🫣

@Faith Yet in countries where elective c-sections due to non medical reasons, mortality rates are not going up. It's important to notice the nuance in statistics like that. C-sections already handle most complicated births and pregnancy, and therefor has a higher mortality rate due to haemorrhage, sepsis etc. I agree that all mothers should get to choose their way of birth, and if you can breathe through it, and you want to - go for it. That opportunity was taken away from a lot of people in this group. It's still a tone deaf comment on a thread where the OP is about the struggles of semantics for c-section mothers.

I agree. There was nothing natural about my vaginal birth and it drives me mad when people use natural to refer to a vaginal birth. Not all vaginal births are the same.