DUBAI // More mothers-to-be are choosing to forgo conventional medical treatments and interventions in favour of a natural pregnancy and childbirth.
While Caesarean sections, epidurals and procedures to induce labour recommended by midwives and doctors remain popular, many woman are opting to go drug free through their full term and labour, often seeking alternative therapies to help with the pain and discomfort.
“The norm these days is that women are made to believe that they are unable to birth naturally or that birthing naturally is inherently risky and should be avoided, or that if you choose to take the risk then at least do it in a hospital, surrounded by well-trained obstetricians,” said Karen Wilmot, a midwife and holistic birthing specialist who runs workshops for women in the UAE and around the Gulf.
“What I am seeing more of is women encouraged to have an induction for reasons that are not necessarily medical.”
The convenience of knowing they are going to deliver on a certain day is often too good for many mothers-to-be to turn down.
“They will probably happily jump at the opportunity to have the baby medically induced on a specific date, especially if they have visiting relatives, something common with expatriates or, strangely enough, they are just tired of people asking them when the baby is coming, or perhaps just fed up waiting, or if the doctor even mentions the words ‘big baby’.”
Ms Wilmot, who is based in Oman, said often women will not ask about the risks associated with medical procedures or think to look into alternatives.
While the internet has helped mothers, information – and misinformation – has reinforced some people’s fears.
“With the amount of information available on the internet, more women are realising that they need to educate themselves, but it is a double-edged sword,” said Ms Wilmot. “They also read horror birth stories and have access to information that can be misinterpreted.”
During her pregnancy with daughter Aurora, Kay Vosloo Bodanza used acupuncture and acupressure to help alleviate six months of nausea and morning sickness she suffered as well as other ailments, such as sluggish digestion and fatigue.
While they helped “tremendously”, Ms Bodanza said, the downside was the cost. “It’s very expensive and if you don’t have these treatments consistently, they are less effective. The alternatives are not covered by health insurance.”
Ms Bodanza, a holistic nutrition expert, also used a doula, often a former midwife, hired to give support towards the end of pregnancy and during labour.
Although this cost Dh4,500, Ms Bodanza said the support she gave was invaluable, empowering the mum-to-be to insist that her every wish was met during the birth, such as not being offered or given drugs of any kind.
However, her determination not to have anything other than a natural birth did cause problems. When she refused to be induced at 42 weeks after being told she was having a “big baby” and there was risk of shoulder injury, Ms Bodanza’s doctor told the first-time mother she would no longer work with her.
But Ms Bodanza was very clear on her reasoning for sticking to an all-natural birth. “When you’re induced, it produces fake oxytocin [hormone that helps the body prepare for and cope with childbirth] so your body isn’t producing it naturally, which means it starts to give fake contractions.
“Your body doesn’t have time to adjust so mentally and physically you struggle to manage the contractions. The pain is more severe, which affects your ability to control your breathing, thereby reducing the oxygen going to the baby, resulting in a distressed baby,” she said. Invariably the latter leads to an epidural or Caesarean section.
Ms Bodanza, whose daughter is now four months old, said more women should be educated on what treatments are available during pregnancy and labour to help them make informed decisions.
mswan@thenational.ae