Natural Motherhood - Healthy Life International

Natural Motherhood

This Page is dedicated to helping women to enjoy Natural Motherhood. From Natural Family Planning to Natural Birth to Natural baby feeding (breastfeeding, and organic baby foods) we want to share the truth and resources to have both healthy mother and healthy baby without unnecessary drugs or medical procedures.

NFP is Safe & Healthy

Natural Family Planning is safe and healthy because it is 100% natural and a woman simply observes the signs of fertility and infertility that God built into her fertility cycle. In the case of spacing children with ecological breastfeeding, a woman simply nurses her baby frequently. What could be safer and more in tune with nature?

NFP uses no birth control drugs or devices, so there are no risks to a woman’s health. Practicing NFP involves respecting the body and how it functions, while artificial methods use medications or devices whose purpose is to thwart the body’s normal function. Every drug has potential side effects, which may be worth risking when trying to restore good health, but normally, we don’t take a drug product unless it is necessary to cure or relieve something that is wrong with us. Birth control drugs, however, treat your perfectly healthy, natural fertility as a disease. They are unnecessary, which makes accepting the risks of their side effects even more needless.

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Natural Childbirth

A natural birth (also known as an unmedicated birth) is just that - it is the delivery of a baby without using drugs or surgery during birth. A common phrase heard when talking with people about natural birthing practices is, "birth is a natural process, not a medical procedure." In today's society this is definitely a radical concept for most doctors, but it is true nonetheless. You really can have a beautiful, drug-free experience in childbirth even if you have your baby in a hospital. You simply need to know it is possible, you need to find a doctor (or midwife) who will support you in your point of view, and you need some training to help you prepare yourself so you can let nature take its course.

The advantages of a natural childbirth are huge. You learn about all of the advantages when you take a natural childbirth class such as those offered under the Bradley method. Here are the three big advantages:

Natural childbirth is much better for the mother. The mother has a completely different experience during birth if she is not drugged - a significantly more fulfilling and beautiful experience. She also feels much more in control of her body and the health of her baby.
Natural childbirth is much better for the baby. The baby arrives in an undrugged and therefore much more active and alert state. It is amazing to see videotapes showing the differences between drugged and undrugged babies immediately after birth. Undrugged babies are active and responsive. Drugged babies can barely move.
Natural childbirth is much better for the family. When an alert and active (undrugged) baby is placed on the abdomen of an alert and undrugged mother, an amazing thing happens: the baby and mother bond in a significant and real way. The baby will naturally find the breast and begin feeding. The baby will make significant eye contact with the mother and father and respond to them. This simply does not happen when mother and child are drugged, and as a result breastfeeding starts off on a much rockier road.

Make no mistake about it - you cannot have a natural childbirth in today's society unless you take active steps to make it happen. You and your spouse must decide in your own minds that you want a natural birth. You must find a doctor or midwife who supports that decision. You and your spouse must train for the birth so you know what to expect, how to manage pain and what to do at different stages of the birth. You also need to prepare a birth plan so that you can state your desires about a host of variables including: drugs, fetal monitoring, episiotomies, IVs, birth positions, etc. The first time you look into birth plans, the number of options is bewildering. It is amazing how all of these options actually make sense once you have done the research into the type of birth you want.

There are a number of different ways for you to have a natural birth. Here are the five most common:

With an "enlightened" doctor at a hospital
With a midwife at a hospital
With a midwife at a birthing center
With a midwife at home
Unassisted at home

You can look at these options, weigh the risks and benefits, and choose the style that works best for you.

If you are considering a natural childbirth, you should definitely start reading up on the subject, and you should consider taking a Bradley class or similar natural childbirth class. - http://www.bygpub.com/natural/natural-childbirth.htm

The 10 Easy Reasons to Breastfeed

Baby's whole body and brain benefit immensely.
Release for mother hormonally causing calmer feelings.
Easier digestion for baby than formula.
Available fresh instantly for hungry baby.
Soothing for a crying baby.
Treasure of a lifetime bond with your child.
Free (cheaper than formula by a long shot)!
Effortless pregnancy weight loss.
Enhanced poop smells better than formula-fed babies (until solids start!).
Decreased risk of SIDS than formula-fed babies.

More at La Leche League

Organics for Baby:

http://www.babyorganic.com/

http://www.earthsbest.com/