Hi everyone,

As most of you would know I am from Australia. During this past week
a 27 yo woman was experiencing pain and jumped in the shower to lo
and behold deliver a baby and she didn't know she is pregnant. I
know some people find this hard to believe that she was unaware of
her pregnancy but it certainly happens. This woman actually birthed
her unexpected baby in the shower.

I think that this scenario is a perfect example of how society and
the medical community has instilled the fear of birth and the fact
that it can only be done safely with doctors and interventions etc.
and reinforcing to the pregnant woman that 'maybe I can't give
birth "normally"'

The fact that this woman did not know she was pregnant allowed her to
have no current expectations of labour or fear etc. (How different
would her labour and birth would have been if it was a known
pregnancy).

She was totally able to react inately to what pain she was feeling
because she did not know they were contractions. Her instinct sent
her to a warm shower to reduce the pain. I am sure (although it was
not stated) that she tried to lay down, move as desired to help
reduce the pain she was experiencing.

She didn't describe the 'excruciating pain' until the babe's head was
crowning and the father was able to see that there was a baby
coming........ Only then did it become an 'emergency' with him
dialling 000 to get the ambulance there pronto as my 'wife' is having
a baby right now in the shower. The 000 operator talked him through
the final steps of 2nd stage.

It also shows that our body's ability to birth alone is certainly
there, as this woman's contractions were increasing in strength,
whilst she was able to tell they were getting worse her bodies normal
endorphins were not inhibited by any adrenaline released due to the
fear of the pain of labour and birth and any other fears that she
might have experienced due to an unplanned pregnancy etc.

What a wonderful and beautiful story that so totally reinforces that
our bodies are able to do this without any intervention and so
naturally. To the point that I am 'envious' of this woman who
escaped the telling of horror stories of birth and being told what to
do and not to do.

Mind you I am certainly aware that this could have had a totally
different ending if there were any serious complications, but even
then she and her partner would have known with the increase in pain
etc. and have called 000 more than likely in time to prevent any
serious problems or the extreme the loss of a life.

Anyone else hear feel the same when hearing the news.........

--
Yours in Childbirth and with the Love of Friendship
Rita
«¤†¤ÐÈ£ÏVÊR¥·WÓMÄѤ†¤»

Mother of David – 13, Haydie – 11, Alysha – 10 and Tyler - 1
Registered Nurse, Student Midwife (currently in hiatus – due to
injury), Birth Attendant/Doula/Montrice and aspiring CBE