Mila Kunis pregnant

[sluce]

She can do what she wants. She can even think her way is the 'right' way. But when she opens her trap about it, she should be prepared to get disagreed with.

Even if she has the good health and luck....because it takes both...to have 'au natural' a safe option for her and her baby, I'll still put my money on her begging for an epidural and/or drugs at some point once the pain gets too severe. Why? Because most women do. (Usually by the time it's too late for them to have them, but that's another story).

The 'right' way is the one where both mother and baby survive. Unlike the days when women were doing this before medical intervention. As recent as my grandmother's time, miscarriages, still-borns, and children not living past infancy were not rare events. And almost everyone knew of a family where there was a woman who didn't survive childbirth. Medical care/intervention during pregnancy and childbirth is one of major reasons the life span of women has increased.

Best of luck Mila. I hope you get what you want. You can do everything right and still end up with an emergency C and a child in the NICU.

I'm one who did it with no drugs because that was my choice. I also gave birth at a birth center, with midwives, knowing we were across the street from the hospital should we need more. Sadly I have had some women attack me for my choice, and tell me I risked my child's life for my selfish desire to not deliver in the hospital. They are often the same women who tell me I was stupid to not use drugs. LOL Sorry, I had an easy pregnancy and delivery. It was the right choice for us. My poor sister was the opposite. She was in such pain, and labors lasted so long, that I was the one yelling for the nurses to get her help through meds. They were about to do a section on her first but there was a midwife on staff who calmed her down, and helped her try to push one more time, which led to the birth of her daughter. My sister was grateful she had that assistance.

But, there is no doubt that home births increase the risk of death to the baby. A recent study highlight this: Increasing trend in home birth neonatal mortality rates -- ScienceDaily But, it is because of location, not the fact that the baby was delivered by a midwife, or without drugs. I like the recommendation that hospital develop better programs in house using midwives and meet the needs of women who do not want as much medical intervention unless necessary.

Personally I believe there is a push for alternative births because people realized that c-sections are happening too often because the doctor fears a lawsuit, gets paid more, and can better control the inconvenince of being disturbed on their off hours for a delivery. Here is a recent study showing how many c-sections are unnecessary and that where you deliver may play a role. Hospitals performing too many unnecessary C-sections, Consumer Reports finds - NY Daily News And this wonderful Harvard study which provides an overview of the hows and whys: The rise in the use of C-sections in recent decades | Harvard Magazine Nov-Dec 2012

The bottom line is that each woman, and their partner, should make the decision that is best for them. And other women should respect that decision.

[sluce]

I hope she's not too despondent if she doesn't end up having her baby the 'right' way.

I'm not sure why you are commenting about the "right" way? I see nothing in her comment that states one way is right and other ways are wrong. She seems to be speaking only to her desires, and that she is open to other options should something go wrong with her plan.

“We watched a couple of documentaries and we looked into the like the you know midwife aspect of it and things and spoke to my OB/GYN and realized that the hospital that I’m going to be laboring in does have a midwife, you know, Doula type of thing….So I’m gonna do it as all natural as I possibly can unless there’s an emergency or something [goes] wrong.”

[MohandasKGanja]

Just wanted to say that I have a coworker about the size of Mila Kunis. Like 5'2" and about 95 pounds soaking wet. She was in labor for some epic amount of time. And pushing and pushing, but it just wouldn't happen. Eventually she had a c section and gave birth to a health 10 and a half pound boy.

[Mel1973]

I believe Shed had a natural birth (and I think even her first delivery was a quick one) and she's about 5'2" and was a skinny bitch - still is a skinny bitch, but not as skinny as she used to be. It depends on the woman. I'm 5'3"ish and was never skinny (not fat either!) and even with being induced and hooked up to pitocin, it took my Snowflake 12 frigging hours!

[MsDark]

I'm glad everything turned out okay for you. It sounds like you had all the bases covered in case of an emergency. If it were me though, I would not feel safe enough delivering outside of a hospital setting where anything I 'might' need at the 11th hour wasn't readily available, as I've seen first hand the multitude of things that can happen that you aren't able to predict in advance. Maybe just reduce their liklihood at best. That is not enough for me to feel comfortable taking the chance.

I think this is a huge problem for women who might otherwise want to attempt to go natural that isn't properly handled in most states here. If you're living somewhere midwives are able to be used in a hospital setting (where backup would be readily available in the event of a complication), consider yourself fortunate.

[MohandasKGanja]

While we are talking about self righteous extremists (on either side), can we talk about La Leche League?

[aabbcc]

I think the first time is the hardest, simply because you don't know what to expect. You can watch all the birthing movies you want and hear about it from all your friends who have had babies, but none of it really prepares you for the experience of labour (which in my opinion is the hard part). With my first, I had two shots of something and laughing gas, none of which did anything. I had hours and hours and hours of incredibly painful dry labour. I was throwing up. It was fucking horrible. With the second, I knew what to expect. I handled it better and the whole thing just seemed easier. I didn't bother with drugs because if they didn't help anyway, there was really no point. People can handle more pain than they think they can. Maybe the psychological aspect should be addressed more ... with that first baby, you just can't know until you do it yourself. And it will be different for everyone.

[Mel1973]

I think the first time is the hardest, simply because you don't know what to expect. You can watch all the birthing movies you want and hear about it from all your friends who have had babies, but none of it really prepares you for the experience of labour (which in my opinion is the hard part). With my first, I had two shots of something and laughing gas, none of which did anything. I had hours and hours and hours of incredibly painful dry labour. I was throwing up. It was fucking horrible. With the second, I knew what to expect. I handled it better and the whole thing just seemed easier. I didn't bother with drugs because if they didn't help anyway, there was really no point. People can handle more pain than they think they can. Maybe the psychological aspect should be addressed more ... with that first baby, you just can't know until you do it yourself. And it will be different for everyone.

bingo! Sometimes I think if I'd been carrying my own babies when I had the twins "would I have insisted on carrying longer and delivering vaginally?" because I just wanted them THE FUCK OUT OF ME! I was on bedrest because I was AMA and I was DONE...

[MsDark]

While we are talking about self righteous extremists (on either side), can we talk about La Leche League?

Ugh. Here's my experience: I personally would have done better if they'd left me alone. My son had no issues and nursed fine. However, I was an absolute wreck for a few days (during a time when that was the last thing I needed) fearing that if I stuck a bottle in his mouth I'd fuck up the breastfeeding process and he'd never want my tit again! That shit was pressure I didn't need.

I broke down and fed him from a bottle from the complimentary package I got in the hospital on day 3 (our last day in hospital, my milk still not coming down, colostrum either spent or not cutting it as far as keeping him from being hungry and crying), he took about an ounce and fell asleep. We went home, milk came in, and what do ya know, no problems. Even though I <gasp> gave him that bottle.

That said, I'm not anti-LLL. Maybe I just got an extra-crunchy dumbass.

If I'm remembering right, Mila did say in that interview "I might as well do it the right way". Guess I'll have to listen again.

[witchcurlgirl]

I've had two friends that needed emergency surgery in childbirth. In another era they would both be dead. And if either had done a home birth, they'd be dead. I support women doing whatever they like, but be as safe as you can. There's an old expression- 'When a woman gives birth, death holds her hand for a little while. Sometimes he doesn't let go'

[KrisNine]

I was smaller than Mila when I had my daughter. 5'1" and skinny. I don't think my birth plan could have ever included a home birth due to my AMA. I wish I would have been a bit more educated on having a doula, but I wasn't. My birthing suite had a small, jacuzzi type tub that I could use while I was laboring. I also brought my big yoga ball to bounce on, but the pain was unreal. Plus, I was so tired. I was up for about 35 hours by the time my daughter arrived. Labor for about 15, pitocin, the works. She wasn't coming out, so I'm glad I was in the best spot.

I'm not doubting that c-sections are on the rise, I'm just surprised that the insurance companies haven;t put the brakes on it yet. The cost has to be quadruple what a natural birth costs.

[MsDark]

Natural births are certainly cost effective. Some of that saved money could be put into providing pre-natal care to women who wouldn't otherwise be able to get it.

[aabbcc]

My cousin was very healthy and had planned a natural delivery. Unfortunately, she was a bit too healthy, went a couple of weeks over her due date, and the kid was way too big to deliver vaginally. They tried everything they could think of at the hospital to allow her a vaginal birth, including an attempt to suck the kid out with a vacuum suction, and it just didn't happen. They finally had to do a c-section because it was the only way to get him out.

[czb]

bingo! Sometimes I think if I'd been carrying my own babies when I had the twins "would I have insisted on carrying longer and delivering vaginally?" because I just wanted them THE FUCK OUT OF ME! I was on bedrest because I was AMA and I was DONE...

ok - i was also AMA with a twin pregnancy. since my pregnancy went so easily (no bedrest, exercised throughout), they thought i could also deliver vaginally. i tried, and tried but it was a no go and had an unplanned c/s after 10 hours of labor. a lot of what happens is out of our control and you just have to roll with it.

[KrisNine]

ok - i was also AMA with a twin pregnancy. since my pregnancy went so easily (no bedrest, exercised throughout), they thought i could also deliver vaginally. i tried, and tried but it was a no go and had an unplanned c/s after 10 hours of labor. a lot of what happens is out of our control and you just have to roll with it.

Even though I was pregnant with a singleton, my AMA pregnancy was amazing. No complications at all. I was healthy and so was the baby. There was no question that I was going to deliver vaginally. With or without an epidural. I tried, and tried, too. Just wasn't going to happen.