TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Preface A1 - Aristizabal, Michelle PY - 2018 T2 - Natural Labor and Birth: An Evidence-Based Guide to the Natural Birth Plan AB - My journey into natural birth began late in my training as an obstetrician. My residency occurred within a classic, heavy-intervention obstetrics program, although I had attended a very open and liberal medical school which informed many of my core beliefs regarding patient autonomy and the role of medical intervention and alternative medicine. In my last year of residency, I found myself in the uncomfortable role of the patient, pregnant with my second child. I had given birth to my first child via cesarean section and was determined to avoid a second surgery. I quickly realized how few options I had for a vaginal delivery, even within my own hospital, where I was a senior resident. I began researching both medical and lay literature in an effort to identify any strategies that might increase my chances of a successful VBAC. In doing so, I discovered an entirely different philosophy toward childbirth and the very loud outcry from women who were unhappy having babies in the manner in which I had been taught. Although I had delivered over a thousand babies by this point in my career, I was completely ignorant about natural birth practices and the large movement away from medically managed birth. I also discovered that the medical evidence in support of the standard labor management I performed on any given day was lacking. I learned natural birth techniques, many of which made perfect sense from my knowledge of anatomy and labor physiology and applied them to my own birth. My son was born vaginally 2 months prior to my graduation. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/28 UR - obgyn.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1155166435 ER -