The Cascade Effect of Managed Childbirth
Research has shown that the duration of labor and delivery can be reduced by actively managing childbirth (i.e., hormonal gels to soften the cervix, stripping of the membranes, breaking of the water sac, pitocin induction and augmentation-which requires constant electronic fetal monitoring, manual dilation of the cervix, fundal pressure, vaginal stretching, forceps, vacuum extraction, episiotomy, and planned cesarean deliveries.

No mother wants her unborn child to suffer. No doctor wants his patient to suffer. Medical management of labor and requests for drugs evolve from our human desire to bring order into chaos and to block the pain of childbirth. When a birth attendant insists on taking a managed approach to childbirth, they feel they are saving a baby who may never come out on its own, or they simply want to help a mother get through an uncomfortable situation faster. Mothers who request an epidural at the first sign of labor believe that a relaxed mother equates to a relaxed baby. They have no way of knowing that requesting the use of epidural anesthesia may equate to asking an unborn child to ride the rapids of a violent river without a guide or a life jacket. Neither the doctor taking over, nor the mother giving in, realizes how the long-term effects of managed childbirth can change a child's life forever.

It is not the purpose of this book to share with you the documented evidence that supports the concern about managed childbirth, but I would like to appeal to the heart of everyone working in the birth arena.

Doctors, nurses, and midwives perform some of the most important work on the planet. No one else has the power to influence the future as they do. No one else runs the risk of altering the human potential as dramatically as they do. And, few people are required to deal with the same degree of stress in the workplace. On the other hand, they have the fortunate opportunity to see the miracle of birth on a daily basis.

But, we must keep in mind that their work ends as soon as the mother delivers the baby and leaves the hospital. Members of the medical team are not given the opportunity to see the long-term effects of a managed verses a natural childbirth. The baby is alive. That is enough. If they could spend a few days in the offices of other healthcare professionals who treat children on a daily basis, they would think twice before deciding to manage the outcome of a child's birth.

They would discover that the cascade of interventions used during labor often lead to a cascade of problems that leave parents bewildered, emotionally bankrupt and physically exhausted; the list goes on and on: colic, chronic ear infections, seizures, delayed development, autism, ADD, ADHD, Bi-polar Conduct Disorder, genetic abnormalities, and a multitude of Syndromes.

Mothers, childbirth is intense. By nature, as the baby moves down into the pelvis, you should experience a gradual and timely increase in the sensation of discomfort and pain. When you do, your brain receives that information and begins to respond appropriately by secreting endorphins (natural painkillers). The endorphins flood not only your body, but your baby's as well. Your baby is enduring the physical effects of being forced through an extremely tight space and he needs all the help he can get. He needs you-emotionally and physically. If you begin to ride the rapids, and cascade down the river of intervention, you baby will need you more than ever.

Become an informed parent right from the beginning. Know that induced contractions cannot be compared to the controlled contractions of nature. Know that pitocin induction and epidurals require that you remain connected to the electronic fetal monitor (EFM). Be aware that the continuous use of EFM may alter your baby's genetic material (especially the eggs of a female fetus). Consider what your baby may be feeling as he endures the violent forces of an induced labor, while denied the benefits of maternal endorphins. Is that really how you want your baby to be introduced into the world? Are you truly prepared to deal with the long-term, often subtle, consequences?¹

I am not saying there isn't a place for pitocin augmentation or pain medication. For instance, an exhausted mother who has been laboring unsuccessfully for several days can sometimes be helped with augmentation and pain relief. Just a touch of additional hormones and short acting pain medication can help her complete the delivery. However, experience has shown me that an informed mother can often avoid intervention if she receives chiropractic care, incorporates a doula, and hires a patient, compassionate birth attendant who incorporates the techniques taught in this book. During labor and delivery, if you do everything you can to prevent managed childbirth, but still find