https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 20 Jun 2026 16:51:54 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth/page/2#post-1129568 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 15:47:57 +0000 Ree723 1129568@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: That's how medical professionals here in Aus refer to it too - SVD is a normal birth. That's why I use the word normal - should have said that at the beginning! :-)</p> <p>Also, I have had loads and loads of people ask me if it was a normal birth. I say yes but for some reason, I always feel the need to explain that I had an epidural as well. No idea why I feel compelled to state that, it's no one's business! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth/page/2#post-1129108 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 13:38:41 +0000 shinymama 1129108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I assume a vaginal delivery unless told otherwise. If someone wants me to know that they had a c-section, I figure that they will let me know.</p> <p>To me, natural implies medication free, but I don't really use that term because it can be vague. When I tell someone about my second son's birth, I say "without anything!" because I very much planned to have that sweet glorious epidural. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth/page/2#post-1128998 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 13:11:28 +0000 JessKas 1128998@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always just say vaginal. I figure if they are asking, they shouldn't be uncomfortable with the terminology. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth/page/2#post-1128974 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 13:05:47 +0000 Sapphiresun 1128974@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was just wondering this be other day. We got an email birth announcement that said something like "we were blessed to be able to have a natural delivery" and I was totally wondering whether that meant no meds. </p> <p>I've been asked frequently if I had a c section, even by strangers but I'm only 8 weeks pp so maybe it's still relevant when people are debating whether I still deserve special treatment or something. "No way I'm giving up my seat on the bus if that baby only came out your vagina!" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth/page/2#post-1128925 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 12:55:07 +0000 birdofafeather 1128925@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>hm, i don't think many people ask, but if they did, i would say vaginal birth! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth/page/2#post-1128847 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 12:39:52 +0000 FarmWifeGina 1128847@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Vaginal birth. In everyday conversation, I don't refer to exactly how my babies came out, but if someone asks, I had unmedicated deliveries/births and leave it at that.<br /> @Vegmama: Lol, do people in your life actually think you're planning a medicated home birth? I always figure saying "home birth" is explanation enough, but then, I was brought up surrounded by home births and the whole process and what midwives actually bring and do is very familiar to me, so sometimes I'm rather astonished by others' perceptions of home birth. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth/page/2#post-1128797 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 12:29:14 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 1128797@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@loveisstrange: omg!! I was so afraid of that happening. I had an emergency c section and although I was totally freaked out I intentionally kept my eyes open as long as I could so they'd know I was still awake. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth/page/2#post-1128772 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 12:23:08 +0000 indi 1128772@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Depends on the audience. If it's people who don't really know all that much about birth, most folks around here hear "natural" and think vaginal, so I say that. If I want to specify no-drugs, I'll just say "med free" or "intervention free." </p> <p>If it's a group of people that are more comfortable and informed regarding child birth, then I have no problem being more specific and saying vaginal delivery. In that circle, "natural" generally means med/intervention free. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth/page/2#post-1128647 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:45:55 +0000 californiadreams 1128647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@loveisstrange: oh my goodness, i was totally joking! i do remember watching a movie once where this happened to a guy who was under but still conscious so he couldn't talk or open his eyes but he could hear and feel everything during surgery. i cringed the entire time watching it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth/page/2#post-1128643 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:44:28 +0000 Vegmama 1128643@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: I think I just say "birth" ... and I would refer to a c-section as a c-section. I have no problem saying vagina! Also, I do think saying "natural" implies no medication ... We're having a 'natural home birth', and I think I say 'natural' so people understand I'm doing it without pain relief (not that it's a big deal, but just for explaining purposes). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth/page/2#post-1128623 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:38:37 +0000 runsyellowlites 1128623@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@loveisstrange: Gah!!! I felt the start, but I'm very thankful the meds kicked in. I can't believe they didn't put her under (what they were going to do to me if I still felt the cut, so I lied)! *gasp* </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128621 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:38:16 +0000 LuLu Mom 1128621@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Natural to me implies no meds, traditional to me is a vaginial, so I usually say traditional or say, did you have to have a c-section? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128614 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:36:08 +0000 loveisstrange 1128614@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@californiadreams: @runsyellowlites: I know someone who had failed anesthesia during her c-section. She started feeling it right as they started cutting and there was nothing that could really be done. She felt everything. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128604 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:30:16 +0000 runsyellowlites 1128604@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@californiadreams: Omgosh that reminds me of the lady in Mexico that was far from the city so she performed a cesarean on herself b/c she just knew something wasn't right. They both survived but OMG I couldn't imagine! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128588 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:25:27 +0000 Andrea 1128588@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just say natural! I think people generally just want to know if the baby came out of your vagina or not. But I don't want to say vagina to just anybody. People I know don't care about the drugs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128545 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:14:51 +0000 californiadreams 1128545@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i have to wonder why some people would choose to ask "did you have a c section" because they are uncomfortable with the word "vaginal"....when they could simply not ask at all! I don't think i ever made it a habit to ask people what part of their body their baby came out, as curious as i may be. </p> <p> In my mind i refer to it as vaginal birth as i think of natural as med-free. Now i wonder if it possible to have a natural c-section ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128525 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:07:19 +0000 loveisstrange 1128525@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just vaginal birth. </p> <p>I don't feel the need to qualify it or tell people unneeded information about my vagina. She was born and she came out of my vagina. Nuff said. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128515 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:04:29 +0000 Cherrybee 1128515@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The doctors over here call a vaginal birth a "normal" delivery. I was asked over and over again in the weeks following DD's birth if Id had a normal delivery! I would laugh (bitterly!) because the fact she exited through my vagina was the only "normal" bit about my birth experience! I always say "if you mean vaginal, yes". </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128489 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:58:11 +0000 Happygal 1128489@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I say vaginal birth.</p> <p>I don't consider a c-section to be natural, and neither would any of my friends or sisters who have had one. But that doesn't mean I consider their birth experience to be "less than" in any way. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128486 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:57:52 +0000 cascademom 1128486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I say vaginal medicated birth. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128478 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:56:45 +0000 rachiecakes 1128478@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Generally, I just say birth. I'm not going to tell my (male) boss or coworkers the details.</p> <p>ETA one of DH's friends was asking about the birth (why? who knows) and DH said "natural". Although DS was born vaginally, there was nothing natural about it! (pre-e, induction, epidural, posterior, vacuum, giant episiotomy). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128465 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:54:45 +0000 immabeetoo 1128465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just say painful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128438 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:50:10 +0000 mediagirl 1128438@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: I didn't mean to swerve off-course there! :) I think saying vagina and making people uncomfortable is fun, though. This is especially true when they're people who really shouldn't be asking in the first place!!</p> <p>I also think the online community is a lot more sensitive about terms like vaginal and normal and traditional while most people in my life would just associate those words with a vaginal birth, without having to say the word. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128423 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:48:08 +0000 Mrs. Oatmeal 1128423@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it depends who I'm talking with. Most people will ask "Oh, did you have a c-section?" as opposed to jumping right in and saying "Oh, was it VAGINAL?"</p> <p>I think I've used "natural" birth in relation to other people, but I have no hesitation clarifying 'vaginal' in relation to myself. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128407 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:43:54 +0000 deerylou 1128407@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: Lol, +1. Obviously, those close to me know more details about my birth experience, but people don't usually tend to grill me about how my baby exited my body. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128398 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:42:26 +0000 Foodnerd81 1128398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>To clarify, not that it matters, but I didn't mean only describing your own birth. Just a birth where baby exits via vagina in general. Though I did have a surprising number of people ask about mine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128378 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:38:49 +0000 photojane 1128378@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: Exactly. In my experience, most real people don't ask how the baby exited my body.</p> <p>I'm pretty sure I've never had to tell someone. If they asked, I'd say vaginal though. I don't have a problem saying vagina. Vagina. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128366 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:36:14 +0000 Koolbreeze 1128366@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I say vaginal. That's what it is!!! I don't mind making people uncomfortable though. Lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128353 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:33:16 +0000 GrapeCrush 1128353@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i call it a vaginal birth. as someone who didn't have a 'natural' birth, i try not to call it that, because it can have a little sting to it the way some people say it(ex. when people ask if i had a 'natural' birth, and i say no, i had a csection, they get all sad for me and say 'oh, i'm so sorry'. that i don't particularly care for). and i really don't have many people ask if i had a csection or a vaginal birth. a lot of people didn't even know i had one with my first, until i said the 2nd was scheduled, because of the first. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-call-a-vaginal-birth#post-1128336 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:27:36 +0000 mediagirl 1128336@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>"I had a baby." People in real life don't normally ask how. </p>