Natural Birth Rustenburg

Hi Mieke, Please check your facebook messages, I sent you a reply

Dear Anneke Visagie

I hope that you will get my post as I can see that your post was a while ago.
I have the exact same issue, I went to the same Dr. because she is the only woman OB in rustenburg, and I really want a female doctor. From my first appointment it has also felt to me that she is pushing me toward a c section. At first I was fine with this as I hadn't yet really started to do much research and obviously very naive and fresh with the pregnancy. Since then I have come to the conclusion that what I want more than anything is a natural birth. I have not yet discussed this with her as I am only seeing her again in a couple of weeks. You mention that 'she did not respect your decision for natural birth'... please can you elaborate for me on this? what did she say?

Thanks in advance
concerned pregnant lady
Mieke

Hi Ladies
Thank you for the feed pack, I really appreciate it. In the meantime from posting this post I decide to follow my gut feeling and changed my Dr. I already had a visit with my new Dr and I feel comfortable with him and he supports my decision. I also felt that I don’t want to stick with the old Dr and in the end she does not respect my decision to go with natural birth.
Thank you for sharing your stories with me

Hi Anneka,

I don't live in the area or know the Dr, but I would be very concerned that discussion of c sections have come up at a first appointment already. A lot of Dr's will tell you they are pro natural and then the excuses start creeping in, like baby is too big, you are too small, baby might not turn etc. With my first daughter I went to a gynae who knew from the start I wanted a natural birth and pretended to support this , however as the pregnancy progressed he started with nonsense about my baby being too big and she hadn't turned at 32 weeks, when she still had plenty of time. I had this nagging feeling he wasn't being truely supportive ( although he never came out and said anything directly about a c section) - when I wanted to discuss my final birth plan at 37 weeks, he lost his temper with me and told me to stop this natural birth nonsense with no pain meds, because I don't know anything about birth .

I was devestated and managfed to change Dr's at 38 weeks, saw him for the first time, 2 days before my daughter was born... Sorry for the long story, but my point is if you having doubts now after the first appointment, shop around, listen to your instincts, I wish I had earlier in the pregnancy, I wouldn't have had so much stress at the end.

In the end I had a succesful natural birth with no pain meds, so I knew myself better than he did and I had to protect the birth I wanted, if I had stuck with the original Dr I think I would have ended up with a different birth with far more intervention than I wanted. . Do your research and sfind someone who will truely support you!

Good luck, I hope you come right and maybe there are some other ladies here , who can give you some feedback on this specific Dr.

I'm afraid that I do not know the doctor you mention. However, if a c-section is indicated as being necessary it is very important for the doctor to justify why this is necessary - to give a specific reason. If the doctor cannot then you need to find someone who will support you in your quest for a natural birth.

We have one of the largest c-section rates in the world (80% in some hospitals) whereas 95% of women are capable of birthing naturally. The reason that the c-section rate is so high is because doctors are not supporting the Mothers which leaves them with feelings of no confidence and they doubt themselves and their bodies. They imprint them with feelings of fear - expectation of great pain - danger to their babies which is all nonsense! The thing is to first of all find someone who is pro-natural birth and to then become educated on natural birth. "Interview" your potential doctor for the important job of caring for you and your baby for care during pregnancy and your birthing!

Hi Ladies,
I just went for my 1ste gynue appointment. I need advice. I am currently with Dr B Wessels in Rustenburg and I really would like to do natural birth. But I get the impression that she is trying to convince me to have a C-section. Is there anyone that can perhaps advise me about Dr Wessels. Does she do natural births?