Jolie wants natural childbirth for the twins

by Jennifer Jordan (Subscribe to Jennifer Jordan's posts) Jun 6th 2008 5:00PM

Categories: Just For Moms, Pregnancy & Birth, Bump Watch, Life & Style, Celeb Parenting, Rumors, In The News, Mommy Wars

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Many celebrities, it seems, don't believe in natural childbirth (and by that I mean through the vajayjay, not without drugs). Many women don't either, and they schedule c-sections (or their doctors do it for them). While I agree there is a real need at times, especially in emergency situations, for a Cesarean, I don't agree at all with the elective kind. It seems like a waste of money and resources, and could lead to other potential dangers associated specifically with having a C. Maybe I feel this way because my mother, who had to have one, got such a bad infection in hers she couldn't take care of me when I was born! Maybe I also feel this way because I've come in contact with doctors who feel their dinner reservations are more important than a woman having her baby, so they just schedule the woman in rather than take a chance on her interrupting them!

Angelina Jolie, who had her daughter Shiloh, now two, via Cesarean, is now keen to have her twins the old school way. Set to bear the babies in her mother's native France, Ms. Jolie has confided to a "source" that she was disappointed she had to have Shiloh via C-section and is really hoping she'll be able to give birth to the twins the old-fashioned way. Given our recent discussion about VBACs, vaginal birth after Cesarean, I wonder if her doctors will even let her! In France she may have more of a choice than a woman might here.

The source, who blabbed everything to OK Magazine, also claims Ange won't go full-term with the babies. I seem to recall reading that multiples tend to come early, but that's probably just heresay! According to the source, the prospect of early delivery is what sent Ange and her brood to France earlier. Only time will tell when those babies are born and how it happens. Either way, let's hope for a safe and speedy delivery! Good luck, Ange!

Angelina Jolie(click thumbnails to view gallery)

Source

Comments (9)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Judy 6-06-2008 @ 6:00PM

"Natural" childbirth means childbirth without drugs or with as few interventions as possible. It does NOT mean not a c-section. I think the term you should have used is VAGINAL childbirth, which is the most natural way, but is not what is generally meant when the term "natural" is used.

Good for Angelina, but come on, are we afraid to use the correct terminology here? What's wrong with saying "vaginal" childbirth? Or does the skyrocketing c-section rate need to lead to a complete reworking of the language of birth?

CLM 6-06-2008 @ 7:25PM

Twins are generally considered full term between 36 and 37 weeks. It's not hearsay. The placenta begins to age rapidly after the 37th week with twins, leading to much higher odds of stillbirth.

Natural Green Guide 6-07-2008 @ 8:47AM

That's great. We all need to remember that the human body can naturally do the things it is supposed to. Giving birth? That is the number one thing women's bodies are evolved to do. There shouldn't be cause for surgery unless there is a health problem. Learn more about natural and green lifestyles at http://www.natural-green-guide.com

Laura - DashinFashion.com 6-07-2008 @ 9:48AM

I think it's great that Ange is going for a natural birth....and with twins! I also thought that twins deliver earlier. I guess we'll all have to wait and see. Good luck to Ange!

Laura
Dashinfashion.com - Online Guide to Children's Fashion Worldwide.
http://www.dashinfashion.com
http://www.dashinfashion.blogspot.com
http://www.mykidsfashion.com

Wendy 6-07-2008 @ 11:18AM

That's great - I wish I would have had a VBAC. But I'm sorry, I'm sort of sick of hearing about Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, et al. Do we have to hear about every minute of her pregnancy & birth? I don't want to hear about when she had an ultrasound. I don't want to hear about when her mucous plug falls out. I'd rather read about someone who relates to the real world.

Susan M. Heim 6-07-2008 @ 12:09PM

I'm an author of twins parenting books and the mother of twins. Twins do have a tendency to come early. A normal pregnancy is around 40 weeks; twins' pregnancies are usually closer to 37 weeks, although premature labor is a real risk with twins' pregnancies, and many twins are premature. Vaginal delivery is possible with twins. I had my twins vaginally at 39 weeks. However, I had delivered two other children vaginally before, so I knew what to expect (and my body knew what to do). Having had only a c-section before, it will be interesting to see if Angelina is able to have a vaginal delivery with twins. I commend her for wanting to try, if this story is true, as a c-section should be performed for medical reasons, not for convenience. It is surgery and therefore has risks, just like any surgical procedure.

Laura Hamilton 6-07-2008 @ 11:58PM

Her mom was not French, she was of French-Canadian descent. Her real name was Marcia Lynne, not Marcheline.

Carolyn 6-10-2008 @ 1:22AM

Good for her, I hope it works out! I was fortune enough to have a natural delivery with my daughter and it was an amazing experience. But of course all that matters is that the babies arrive safe and sound.

I sometimes wonder just who these unnamed "sources" are... :)

Good luck to her!

Carolyn
http://www.momsontheedge.ca

All 4 Natural Health 7-28-2008 @ 8:01AM

One big problem with us people living in first world countries today is that our diet and lifestyle have greatly destroyed the 'natural' ways in which our bodies were made to function. That's probably a big reason for the dramatic rise in C-section numbers.

Another example is fertility. Men should be able to father children well past middle age, yet so many already suffer infertility-related issues at a relatively young age.

I do believe there is still hope, but as individuals, we must be prepared to make some drastic changes in our living habits.

All 4 Natural Health
http://www.all4naturalhealth.com/

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