"You can park it if you can get her out," she said as she dropped the keys in the young man's hand.
It did make me mortified enough to shimmy out when he opened the hatch back and awkwardly plead, "Err...Umm..Will you get out?"
I have, on the other hand, always been a fan of the birth world. I first started watching TLC's "A Baby Story" around middle school. I learned a whole new set of vocabulary words; epidural, magnesium, pitocin, caesarean section, spinal block, catheter, rupture membranes, breaking water, engaged, effaced, cervical checks, etc. Probably not the typical vocabulary of a 7th grader.
I watched baby after baby be born, and while I appreciated the miracle of it, I cringed at the setting. It stressed me out beyond belief to think about having my own babies one day. Being strapped into a bed, getting poked, prodded, "checked."
It was also on "A Baby Story" that I first discovered home birth. I flipped the channel on, and I noticed a beautiful difference in this episode. No one bothered the mother, she and her husband hugged, swayed, and worked together to birth their baby. There was no nurse demanding her what to do, no one counted or directed her pushing, she could walk around and sit in warm water, and change positions.
My eyes brightened and I thought, now that is how I will have my babies!
Now that I have gone through birth doula training, I am more affirmed in my thoughts. I have learned the reasons for different interventions, and understand the hierarchy. Of course, I know there are situations where it is necessary to birth in a hospital, and in those situations, I thank God that medicine has made it to where those babies can live! If I cannot give birth at home, I will need a lot of prayers, but I will do what I need to do to keep my baby safe.
I just feel that while everyone seems to think that the complications with birth are the norm, it is just the opposite. The hospital has a slip and slide effect of interventions that quickly limit options for birthing mothers.
I've compiled a brief list of hospital myths that lead to this saga of unsuccessful birthing in the US.
"Baby wouldn't engage, so I had to have a c-section." I hear things like this a lot; slight variations, of course. But if we look back to the entire birth, it may have been such an easy solution. Perhaps, rhe hospital strapped mom up to a heart monitor belt, making mom stuck in the bed. She could not move, therefore, baby cannot move. Mom's physical position has a lot to do with how baby is able to progress in labor.
"My labor just stalled out." Again, this is probably a result of sitting in bed, people constantly coming in and out, a mother who feels uncomfortable or nervous. It is also likely caused by the administration of an epidural. Many hospitals swear there are no side effects of the epidural, but please do your homework. (Sneak peek: Prolonged labor is a definite side effect, though I have heard many health professionals swear it will not affect how long it takes.)
"My fluid levels were low, so they had to deliver my baby." Fluid levels do decrease as you near birth. It is normal. Moms need to stay well hydrated--very well hydrated. However, just because your doctor marks a lower fluid level later in pregnancy does not always cause need for concern. Ask what your fluid level actually is. More on fluid levels here.
"My baby was too big." Babies grow as you near birth! The simplest explanation I have heard is that, unless otherwise affected (i.e., diabetes) your body will not create a baby that is too big to birth. A baby may be in a poor birthing position, but as I've written before, size approximations can vary by up to 2 lbs! Plus, there are many ways of helping even a big baby get into ideal birthing position.
"I pushed for two hours and couldn't get the baby out, so I had to have a c-section." I think everyone feels for this mother. Even Larry the Cable Guy sees her frustration. This goes back to the question of what other interventions were given that would cause her to not be able to push her own baby out? Epidurals are a large contributor to this problem. If you cannot feel your contractions, you cannot push with your contractions. You are working with a nurse to birth your baby, but your body already knows how to do this! Pushing with an epidural, many times, is highly ineffective. You cannot feel when your body is trying to move baby, so you are trying to move baby all on your own, and it just does not work well. This type of pushing can also cause mom to push too hard and puts her at much higher risk for tearing. In addition, if you are pushing and nothing is happening, it may be beneficial to change positions. Laying on your back, as hospitals love to have you do, is not the most ergonomic pushing position. You are working against gravity to bring your baby down. However, mom may not have the choice to move off of her back because of epidural, IVs, catheters, etc. restricting her movement.
"It just wasn't happening." Labor, especially a labor of a first tiny, can be a long process. It can take time. Hospitals, let's face it, don't "have all day." In their minds, it is in your best interest to get the baby out and send you home! (That is, after all, what you came for, correct?) I always recommend mothers labor at home for as long as they can before going to the hospital. Once you show up, it's like you're on the clock. Pitocin, cervadil, or cytotec will certainly be offered, (or, just used) to "speed things along." These drugs cause labor to be more painful and intense, quicker than your body is going (contractions one on top of the other instead of giving breaks in between), which causes a hyper-stimulated uterus--potentially leading to uterine rupture. Constant fetal monitoring is required with the administration of these drugs, so the minute you get started on them, you are in the bed and unable to move. (see previous for why movement in labor is important to avoid other interventions)
"I couldn't take the pain." As I said, the synthetic creation of labor using induction drugs is much more intense and painful than a natural labor would feel. The uterus is put into overdrive, and pain is much higher. Plus, you are stuck in the bed because of the fetal monitoring, unable to get in water for relief, unable to move around, switch positions, or have your husband or doula assist with back rubbing or massage. It is much harder to go through labor this way, and so women think it is too much and they get the epidural. Had their labor been a natural progression, they may have felt differently. Many times, as stated above, the epidural causes tears, longer pushing phase, stalled labor (meaning you'll probably get another dose of pitocin or other drug) and you cannot move and baby may not have space to move down and out if you are sitting upright.
"They had to bring my baby to the warmer to regulate her body temperature after birth." This may be my very least favorite, yet incredibly common hospital protocol. Did you know that the best way to get baby to regulate his temperature and heart rate after birth is through skin to skin contact with mom (and/or dad?) Babies who are placed on mom's chest after birth are healthier and score higher APGARs. In addition, when they whisk baby away right away, they clamp the cord as soon as baby is born. This boggles my mind. When baby is born, his blood volume decreases as he makes his way through the birth canal. The placenta then sends the rest of the oxygenated, iron-rich blood back to the baby. This blood that is sent to baby after birth contains enough iron to sustain baby's iron deposits for about 9 months. This means, that breastfeeding moms do not need to worry about baby's iron levels. I simply do not understand why hospitals continue to clamp the active cords and take baby away from mom. Not only does baby need mom, but mom needs baby! The smell of a newborn triggers the hormone in mom's body that it is now safe to release the placenta. Also, a baby's stepping reflex is not just to make cute videos like this, but when placed tummy to tummy with mommy, the baby will use this reflex to demonstrate a "breast crawl," finding food for themselves, and gently massaging mom's uterus as it births the placenta.
I could go on for days about each of these issues, but it breaks my heart to see hospital protocols that override mom's desire for natural labor time and time again. If you do not do your own research, you will not have the birth you want. I have seen first hand women who go in with the impression they will do it naturally, and the hospital's string of interventions leave mom powerless, exasperated, and desperate. I do not believe it is the hospital's intent to do this. They are doing their jobs! They want the baby out, you do too, why not just get him out? Hospital staff is not trained in natural birth. They are trained in medical birth.
Know your options before you decide what will be best for you. Understand the medicines you are receiving and their risks. Make educated choices. If you want to be able to move during labor, do not get hooked up to the pitocin. If you want to let your water break on its own, tell your doctor and your nurses. If you are looking to avoid caesarean, be sure you will be able to move around in labor. If you want intermittent fetal hear monitoring so that you can move around, ask for it. If you want to delay cord clamping, make sure they will let you first. Do not assume your care provider has the same vision of birth as you--you have to talk to them. If your doctor is unwilling to discuss your options, or says things like, "We'll worry about that later," find a new care provider.
If you are low-risk and truly looking for a respected, natural birth, my honest suggestion is to find a setting that is not medical. Midwives who deliver at home or a free standing birth center will most likely have the same vision as you, therefore, less conversations and less stress required. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment