So after reflecting quite a bit over the past week on my first birth that I had as a doula, Ive come to a conclusion about a few things. You may disagree with me on this but this is just my feelings that I have from my training and small experience!
Babies are not supposed to be born in a hospital.
That doesnt mean that they have to be born at home, as there are other options. Like birthing centres. As soon as we go to a hospital we're put in bed like somethings wrong and the best option is drugs and intervention. Oh your labors not progressing as fast as we want it to? Okay, lets put you on pitocen. Lets strap on monitors to your stomache so we know when your having a contraction, how close they are, how strong they are, oh and lets monitor babys heartbeat too. Im not saying that there is anything wrong with either of those things but they never use to have monitors or drugs. What about breaking the waters? Your body knows when to do that, your dr doesnt need to. Generally, your water will break about 8 cm's. On its own, without any help!
For example, with my client she had been having conractions off and on for a few days. They admitted her into the hospital but because she was "failing to progress" they put her on pitocen. Pitocen will make her contractions stronger, and quicker. I can tell you that because of the pitocen her uterus (while she was pushing!) was giving her false contractions. She thought she was having one, but she wasn't. They had to turn the drip down because her uterus was out of control. At that point too, her uterus is getting tired and is feeling overworked. A few other things about the pitocen. She was bed bound. She had to lay on her back the whole time she was there in bed. No walking, no sitting in the shower for pain relief, nothing! Laying on her back was the worst possible and unnatural position for her baby to work its way down the birth canal. Her body has no idea what the heck the pitocen was, and I believe thats why she had the lable "failure to progress." As a doula this is so frustrating!
A womans body is made and meant to have a baby. I dont believe your body will make a baby that you physically cannot deliver. Once you get the ball rolling with the drugs its one thing after another. Your body is trying to do what it needs to do and we interfere and try to help. Theres nothing natural or healthy about it.
My birth experince was exactly the same. 31 hours long, and very complicated. Would this have happened if I just allowed my body to relax and do what it needed to do on its own. Baby will come when its ready, if its not coming yet, its not ready!
I myself personally wouldnt have a home birth, however I have no intentions of having another baby (if we're blessed with another down the road!) in a hospital. I will have a midwife and deliver at a birth centre. There is a birth centre in stony plain and there is another openning up in Edmonton. This is very exciting. There are so many different options out there for pain relief and some of them are very radical... orgasmic birth? Yup it exists. There are books, and videos on it, as well as a movie coming out on it. Also, hypnobirthing... Ive heard some pretty neat stories on it as well! The opportunities are endless, but I can tell you I truly dont believe that babys are supposed to be born in hospitals, with monitors, and drugs... it causes stress on the mother and baby, thus resulting in higher labor and delivers with interventions (forceps, vacumn, etc.) and high rate of emergency c section.
Like I said at the beginning, this is just my opinion that I have from my training as well as experience. Id love to hear your thoughts on it!
3 comments:
Hi Karla,
For the most part I agree with what you have written. Abby's 2 girls would have both been stillborn if she did not have C-Sections. Their heads were to big and Abby has a very small pelvis.
God knows exactly what is right for each couple.
I don't really agree... I think every woman has the right to chose how she wants to give birth and how much she can handle. I had very long, slow labors with all four children and believe that my first would not have survived or been born healthy had I not had interception with her birth.
I think a lot of the birth experience has more to do with the doctor that you chose, rather than the hospital. I had a great doctor who was willing to just go with what happened as it happened, but I did need a little help with each birth.
It is important not to judge others on their decisions regarding their bodies and the experience that they want to have. As long as baby and mother are fine in the end... that is what is important!
I totally agree, I think that every woman has a right to make that choice. I hope in no way that this post comes across that I am judging my client or anyone who chooses to have an epidural or be induced or any other choice.
I was induced and had an epidural as well. For my client, her epidural helped her along because she was able to relax and let her body do what it needed to do.
It definitly depends on the doctor as well as the hospital. Some hospitals have higher rate of epidurals than others, and some will push more than others.
But I think regardless no matter what decisions have been throughout the labor and delivery process one thing is important, that baby is born happy and healthy! So if that means that forceps or vacumn needs to be used (which in my case!!) and it means baby comes out okay than thats whats important!
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