Right before we were leaving for our trip to North Carolina, at around 3am, I was checking out the blogs and local blogger Chicken and Cheese was the last one I read. I was reading this entry when Rob woke up and reminded me we needed to get going. Although I don't know her, I haven't been able to get her out of my head. I was hoping all was going well with her pregnancy and sending wonderful birthing vibes out to her.
Today, Stephanie (my sister-in-law) received news that her brother's wife is at the hospital in labor with their first child. We haven't heard any news of a birth yet. Birthing is very much on my mind and I'm hoping she had a great birth and they welcome their little boy into the world very soon!
I love being pregnant so much and love giving birth, I thought for a while about being a doula. The doula we had at Parker's birth has asked me more than once about training to be a doula. I've attended several friend's births, but in the end I think it is just too much pressure. Birth is such a unique and personal experience and there is just so much tied up in it all. I am a birth junkie and love to hear birth stories and love to be at births, but it would also be a juggling act with young children of my own. It is hard for me when I hear of things like Chicken and Cheese described to not get very angry with the way pregnancy and birth is treated in our society and wish I could be there as an advocate. It just doesn't have to be this way...there is another way.
I'm not naive and I don't think homebirth is the answer to all the issues and I don't think homebirth is for everyone, but I still hold my breath when I hear about someone going to the hospital to give birth in a way I don't when I hear of them starting labor at home. I just wish there was more respect given to pregnant/birthing women. I respect OBs and midwives of all flavors, but quite often I don't see the respect of the patient. There needs to be more respect in health care period. I'm sure there are many reasons and we can talk about insurance and all sorts of things which all go into the mix.
At the end of the discussion, I just know things can not and should continue as they currently are and things need to and will change.
I just hope everyone giving birth today or going into labor soon has the best experience possible.
7 comments:
I resonate with you about home birth and the need for more of a respect to the patient. I have had a nice doctor and hospital birth, I have had a horrible doctor and hospital birth, and I have had two amazing home births. I also agree and tell other home birth isn't for everyone and just share my experience. Thanks for posting. Kendra
"There needs to be more respect in health care period."
I could not agree more. And I speak from my own personal experience, as well as what I witnessed as a close family member when my dad was dying of cancer.
Thank you so much for your kindness. All is well today, the baby is knocking on the door, so to speak!
You would be a wonderful doula. :)
I agree that often patients aren't treated with respect in a hospital setting in the same way that they often are at home (although I'm not so sure my mom's midwife was really respectful of what my mom wanted in her home births, either--she did end up laboring and birthing lying down in bed, so not much different from the hospital, just that it was her own bed).
For me, I think the whole hospital vs. homebirth issue/debate really boils down to choice--to giving women the right to choose what to do with their own bodies and to have the birth experience *they* want. (hmmm...sound familiar? perhaps like my stance on another issue?) ;) For people who are more comfortable giving birth at the hospital (like me), I figure that's their choice. Same goes for people who are more comfortable giving birth at home. :) I think that if more women were educated about their options and felt like they truly had a choice in the matter (oh, and if lay midwifery were legal in this state!), you might see a more conscious effort on the part of some doctors/hospital care providers to be respectful of their patients rather than thinking that *they* (the drs.) are doing the patient a favor by attending their births.
I guess I'm lucky that I had a great dr. and midwife both times. I feel really, really sad for women who don't have that kind of care.
Well said, Loretta! I couldn't agree more.
Mrs. Chicken, I also had to deal with watching my mom die from cancer and see how awful she was treated by some of the hospital staff and how well by a few. It was an awful eye-opening experience. It made me feel even more passionate about the problems with our health care system.
Loretta, I agree it is about choice and having real options. I wish we had more say and a more active role in health care no matter what the issue (pregnancy, cancer, etc.). It would also be nice to be able to make decisions on health care providers and not have our hands tied by who the insurance companies prefer for us to use, etc., etc. Oh so many issues!
Kendra, I also believe I had a pretty positive experience with my hospital birth. I'm very glad I had options and I went into all three births knowing the risks and what I wanted for me and my babies. I just wish more women knew their options...not just home vs hospital, but what they can expect or not except from a OB or midwife and how to find a provider who is respectful and how to work with them to have the best care.
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