Childbirth is known as one of the most "amazing" things in the world. When watching videos of animal birth and then looking at childbirth, we can see some significant difference. While watching the dolphin and giraffe birth, there are some similarities. In both animal births, it looks easy and painless.
The giraffe gives birth by walking around her "cage" and the baby just slowly but surely literally falls out. In this birthing process, there is no human intervention what so ever. The people witnessing the birth stand back and watch even if they are doctors because they want to give the animal space and not scare them. The giraffe also has another giraffe close by to help comfort her and make her feel safe almost like a midwife.
While the dolphin was giving birth, it was almost the same as the giraffe. The dolphin swam around its tank until the baby was born. Humans did not intervene and the dolphin was able to birth her baby without any interruption. In both animal situations, the baby is born and is in a sense independent. The giraffe baby can walk and the dolphin baby can swim by itself and they don't really need the mother to help it. Yet the mother, in both cases, stays close by the baby to make sure it is safe while at the same time letting them be independent.
During the actual child birth, the mother is in extreme pain and we can see and hear this. When the baby is born, it is not able to "fend for itself." The mother is also sometimes not able to hold her baby first unlike the animals that are allowed to clean their baby and help it. The mother in the C-section is in someways like the animals in the sense that she can supposedly not feel anything and the baby in a sense just "pops right out." In a human birth, there is a lot of intervention from other people which is good and bad. The mother can rely on a doctor and have someone "experienced" talk her through things, but at the same time, she can feel a little intimidated.
In all three births, it is common that a loved one or a "creature" that is close to the mother is around to keep the mother "calm" and reassure her things will be okay. It seems to me that in every culture and species, loved ones being present are important to keep the mother calm and also for the babies sake. Also in all the births, it seems that in some ways the mother doesn't want to let her baby go. The animal mothers stay close to their baby and try and clean them and make sure their okay and the human mother wants to be the first to see her baby and wants a chance to hold her baby.
I feel that all births are the same in the sense that it is important, "sacred," scary, happy and a thing that all loved ones should be present for. No matter what species or culture there are things that run the same and these things, i feel, are extremely important to have during a birth.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
AWOB feelings
During our first actual in class discussion on the critique of the American way of birth, there was a lot that I didn’t really agree with. It seemed like, from what was being said that the doctors who aid in AWOB are “evil” and just want to take control over the entire situation. I, however, strongly disagree with this statement. The doctors (and all doctors in general) were all taught to do things in a certain way. The way they deal with childbirth is tradition in terms of practice. The methods used in the process of delivering of a child have been modified to keep up with the times and the changing technology and to try and help the women with their fear of pain. I do agree with the fact that fear of pain causes women to want an AWOB, but I don’t think a woman can be considered a coward at all because she is bringing a human life into the world in an extremely painful way. So no matter what she asks for (drugs, c-section, natural birth etc.) she still intends to bring a child into the world with some amount of “difficulty.”
Doctors put mothers in uncomfortable positions and tell them to push and all because they know that the mother is relying on the doctor to help her through labor. This (I highly doubt) makes the mother nervous and clench up because all that the mother really wants is the baby out of her so I really don’t think she cares whom she is exposed to or what is going on around her. The doctors put the mother in the “uncomfortable” position of lying down, not so the doctors can have total control, but because should the mother be standing and squatting or however, it would be hard to hold herself up and push at the same time while keeping herself stable. Another point that was brought up was that the word “rushes” would be preferred over “contractions” because “contracting,” means that the tube where the baby is exiting is getting smaller. It was mentioned that this made the mother feel uncomfortable because she imagines the space for the baby becoming smaller. I disagree that this would maker her uncomfortable. Contractions help push the baby out by creating a momentum in which the force will help the baby’s delivery. This (although painful) could only make a women feel ok that everything should be going well and that the contractions will help her push the baby out “easier.”
Doctors put mothers in uncomfortable positions and tell them to push and all because they know that the mother is relying on the doctor to help her through labor. This (I highly doubt) makes the mother nervous and clench up because all that the mother really wants is the baby out of her so I really don’t think she cares whom she is exposed to or what is going on around her. The doctors put the mother in the “uncomfortable” position of lying down, not so the doctors can have total control, but because should the mother be standing and squatting or however, it would be hard to hold herself up and push at the same time while keeping herself stable. Another point that was brought up was that the word “rushes” would be preferred over “contractions” because “contracting,” means that the tube where the baby is exiting is getting smaller. It was mentioned that this made the mother feel uncomfortable because she imagines the space for the baby becoming smaller. I disagree that this would maker her uncomfortable. Contractions help push the baby out by creating a momentum in which the force will help the baby’s delivery. This (although painful) could only make a women feel ok that everything should be going well and that the contractions will help her push the baby out “easier.”
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Birth Comparison Questions.
1. Birth in 2009 vs. Birth in 1950's
2. How do white people having more resources effect the way they give birth? (compared to black people)
3. Percentage of abortions in America vs. D.R.
4. Teen pregnancy vs. in the 1900's
5.Adoption vs. Abortion in America compared to Europe
6.Having a child under 20 vs. having a child over 35
7.How has the age of giving birth changed over the last 50 years?
8. percentage of single parent homes vs. 2 parent homes (now and 1950's)
9. How does the common way of giving birth in the US compare to the common way of giving birth in other countries?
10. What is the common age of pregnancy in the US vs. third world countries?
11. How does religion play different roles in birth and pregnancy in different countries?
12. What races around the world are known to be the most fertile? (average births each year)
13. How many babies are killed each year in the U.s vs third world countries ( babies thrown in garbage cans/rivers/etc)
14. How have technologies changed over the years?
12. 2009 vs. 1800's
13.black vs. white
14. american vs. african
15. america vs. china
16. % of death during pregnancy in america vs. haiti vs. europe
17. births vs. abortion
18. c sections vs. natural
19. What superstitions and "rituals" are similar and different in different culture?
20. abortions vs giving your baby up for adoption
21. miscarriage vs successful birth
22. c section rate now vs. 50 yrs ago
23. woman dying during birth now vs. 50 yrs ago
Group: Kati, Amanda, Aja, Jacara, Margaux
2. How do white people having more resources effect the way they give birth? (compared to black people)
3. Percentage of abortions in America vs. D.R.
4. Teen pregnancy vs. in the 1900's
5.Adoption vs. Abortion in America compared to Europe
6.Having a child under 20 vs. having a child over 35
7.How has the age of giving birth changed over the last 50 years?
8. percentage of single parent homes vs. 2 parent homes (now and 1950's)
9. How does the common way of giving birth in the US compare to the common way of giving birth in other countries?
10. What is the common age of pregnancy in the US vs. third world countries?
11. How does religion play different roles in birth and pregnancy in different countries?
12. What races around the world are known to be the most fertile? (average births each year)
13. How many babies are killed each year in the U.s vs third world countries ( babies thrown in garbage cans/rivers/etc)
14. How have technologies changed over the years?
12. 2009 vs. 1800's
13.black vs. white
14. american vs. african
15. america vs. china
16. % of death during pregnancy in america vs. haiti vs. europe
17. births vs. abortion
18. c sections vs. natural
19. What superstitions and "rituals" are similar and different in different culture?
20. abortions vs giving your baby up for adoption
21. miscarriage vs successful birth
22. c section rate now vs. 50 yrs ago
23. woman dying during birth now vs. 50 yrs ago
Group: Kati, Amanda, Aja, Jacara, Margaux
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Birth Stories
Interviewing my mother about her three births was really interesting. She spoke about my birth first. I was the first child therefore she didn’t know what to expect. In her mind she had a set plan and she wanted everything to follow that plan. She didn’t want any drugs, little to no medical intervention and she wanted to be in control of the birth of the baby. She took classes in order to be ready, but when the time came, nothing really went according to plan. She had been having contractions all-day and arrived at the hospital extremely tired physically. The doctors found out that my mother was not dilating and would not dilate until her water broke. My mother kept asking the doctor to break her water because she had a really strong feeling that the baby was to be born that night, but the doctors refused. Finally, she forced a nurse to convince a doctor to break her water. Afterward she begged for drugs to calm her down, but not enough to numb her. She wanted the drugs to help her sleep for a little so that she would have the physical strength she needed to give birth. The pain came back at 5:00 and by 5:45, she was ready to start pushing and by 6:00 I was born. The worst part of the pregnancy for my mother, she said, was when she had to stop pushing so that the doctors could clean the baby’s face a little bit. Before the birth, she had a little bit of a hard time because the doctors had told her that her baby might be born with genetic mutations. She had the amniocentesis and the doctors told her that her baby was going to be mentally challenged and then when they did the test again, they found that they had misinformed her and the baby was fine. She said the one thing she will always remember is that while in the birthing room during her delivery she turned to my father and said “ I don’t want to do this anymore take me home. If you loved me you’d take me home.”
The second birth was a little easier she said. Again she knew before hand that the baby was coming, but no one believed her. Everyone kept on telling her that she was not due for another month. She had a normal day and then 2 days later, she went to the hospital only to find that she was going into labor. During this delivery, she had no drugs what so ever and she said that it was much easier. She felt that there was less stress and that was probably because she knew what to expect. During this pregnancy she also had amniocentesis done and found that there were defects yet when the test was redone, it was found that the doctors were wrong again.
Her third birth was probably the most emotionally strenuous. After amniocentesis, it was found that the baby would possibly have defects such as spina bifida, severe mutations, she was possibly going to be disabled and might only live to the age of 5. The emotional stress that she had to go through (to me) seemed much worse than the actual birth of the child. The doctors and some family members told her that they would strongly suggest an abortion. Many people supported her choice to keep the baby as well. My grandmother finally said that God probably gave my mother my sister (Madison) because she was meant to prove everyone wrong. Religion played a major role in the pregnancy and birth of my sister. Thankfully the doctors did another test and found that my sister was actually fine and they were wrong (yet again). During the actual birth, my mother said that she was having really bad contractions and went to the hospital only to be sent home because the doctors said she was not ready to give birth. She went home and the contractions were worse so she went back to the hospital and they realized she was going into labor. During this delivery, she was in control, didn’t take any drugs at all and actually fell in and out of sleep during it. The thing that hurt the most, she said, was the episiotomy and after the birth when she was nursing hurt worse than actually giving birth. When the baby was born, the only thing that was wrong with her was her heart problems. She had a hole in her heart that the doctors were afraid wouldn’t close up. But after a year or so, the hole closed up and she’s perfect.
The second birth was a little easier she said. Again she knew before hand that the baby was coming, but no one believed her. Everyone kept on telling her that she was not due for another month. She had a normal day and then 2 days later, she went to the hospital only to find that she was going into labor. During this delivery, she had no drugs what so ever and she said that it was much easier. She felt that there was less stress and that was probably because she knew what to expect. During this pregnancy she also had amniocentesis done and found that there were defects yet when the test was redone, it was found that the doctors were wrong again.
Her third birth was probably the most emotionally strenuous. After amniocentesis, it was found that the baby would possibly have defects such as spina bifida, severe mutations, she was possibly going to be disabled and might only live to the age of 5. The emotional stress that she had to go through (to me) seemed much worse than the actual birth of the child. The doctors and some family members told her that they would strongly suggest an abortion. Many people supported her choice to keep the baby as well. My grandmother finally said that God probably gave my mother my sister (Madison) because she was meant to prove everyone wrong. Religion played a major role in the pregnancy and birth of my sister. Thankfully the doctors did another test and found that my sister was actually fine and they were wrong (yet again). During the actual birth, my mother said that she was having really bad contractions and went to the hospital only to be sent home because the doctors said she was not ready to give birth. She went home and the contractions were worse so she went back to the hospital and they realized she was going into labor. During this delivery, she was in control, didn’t take any drugs at all and actually fell in and out of sleep during it. The thing that hurt the most, she said, was the episiotomy and after the birth when she was nursing hurt worse than actually giving birth. When the baby was born, the only thing that was wrong with her was her heart problems. She had a hole in her heart that the doctors were afraid wouldn’t close up. But after a year or so, the hole closed up and she’s perfect.
My Feelings on Birth
When I think about birth and being a mother and all, it kind of doesn’t have an effect on me because I would never want to give birth at a young age and I don’t think I will be for a while. But if I had to think about being a mother, I have mixed emotions. To me, it’s an exciting thought to be a mother and to be proud of the fact that you had a part in bringing a human being into the world, but at the same time, its kind of scary. I can’t even imagine the pain and effort that goes into birthing a child. It worries me a little bit because I kind of wonder if I have the strength it will take to go through with something like birthing a child. When I think about it, I’m excited for finding out that I’m pregnant and getting ready for the baby and finding out the babies gender but the birthing aspect of it really in a way scares me. But then again, when it really comes to it, I think maybe when I’m actually in the situation, I will gain courage from the fact that I cant let fear cripple me and make e afraid to do anything the doctors tell me. It’s actually really intriguing to me to think that something like birth is possible. When I look at my mom and realize that I came from her it’s kind of crazy to me…
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