Re: sponses: Does it matter how the baby is born?(long)
From: art fougner, md (evsono@pipeline.com)
Tue May 24 07:18:08 2005
You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes well you
just might find You get what you need.
M Jagger & K Richards
art
At Sun, 22 May 2005, Stmidwife@aol.com wrote:
>
>Here are some responses, I from some of the people at the perinatal pysch
>center in Santa Barbara, not sure which one, I posted to two facilities. There
>were 3 responses as of yesterday.
>
>Response #1
>
>Let me compare my c-section and my VBAC. 24 hours
>after my c-section, they took out my catheter so I
>could go to the bathroom. I was in tears because it
>hurt so much when I had to go, but I had to ring the
>nurse (threee times) and wait for her to come and help
>me get out of bed (first I gave myself two pumps of
>morphine so that I could handle the pain of getting
>out of bed). I almost past out on the toilet and two
>nurses had to give me smelling salts repeatedly. Then
>they had to help me get back in bed. One hour after my
>vaginal birth, I had to go to the bathroom, and I got
>up (all by myself), walked to the bathroom by myself
>and did my thing.
>
>Five days after my c-section, my parents were fixing
>dinner for me and I thought I'd help make a salad. I
>was up for 10 minutes to toss the salad and the pain
>was too much so I had to sit down. Four days after my
>VBAC, it was too hot to sit at home so we took the
>kids to the mall, walked around for two hours, let my
>2-year old daughter play at the playground, and the
>only part that was uncomfortable was having to go to
>the bathroom without my peri bottle.
>
>I think it's great that he has patients that are
>"fully functional" after 36 hours. I didn't feel
>"fully functional" for over a month after my
>c-section.
>
>But pain goes away. The lasting impact is the way I
>felt about both births, which is dramatically
>different. I never felt that I "gave birth" to my
>daughter. Instead, I had an operation and came home
>with a baby.
>
>Response #2
>
>Well that depends.
>Obviously the most important thing is that baby and mom are healthy and baby
>has a safe arrival but why subject a mom to MAJOR SURGERY (c/s) if it is not
>warrented?
>Vaginal births are natural and are the INTENDED delivery method. Our bodies
>were designed for this. To have a c/s out of convienence is ridiculous.
>Also how about all the moms who want to have a vaginal birth.
>This is a gift to us. Something only us women can experience so why
>shouldn't we?
>I felt extremely cheated after my c/s. I felt I missed out on some great
>secret that woman for eons have experienced.
>It wasn't until I went on to have a succesfull vbac that I felt fulfilled in
>my birthing experience.
>Saying the delivery method is overated is absurd. Healing time for a c/s is
>longer than a vaginal birth. I know this because I've had both.
>I think it's sad that obgyn's and hospitals are not only pressuring moms to
>have c/s but allowing them to believe that it's easier or that it doesn't
>really matter how baby is born.
>Aside from being major surgery, I'm sure you can agree that c/s can cause
>many other complications.
>How about the fact that you will be away from your baby for hours to
>possibly one or two days. What about the fact that you can't nurse immediately after
>birth? What about the woman who can't bf for several days and their babies
>end up being supplemented with formula by well meaning hospital staff and
>then baby won't take the breast?
>Breastfeeding is the best possibly nutrition for baby, why would you want to
>risk it?
>I'm not saying that if it's a high risk pregnancy or there is other
>forseeable complications that a c/s isn't optimal but in a normal pregnancy a c/s is
>not the route to go.
>In my opinion there are far too many dr's these days using scare tactics to
>push moms into c/s's and In my opinion I think said dr's are getting a little
>upset that more mom's are arming themselves with knowledge and sticking to
>their guns instead of caving in to said scare tactics.
>
>Reponse #3
>
>First of all I think physical health is whats
>overated. Physical health means very little if your
>emotional and mental health are lagging far behind. I
>would rather be missing an arm and be emotionally
>sound and whole than have a perfect body and be an
>emotional basket case on prosac.
>Even for those who don't agree with the previous
>statement, emotional issues can greatly effect
>physical health.
>Also the baby and mother are hormonally and physically
>wired to be healthier when their birthing and bonding
>needs are met. These needs are not very complex or
>dificult to accomodate - and I really have a hard time
>seeing what the big PROBLEM is in respecting and
>honoring those needs.
>They need to be respected as people and individuals
>with rights, choices, and voices
>They need to be together, not seperated
>They both need to be recognized as owners of their own
>bodies, and be respected as such, not to be pushed
>around or ignored, handled carlessly or casually, or
>coerced
>They need their privacy and dignity to be respected
>and honored by their caregivers
>
>These are very simple and sensible things, that do not
>cost anything but a moment of pause and consideration
>from their caregivers. Unless one has a god complex I
>really don't see the objection to "allowing" basic
>human rights during a natural process.
>
>Regarding VBAC and homebirth. It's the OB's and
>Hospitals and insurance companies own doings that move
>many women to these "extremes". If a woman knows she
>is likely to get what she wants/needs at home but not
>at the hospital where do you THINK she is going to
>give birth.
>I think that the medical profession ignores to some
>extent the psychological aspects of childbirth
>especially the way c-sections and forceps/vacuum
>deliveries affect a womans self image, and perception
>of her body.
>Most women feel like they have lost something when
>they are not able (by reason or fault) to give birth
>naturally. As a woman who has given birth at home
>without drugs (and it was a long painful labor mind
>you), I must say that I would be a totally different
>person if I had not given birth in the way I chose. I
>would have a different profession, different parenting
>style, different relationships with my son and my
>spouse, and I don't beleive I would be as happy. Birth
>is the beginning of a lot of change for everyone
>involved. The tone of the event will resonate on the
>lives of the family for at least 6 months after the
>birth and will affect in no small way alot of what
>they do and how they do it.
>I am rather appauled at the way these issues are
>dismissed so lightly by womens care providers. "first
>do no harm" eh?
>Faith
--
art fougner, md
"If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else."
Lawrence Peter Berra
