Has Hospital Birth Lost Its Way?

Me, with a very cheesy grin, about two hours from birthing Charlie.

The last several births I have been to in hospitals have been awesome, and I have seen the nurses treating laboring mothers with so much respect and care. I was interested to read this article in the Huffington Post today. I do think it is important to remember that hospitals are like a giant machine, and it is easy for things to start getting rushed and out-of-control. Having extra support is so important, in my opinion.

A quote I liked from the article:

"We need to make sure that we reduce the overuse of interventions that are not always necessary, like C-sections, and increase access to the care that we know is good for mothers and babies, like labor support." -- Maureen Corry, executive director of Childbirth Connection.

Cost Versus Benefit

From a recent article in USA Today:

"Childbirth is the leading reason for hospitalization in the USA and one of the top reasons for outpatient visits, yet much maternity care consists of high-tech procedures that lack scientific evidence of benefit for most women, a report says today."

Currently, one-third of births in the United States is a c-section (the cesarean rate at our local hospital is currently just over 40%), and I would venture to say that nearly 50% of hospital births are started by induction. Interventions in childbirth seem to increase every year, and it is important to ask -- Are births getting safer?

To read the full text of the quoted article, follow this link.

Things to Ponder

I just got done watching the trailer for The Other Side of the Glass, a movie that is geared towards empowering fathers to preserve their baby's space after birth. It was pretty mind blowing.

I think sometimes we are geared to think that things are a certain way, just because that is how it has always been. If we have a baby in the hospital, such and such will happen. If we have a baby at home, so and so will happen. We forget, sometimes, that just as we have rights that should be honored, our newborn babies also deserve those same protections.

It is difficult at the very end of birth for the mother to be able to totally advocate for herself and her child. Sometimes she is experiencing her own interventions that can take away her ability to totally focus on her baby (placental delivery, stitches, c-section, anesthesia, etc.), and this is why she totally and completely depends on her birth partner to watch over her newborn's safe-keeping. I don't think that most fathers are equipped to advocate for their child. It can be intimidating to stand up to or question those we consider professionals.

I know some people will watch the trailer and think of their own birth experiences (I know I did). You may feel that the interventions that your baby experienced after birth were necessary or that they caused no ill effects. Watching the video may cause you to relive your own and your baby's birth trauma. For me, the trailer reminded me that babies, in utero and freshly birthed, are sentient. They are individuals with a brain and a heart and a soul. They have awareness and memory. They should be treated with tender hands, soft voices, and with respect.

Now go watch the trailer and tell me what you think.

The Joys (and Ease) of Babywearing

My sister carrying my niece, Ava, in a ring sling while touring the fabric district in L.A.

I knew when I had my second child that I wanted a way to keep baby attached to me during the day, so that I was able to have my hands free to care for my older son. I had used a Baby Bjorn when my first was small, but that caused my back to ache and I don't think it was very comfortable for baby. So I did a lot of research and eventually had a ring sling made for me, and then went on to make my own pouch and then a mei tai. I was bitten by the baby wearing bug.

Charlie loved the pouch!

There are so many carrier options, that with a little bit of research parents can find the perfect carrier (or carriers) to suit their lifestyle. A good place to start is The Babywearer website. There you will find descriptions of different carriers, reviews of particular products and the vendors that sell them. Locally, there is a babywearing group that gathers regularly to troubleshoot issues, try on different carriers and promote the idea of babywearing.

Charlie, as a newborn, cuddled in my ring sling.

I wish I had pictures of me wearing my children as they have gotten older, but with the right carrier it is possible to carry your child until they are over 30 pounds with no discomfort. It makes having a stroller pretty obsolete. And making dinner with a fussy baby who wants to be held a piece of cake.

I'm Back!

I apologize for my long absence, but I'm excited about the upcoming months and all that is happening in the birth world. Look forward to more regular posts from me.

I just had to share this amazing video, showing a woman singing her baby down during labor. It is absolutely beautiful and inspirational!