Typical "mainstream" birth story. - Page 2

[NordicMamma]

Originally Posted by ared1

While I pretty much had a standard hospital birth I still find this very irritating. My SIL was induced. Her water broke on it's own at 12AM she labored for a few hours and after 5 hours (!) was told she had to have a c-sec. 5 hours? Failure to progress? I think failure to follow the Dr's schedule would have been the more appropriate term.

That would be my biggest fear during induction. That someone is standing over me with a stop watch ready to say 'Time's up! Prep for section!'

All the women in my family have naturally slow labours. Mine took 42 hours, my sister's took 38, and my mother's all lasted 2-3 days. I can imagine that even with induction I wouldn't be pushing out my little one 5 hours later.

I had a friend who was induced in Britain (for a medical reason - lack of movement of the baby) and she laboured for 2.5 days before finally getting the baby out, thankfully without c-section. I am sure that elsewhere she would have been labelled 'failure to progress' and sent off to the OR by the end of the first day.

[jeanieloz]

My first was sunny side up, and I did all natural birth, and labored for 9 hours, with my second they did give me an epidural just in case of a c-section because of him being a big baby, but still let me try to push him out, and I was able to he was 10#14oz.
My third, it was funny, the nurse came in with pitocin 4 hours after my water broke, and was ready to hook me up, but I was already fully dialated and ready to push, no need for pitocin, but she hadn't even asked me if I wanted it, I guess the were getting sick of monitoring me.

Every time I hear about no offer of a VBAC. I always think of my sister, her first was a vertical emergency c-section 18 yrs ago, her second was a bikini planned c-section 16 yrs ago, and her third was a vaginal birth 13 yrs ago. Why are there more "risks" now than there were 13 years ago? You would think the Dr.'s would know how to do more VBAC's than C-sections!
And what's with the c-section for breech birth? I'm scared to death of this one being breech, and they wanting to do a c-section. I swear I will only let them if I try pushing and he won't come out! I was a breech baby born vaginally, and my mother's largest baby!
Donna

[MilkOnDemand]

A c-section for a sunny side up baby? I've had one normal position baby, and one sunny side baby, and honestly they both took work to get out, but I can't imagine having had a c-section for my dd (the sunny baby).

Donna - your little guy still has time to turn!!! If you are having a hospital birth, many hospitals will not *allow* a breech delivery because of their malpractice insurance...you may want to call and check.

[Marieke]

Originally Posted by jeanieloz

Why are there more "risks" now than there were 13 years ago? You would think the Dr.'s would know how to do more VBAC's than C-sections!
And what's with the c-section for breech birth? I'm scared to death of this one being breech, and they wanting to do a c-section. I swear I will only let them if I try pushing and he won't come out! I was a breech baby born vaginally, and my mother's largest baby!

There aren't any more "risks" nowadays, there are higher malpractise premiums and lawsuits. I think this is one of the major things that is plaguing the maternity wards in hospitals. Anything remotely "risky" like sunny side up, VBAC or breech, or even the cord around the neck (which I read somewhere happens in about 40% of births, so it surely can't be really that serious?) they want to do a c-section for, because were anything to go slightly wrong during a vaginal delivery, regardless of whether it was that type of delivery that was really to blame for what happened, people will sue the hospital for thousands or millions of dollars. Patient care has started to come behind covering medical ass, and that's a sad situation indeed.

From what I've heard and read, vaginal breech births aren't even taught in various medical schools these days, and c-section is the only method they're taught to use to deal with that situation. It's sad that many midwives have more knowledge than some/many/? doctors in that kind of delivery.

Incidentally, Donna, you should ask your doctor if they're willing to try external version to turn your baby, if it doesn't do so by itself.



Marieke

[orangebird]

with my second they did give me an epidural just in case of a c-section because of him being a big baby, but still let me try to push him out, and I was able to he was 10#14oz.

Isn't this f-ing annoying? Lets give an epidural "just in case" since the baby seems big. It is so counterintuitive to me, it seems you would want full mobility with a bigger baby to make sure it gets into the best possible position. Laying on your back with an epi isn't exactly known to help babies move into their best positions. Doctors are so annoying! (not you mama, I'm talking about the stupid doctor). Thank goodness you still pushed him out. Great job!

[Marieke]

Originally Posted by mara

Isn't this f-ing annoying? Lets give an epidural "just in case"

I can top that story. Our birth educator informed us of a new procedure that is routine in some hospitals... which is where they already insert an epidural catheter, routinely, just in case you need the epidural later. As she pointed out, this already exposes you to many of the risks of the epidural (seeing as they have already punctured the skin and created a pathway to the epidural cavity etc.) without any of the benefits at all.

The whole idea is ludicrous... what's next? they already make the incision in case you need the c-section later?



Marieke

[NordicMamma]

I post on another board with an anesthetist who told us that in her hospital (in Atlanta, i think) all women are automatically hooked up to an IV when they come into L&D - 'just in case'. Talk about sabotaging whatever confidence a woman has in getting her baby out naturally .

[Marieke]

Originally Posted by NordicMamma

I post on another board with an anesthetist who told us that in her hospital (in Atlanta, i think) all women are automatically hooked up to an IV when they come into L&D - 'just in case'. Talk about sabotaging whatever confidence a woman has in getting her baby out naturally .

Yeah, that I've heard too. I think having an epidural catheter run as soon as you come in is probably even worse than an IV line though. But both definitely sabotage any confidence.



Marieke

[jeanieloz]

C-section for the cord around baby's neck is weird, my third had it around his neck twice! But then again I had him out in three pushes, I can "somewhat" understand if pushing for a half hour or longer may pose more risks.
I have hospital births (insurance) but I always seek out foreign doctors, IMO they seem a little less intent on "American" birthing. I swear if this one does end up being breech I'll only consent to a c-section if they let me try pushing first for at least 15 pushes! I had all my others out in less than 10 pushes! Heck I'll tell dh to push the dr aside and yank that baby out!
It does boggle my mind that we've come to a population of almost 7 billion and the majority of those births were all natural.
Donna

[ared1]

Our birth educator informed us of a new procedure that is routine in some hospitals... which is where they already insert an epidural catheter, routinely, just in case you need the epidural later. As she pointed out, this already exposes you to many of the risks of the epidural (seeing as they have already punctured the skin and created a pathway to the epidural cavity etc.) without any of the benefits at all.

WHHHATTTTT????? NO WAY!

[NordicMamma]

Okay, this is getting ridiculous.

9 out of the last 10 women to have their babies on my mainstream board were induced (I wasn't counting before that). And the 10th went into labour on her own, but was augmented with pitocin anyway, because it wasn't going fast enough. Every single one of them (not surprisingly) had an epidural and the majority had stadol before that.

I feel like giving a prize to the first person on that board who has anything remotely resembling a natural birth!

[chiro_kristin]

All of this makes me wanna :Puke

I just had a discussion with a patient this past week whose wife had a CS and is 2 months pg already planning on another CS. He asked me, "Well, isn't it actually better for the baby anyway [birth trauma wise]?"

Um, yeah. Because our bodies are just not evolved enough to stop birthing vaginally. Maybe in another million years our stomachs will just split open and the babies will jump out and do a dance.

Hm... I wonder who told them that? Maybe their CS doc?

[Gabesgrrrl]

YES! Likeminded women unite!

So it comes to this.

After months of watching “A Baby Story”, and the Canadian version: “Birth Stories”, I am frustrated and inspired to action. I’m hoping that you will want to participate!

I’m tired of seeing a woman, in the hospital, flat on her back being hurried along some man-devised timeline, only to find that yes-it’s true, you “can’t hurry love”…..and they declare the woman unable to birth, whisk her away to the operating table and call it a day.

I’m not a hardliner. I know that there are times when medical intervention has in fact, saved lives. And for those I am grateful! But the normalcy of some of these practices is creating a warped view of birthing for our younger generations. They see these shows, and they determine that an epidural MUST be the norm-must be SAFE and EFFECTIVE….you never see someone saying that they will never get another epidural, because it caused damage to them or their unborn baby. It’s always such a “relief”.

Even the “scheduled” C-section concept gets me.

We are women. We are Divine, spirit, powerful and resourceful! Where are the doctors teaching an IN-dependent relationship, which places trust in the woman’s ability and her bodies design?

It is a natural desire for a pregnant woman to want to see others going through labor, and to read birth stories to encourage and reassure… There are reasons why other cultures bring older, more experienced women into the birthing room, and why they spend time at a woman’s coming of age ceremony, imparting feminine wisdom.

But there needs to be a resource that is fresh, (not from the 70’s!) spirit-centered, instructional and inspirational….all in one place.

I ‘ve decided to put together a book. It will be a print book, and will contain:

1)Birth stories. NONE will contain medical intervention, aside from the assistance of a midwife. The idea here is not to condemn women who’s choices led them another way, but to counteract the obviously medically-sponsored media pervading our society.
·I am looking not just for the “this is the mechanics” kinds of stories-but how you remember feeling-spirit is an important aspect of birthing, far too overlooked!
2)Wisdom. Any great advice you received or would pass on to your own daughter around a candlelight ceremony…compresses? Ice cubes? Frozen Maxi-pads? Visualizations? You get the idea…
3)I’ll be taking maternity photos to include in the book. The types of photos I take are usually manipulated, to focus on the ethereal aspect of pregnancy/birthing. I’ll start gathering models for this sometime in September….so if anyone knows of a mom-to-be….you can give her my email: [e-mail]….I’m not sure that there will be financial compensation, but I will give free photos to the ladies who participate in this way.J
4)Poetry or drawings depicting birth. I’m not sure how this will be included at this point, but I know that it will be worked into the flow of the book.


All of these requests are only on a volunteer basis, and you can change your name(s) if you wish. Once it’s done and in print, all participants will receive a copy of the book.J


I may consider a CD/DVD of some type to go with it as well….at some point..J

Anyone interested in participating?

[yamilee21]

Originally Posted by NordicMamma

I feel like giving a prize to the first person on that board who has anything remotely resembling a natural birth!

I totally relate to this... on another board that I read, the women think of themselves as independent and non-conformist, and many seem to really educate themselves about birth, yet most end up with high-intervention births that often terminate with C-sections. I don't want to read their birth stories anymore, because I feel like the curse of interventions will contaminate me as well.

[NordicMamma]

Well, I finally managed to give away my cookie for an un-induced birth on my mainstream site yesterday, after two weeks of waiting - but get this, only because she went into labour naturally BEFORE her induction date. And she did have an epidural, so no extra credit.