"Weird, Wacky Birth Stories (You won't Believe!)" - Parents Mag Article

[Spark]

A friend of mine gave me the September 2006 issue of Parents Magazine. I think it's really informative to see what more "mainstream" parents are reading... it puts some comments into perspective.

Well, I was a bit horrified this time. I read an article called "Weird, Wacky Birth Stories (You Won't Believe!)". It was a compilation of Obstetricians, nurses and midwives who saw "some pressy crazy behavior in the delivery room."

Wait till you hear what qualifies as "crazy behavior"!

One woman gave birth while standing up! OMG! Can you believe it!?!? Isn't that crazy? The OB said, "I had to slide under the bed on my back, like an auto mechanic changing a muffler." Poor, OB. Didn't she know that a laying down to push decreases the pelvic capacity whereas standing actually increases it?

Another instance of crazy behavior happened when a mother wanted a drink of water. Finally they told her to push, but she refused unless she could have water. So, they "used one sip as a negotiationg tool for each push." Okay, so let me get this straight, a woman is thirsy. Thirsty for water they ignored her survival instincts? I can not even imagine. I would be outraged. Then I would be violent after reading that in a magazine.

ugh. If you want to read for yourself go to http://www.parents.com/parents/story...5838117888.xml I haven't been able to find an address to write to Parents about this article. If someone knows, please share. They don't have a "Reader's Comments" section in their mag.

[^guest^]

A couple of those are awful, but you do have to admit that an OB farting while demonstrating pushing is laughworthy.

The one about the water, and the insinuation of "How dare this woman try to hold her daughter while giving birth! the outrage!" is pretty sickening.

[mesa]

I like the ones about the dads, like the dad who brought a jar of his wife's amniotic fluid to the hospital, but left her at home

Some of them ARE pretty bad, though.

[annekevdbroek]

A few are bad - The nurse who forced the man to watch the baby being born when he didn't want to (and turns out, it was the brother, not husband, and he didn't speak English). I mean, way to bully people! The no water delivery - seeesh!

However, the farting OB was hallarious!

[Spark]

Yes, some stories were funny; but personally the laughing stopped once the sadistic view of birth started. To me, it was like watching a Seinfeld episode while being beaten. Sure, Seinfield was funny, but I really didn't notice due to the blunt trauma.

[LizaBear]

Okay - I'm reading it. I'm 39 weeks pregnant. Some are pretty pathetic, I admit.

But the "Wedding Day" one - that's got the waterworks turned on here

[sapphire_chan]

From the same website on "things no one told you about labor":

You act like a lunatic. During labor -- especially if you haven't been given pain medication -- you may find yourself screaming, crying, even swearing at your husband or doctor. Or you may strip. "I've had patients who were so uncomfortable that they pulled off their gowns and delivered naked," says Lisa Fraine, a certified nurse-midwife in Allentown, Pennsylvania. All of these reactions are common; they're simply a response to pain and exhaustion. You can also blame your hormones: "Labor causes a shift in your estrogen and progesterone levels, which is akin to a major case of PMS," Dr. Klapholz says. If you do lose it, don't feel bad. Doctors and nurses are used to these reactions. (Still, it doesn't hurt to apologize afterward.) But if you're uncomfortable with the idea of such a display, be prepared for your delivery. "Women who take childbirth classes tend to stay calmer during labor than those who don't," Dr. Klapholz says.

Way to encourage natural labor. "you should apologize to the doctors and nurses for your reactions during labor"

If you aren't comfortable being screaming and naked around someone, maybe they shouldn't be at your labor.

Back on topic:
I *loved* the wedding day one. The only two that really bugged me were the "force the guy to stay" one and the "sips of water" one.

[^guest^]

There are a lot of articles from that magazine that make me cringe. Like the "rise of epidurals" article which talk about epidurals in an "everyone's doing it!" fashion, and completely fail to mention the increased risk associated with epidural use and pitocin/cesareans.

[Jade2561]

I read that article. It made me want to scream. I love the crazy birth stories where mom accidently gave birth at home and didn't make it to the hospital. Now thats just bizarre.

[tinyshoes]

good grief, this thread is the ONLY WAY I can even TOLERATE the mere mention of Parents mag (or other such rags.)

It really makes me want to puke, how all of the elements and aspects that I cherish about birth are mocked and ridiculed (standing to birth, getting naked, etc.)

NO wait.....THIS really makes me want to puke (also from the Parents website http://www.parents.com/parents/story...l&catref=prt12)

Had a C-Section? Read this.

If you've already delivered by cesarean section and hope to have your next baby vaginally, here's what you need to know.

* You must give birth in a hospital. A study in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology found that while the risk of complications during a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) is small, it's enough to make a birthing-center delivery inadvisable.

* VBACs are on the decline. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of VBACs has plummeted 63 percent since 1996. Why? Citing the risk of uterine rupture, some hospitals no longer perform the procedure. Adding to the debate: A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that women who attempt a VBAC are at slightly higher risk of medical problems than those who have another C-section.


* Another cesarean may be your best option. Women with more than one previous C-section or who are past their due date are more likely to have complications during a VBAC.

* You need to talk with your doctor. "There are positives and negatives to both a VBAC and a repeat C-section," says Bruce Flamm, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, Irvine. "Discuss your options with your ob-gyn."

[witchbaby]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

From the same website on "things no one told you about labor":


Way to encourage natural labor. "you should apologize to the doctors and nurses for your reactions during labor"

If you aren't comfortable being screaming and naked around someone, maybe they shouldn't be at your labor.

Back on topic:
I *loved* the wedding day one. The only two that really bugged me were the "force the guy to stay" one and the "sips of water" one.

i like the "omigod, naked women!!11!" part. oy. on that note, i was naked for the majority of my labor with m. about 20 hours in, sitting buck naked on the birth stool between contractions, i looked over at my midwife and thought, "really, when you get down to it, i don't know her that well. and yet, i've been sitting with her completely naked for hours and hours. interesting."

[witchbaby]

Originally Posted by tinyshoes

good grief, this thread is the ONLY WAY I can even TOLERATE the mere mention of Parents mag (or other such rags.)

It really makes me want to puke, how all of the elements and aspects that I cherish about birth are mocked and ridiculed (standing to birth, getting naked, etc.)

NO wait.....THIS really makes me want to puke (also from the Parents website http://www.parents.com/parents/story...l&catref=prt12)

my head just exploded.

[channelofpeace]

* You must give birth in a hospital. A study in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology found that while the risk of complications during a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) is small, it's enough to make a birthing-center delivery inadvisable.

I love this one!

You mean, obstetricians found that you should use obstetricians to deliver a baby?! Shocking!

I also liked the part where they quoted Bruce Flamm. Interesting that they didn't mention anything else he had to say on the subject of vbacs

[Snowdrift]

Originally Posted by witchbaby

my head just exploded.

Another exploding head here. Freaky.

I just don't get why American women are so willing to be treated like this. What happened to feminism?

[KittyKat]

Apologize???!!!

WHATEVER.

During the birth of #4 the MW was doing some kind of counterpressure on my perineum. It felt WRONG. I said stop it. She started to explain and I said it hurts. Just stop it. She backed off. I didn't have the words for anything more than "Stop it."

DH asked me later if I remembered that. I said yep. He said something about did I feel bad for "snapping" at her. Ummm, nope. :

I ripped my dress off and threw it across the room when my youngest was born. It wasn't a "response to pain" it was how I wanted to be just then. I wasn't exhausted either, I was just in transition and about to start spontaneously pushing. big whooptee-doo.

[tinyshoes]

Originally Posted by tie-dyed

Another exploding head here.

yes...where IS the exploding head emoticon? it is desparately needed here; my head also exploded (after the puking and the tsking)

geez, OBs, if it's REALLY so dang risky, maybe you should tell women to not get pregnant......OH WAIT!

Originally Posted by milkydoula

You mean, obstetricians found that you should use obstetricians to deliver a baby?! Shocking!

[~*~MamaJava~*~]

I remember that article - my friend gets that rag and I read it at her place occasionally...

The drink of water thing made my jaw drop. Honestly, that is SICK. No water for a laboring mother, for pete's sake?!

Some of them are cute, but it was really ridiculous, esp that ob who delivered a baby while the mom was standing up. Way to make mainstream moms feel totally ridiculous for EVER bucking the status quo.

[wannabe]

Oooh, that wild and wacky woman being thirsty!

The new age hippys - there's nothing they won't do, hey?:

[sapphire_chan]

The other thing about the water one: The Woman Refused To Push. Um... can we say "her body wasn't ready to push"? Yes, yes we can.

It's a darn shame dh is already on board for homebirthing, I keep encountering great things like this to convince him.

[nova22]

I remember reading that article when I was pregnant with one of my kids, and I had to put down the magazine because it was so irritating to read most of those stories.

From sapphire clan's post:

You act like a lunatic. During labor -- especially if you haven't been given pain medication -- you may find yourself screaming, crying, even swearing at your husband or doctor.

I'm sure they could have found a more positive way to say that. One of my greatest fears when I was pregnant with #1 was that I would start swearing at my husband. Everything I was reading made it sound like once you were in labor, you became a disgruntled she-beast who will scream and claw at anyone who attempts to touch or comfort you.