Let me just say at the outset that I already knew that this was how the hospital works. AND that my midwife and doula are totally on my side about labor and birth practices. AND that I am already in touch with various staff members about various aspects of the birth plan (things we have control over, like rooming in). AND I wrote them a long evaluation about all the things I found offensive.
NONETHELESS - here is a list of offensive things I heard tonight at the hospital's big-sibling class. I know that my caregivers and DH are totally not like this, and that I'm already working proactively against these assumptions. But I just have to get it off my chest.
This was all in the labor room:
1. "And this is mom's favorite button. It's called the Epidural Button. It makes her happy."
2. "This is a soda pop machine. It goes in her arm, so the soda pop can go right in her arm. It's called an IV."
3. "This is a mirror. It comes down from the ceiling so that mom can see herself during labor. She wants to see how pretty she is and check her lipstick."
4. "What do daddies do while mom is labor having the baby? They snore. Like this!"
5. "When the baby comes out, it's all naked and wet and cold. So we have to put it in a warmer with a special light because that's how it gets warm."
6. My favorite moment was when she talked about ice chips, and one of the older siblings said, "but moms need food! Why don't you give the mom food?!" Needless to say she never got back to that question.
ARGH. Thanks for reading.
NONETHELESS - here is a list of offensive things I heard tonight at the hospital's big-sibling class. I know that my caregivers and DH are totally not like this, and that I'm already working proactively against these assumptions. But I just have to get it off my chest.
This was all in the labor room:
1. "And this is mom's favorite button. It's called the Epidural Button. It makes her happy."
2. "This is a soda pop machine. It goes in her arm, so the soda pop can go right in her arm. It's called an IV."
3. "This is a mirror. It comes down from the ceiling so that mom can see herself during labor. She wants to see how pretty she is and check her lipstick."
4. "What do daddies do while mom is labor having the baby? They snore. Like this!"
5. "When the baby comes out, it's all naked and wet and cold. So we have to put it in a warmer with a special light because that's how it gets warm."
6. My favorite moment was when she talked about ice chips, and one of the older siblings said, "but moms need food! Why don't you give the mom food?!" Needless to say she never got back to that question.
ARGH. Thanks for reading.
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