Friday, October 29, 2010

Is Ignorance Really Bliss? (Childbirth)

OK. So I just finished reading a few articles and columns today. My internet is working a bit faster, thank goodness! And I came across some disturbing statements. One in particular, stood out amongst the dozen others that had me gasping and sighing.

"Why does it matter how your baby got here [or how you feed it]? You have a baby!"  - kinda goes hand in hand with another frequent comment - "All that matters is that you have a healthy baby."

Seriously? It does matter how you give birth, because how you give birth directly impacts you, your baby, your recovery time, your breastfeeding experience, you future birth experiences, etc.

I chose to give birth vaginally & drug free because I knew it was what was best for me and my baby. Medical interventions like epidurals, pitocin, etc. are not without risks. The problem is, hospital staff and your OB tend to spare you the whole truth. They leave you with "You'll fee like a new woman in ten!" as the anethesiologist walks out after inserting that giant epidural needle in your back. He doesn't say things like "Oh, by they way, this could cause brain damage."

When the nurse tells you to lay down, stop getting up to pee so much because you're causing problems with the monitoring system, and she'll check you for the 4th time in 2 hours - she's not telling you that not emptying your bladder can slow your labor or that with each exam she increases your risk of infection, and . . . oh . . . the dreaded . . . delivering on your back makes your mores susceptible to . . . TEARING! Which seems to be alot of womens biggest fear when it comes to their bodies during labor.

Sure, everyone wants to give birth to a healthy baby. However, I want to give birth to the healthiest baby I possibly can. I don't want to increase my baby's risk for any kind of complication by going on pitocin at 39.5 weeks because I'm tired of being pregnant. An enormous part of being a mother is about being selfless, and that would be a selfish choice to me. I want my babies' to develop to their full extent in womb. I don't wanna risk them having respiratory distress because I was impatient. Leave the selfishness to the OB, they're the ones demanding you give birth on your back because it's easier for them to "deliver". I mean, you can sacrifice your vajayjay for your OB, but you can't give another week or two to your unborn baby to ensure they have proper lung and brain development?

I guess what this comes down to, for me, is that there is a difference in having just a healthy baby and having the healthiest baby you have the opportunity to have. I have chosen to birth naturally, breastfeed until my children self-wean, select-delay vaccinate, stay at home, buy organic food, clean with vinegar, cloth diaper, etc.. to give my children the opportunity to live the healthiest lives they can - not to mention, having super healthy kids has it's perks for momma, too; like fewer medical bills. Brooke is just over a year old now and has only been to the Dr. one time for something other than an early check up - and that was because of a bad bump on the noggin, courtesy of her outdoor loving, but sneaky big sister.

So, I beg of you gals, don't rely on your doctor to give you all the info you need about birth or breastfeeding through the pamphlets on the side tables in the office waiting room or that lofty book about pregnancy and babies you picked up at the local bookstore. Do your own real research and ask lots of questions.

Becase . . . you have to wonder... with all the risks of medical interventions related to childbirth, is ignorance really bliss?

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