Personal Childbirth Experience
The childbirth experience I am going to share is that of my daughter Lauren primarily because it was so scary. The reason it was scary was because when they broke my water the doctor informed us that she had a bowel movement and that it would cause complications at the time of delivery. They wanted to make sure that she did not inhale the meconium into her lungs. There were pediatricians on hand to take care of her once I delivered. My husband had removed the tape from our video recorder and put it in the trash can because he thought she was dead, but fortunately she was not we joke now that she was to stubbon to let a little meconium aspiration come between her and experiencing life. If you are wondering she is still stubborn today as a 20 year old. I was fortunate to have many doctors available that morning to make sure that I we were both taken care of and everyone survived. We were lucky because she did not have any long term impact from this, but in some cases there is brain damage and permanent lung damage.
One of the reasons meconium apiration syndrom occurs is because the placenta is drying up because the mother has gone to far past her due date. I wanted to have a my daughter naturally so we held off another week before scheduling a cesarean. The cesaren was scheduled for 6:30 January 24 and she was born naturally at 6:35 January 24.
Child birth is a very tramatic process for both the child and the mother, it amazes me that child birth does not impact child development more often. I wanted to ensure that my baby was fully developed and having a cesarean early caused me concern that what if the baby is not ready. Cesarens are becoming very common in the United States and if they are medically necessary then I think that they are fine, but so many people are choosing to do them because they can schedule it to fit into thier own schedule with disregard for is the baby really ready and fully developed.
Childbirth in Venezuela
I chose to learn more about child birth in Venezuela because my husband is orginally form Venezula and the majority of his family still reside there. When I first asked him where he was born he looked at me like I was crazy and responded a hospital of course. I said, "well I was just wondering I don't think we ever talked about it before." He responded that even his mother was born in a hospital, but his dad was born at home. He dad is 71 year old. So from my peronal interview I thought well Venezula and the United States seem very similar, but I wanted to learn more.
In one article I read it mentioned that cesarean rate had increased by 22% from 2002 to 2009 (Devereux, 2010). The article went on to share that many doctors were encouraging cesarean's because they are quicker and they can schedule them during office hours and make more money (Devereux, 2010). I thought is was interesting that in Venezuela just like in the United States there is a movement toward cesaren delivery and I think they are for similar reasons. While the health care in Venezuela is very behind the United States generally in regards to child birth they have a lot of similarity. I also talked with my neice because she just had a baby about six months ago and he doctor wanted her to have a cesarean, but she chose to do have a natural delivery.
While I don't think doctors in either country are disregarding the baby's development when scheduling cesarean births I do think that development can be compromised if the baby is not ready and the delivery takes place.
This was a very interesting comparison and great to reflect on my own person birthing expereinces. I have three children and all three experiences were extremely different. It was hard to chose, but near death experience of the baby won out.
Devereux, C. (2010, June 17). Why so many c-sections in Venezuela? Retrieved from Globalpost website: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/venezuela/100615/childbirth-cesarean
I decided to learn more about child birthing in Brazil which is also a South American country. Mothers in Brazil have increased the number of c-sections they are receiving vs. natural births. Thank you for sharing the story about the birth of your daughter. Child birth can be dangerous for both mother and child as you stated. It can also be a very beautiful experience as well.
ReplyDeleteHello Jill,
ReplyDeleteSince i'm not a parent yet, how is Child birth is a very tramatic process for both the child and the mother?
Jill,
ReplyDeleteYou are so right childbirth is a great experience and isn't it amazing how that experience is impacted by culture and traditions around the world.
Leslie
Hello Jill,
ReplyDeleteWhat a traumatic childbirth! Have you noticed if you were more protective of Lauren in her early years as the saying goes that mothers somehow have a weakness for their weakest child? I am also surprised that babies show so much resilience. When life wants to manifest, nothing gets in the way!
My older sister underwent three cesareans at a time where obstetricians cut through belly muscles. I have always wondered if not suffering during delivery changed children’s perspective on life.
Your remark on having had very distinct birthing experiences makes me think of siblings’ appreciation of their parents; it seems that each child had a different set of parents.
SIDS is very interesting. It amazes me that researchers can’t find out why children are dying in their sleep. Over the years the death due to SIDS has decreased according to The Developing Person. Breastfeeding also decreased the chances of a baby dying from SIDS especially if the baby sleeps in the bed with the mother.
ReplyDeleteBerger, K. S. (2009). The developing person through childhood (pp 205-208). (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.