I feel uncomfortable talking about home births. Not because I find the subject disgusting- shoving a baby out of your reproductive parts is just part of being a placental mammal- but because sometimes I worry that I’m going to be dragged into a debate that has not much to do with home birthing and more to do with abandoning “western medicine” for alternative medicine. So let’s unpack that.
I trust science to give me a way to find correct information on medical topics.
Thus, I trust medical professionals, who have more knowledge in their field than I do, to help me make good decisions about my health.
But I know that there are serious problems with the American medical system.
More after the jump.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
The Middle Ground
So before our class on Friday I had considered using a midwife instead of going to the hospital if I do in fact have a baby one day. I was still a little leary about the idea though. My thoughts are that if anything bad happened during the birth I would like to be in a hospital so they could take care of the issue right away. But like others I have been brought up to believe that the only place that can help you in an emergency is the hospital, and it is very difficult to change the way we think about this. Society jams it down our throats that the hospital is the only safe place for a birth, or any injury for that matter. Little do we know the things that happen behind the scenes. The documentary on friday really opened my eye's to the corruption and negitive atmosphere that surrounds the births done in hospitals. It mentioned in the documentary that a hospital is a business, it's just looking to get patience in and out as quickly as possible. For a mother trying to do what's best for her baby, this decision can be very difficult. Which is why I think its important to cosider a middle ground. There was an article in The Washington Post earlier this year discussing the growing middle ground between the midwife and the hospital. For instance Washington Hospital Center has certified nurses/midwives in their hospital. The patients are offered an unmedicated experience without the typical stirrups. Also the woman have free range of motions, are offered snacks and other things to make them feel at home. The midwives are their with the mother's talking them through the mental and physical aspects of pregnancy. The great part about all this is if the baby or mother does go into distress the hospital steps in to deliver the baby safely. There are a lot of positives to this process. The downfall right now is that the team of nurses only take low risk or no risk pregnancys, but the idea is growing and can hopefully become a norm in society soon!
Gretchen
Gretchen
Midwives vs. Hospitals
Before this week I never gave much thought on the topic of midwives vs. hospitals. I honestly did not know that midwives were relevant in the United States in this day and age. After learning about the mishaps that take place in hospitals and the pressure that can come from doctors to perform cesarean sections or other unplanned procedures, I now understand why women may want to have a natural birth with a midwife. While going through the natural birthing process, a woman will be able to stick with her plan of action for her child's birth and not feel pressured to take on an alternative route. In my opinion, the process of a natural birth makes more sense to me. A woman should have the right to decide when and how she gives birth, and should not feel that the fate of her newborn child is in the hands of a stranger.
Midwives & Hospitals
I found that when first starting the film, Business of Being Born I had never really thought of midwives and the whole system of childbirth in hospitals. This film completely opened my eyes to the matter, with startling statistics and information, some consisting of women who know first-hand how the hospitals treats childbirth. I find it unnatural to pick a date for the child's birth, and the position the hospital normally wants women to lie down in when giving birth since it does a lot of damage to the woman's body. Not to mention the endless cycle of pitocin pushed on women- until it's the end of the day and it's simply a good time for doctor's to clock out; the Caesarian section "comes in handy".
The film expressed how the rate of caesarian section's in the U.S has sky rocketed and even once mentioned that now the average is up to one out of every three women having the chance of receiving one. The hospital is a big business and for some people it does not irk them how quickly they are brought in and pushed out without much care. I believe this ties into the power deprived struggle women have today when it comes to labor, they're not always given much say in the matter, especially when a doctor states something like, "it's in the best interest in the child".
I've thought about how amazing it is that some cultures view the experience of childbirth as something that revolves much less around the pain, but the beauty. In the past midwives have been stereotyped as "dirty", but realistically they are bold, helpful people just looking out for the wellbeing of someone who may have no idea what they are getting into. I do think that hospitals are highly equipped with their drugs, some state-of-the-art tools and doctors but I feel more women nowadays should consider having a midwife beside them in labor and for some alternative advice along the way to maintain a more natural body, and the for the wellbeing of their future child.
The film expressed how the rate of caesarian section's in the U.S has sky rocketed and even once mentioned that now the average is up to one out of every three women having the chance of receiving one. The hospital is a big business and for some people it does not irk them how quickly they are brought in and pushed out without much care. I believe this ties into the power deprived struggle women have today when it comes to labor, they're not always given much say in the matter, especially when a doctor states something like, "it's in the best interest in the child".
I've thought about how amazing it is that some cultures view the experience of childbirth as something that revolves much less around the pain, but the beauty. In the past midwives have been stereotyped as "dirty", but realistically they are bold, helpful people just looking out for the wellbeing of someone who may have no idea what they are getting into. I do think that hospitals are highly equipped with their drugs, some state-of-the-art tools and doctors but I feel more women nowadays should consider having a midwife beside them in labor and for some alternative advice along the way to maintain a more natural body, and the for the wellbeing of their future child.
Midwife Stereotypes
Going off from the discussion we had on Wednesday in class, I'd like to address another common stereotype of midwives. When I asked the people around me what they thought of when I said"midwife" most of them said, hippie or free spirit. We see this a lot in movies; whenever a midwife is in a movie they are usually depicted as a woman who wears long skirts, tye dye shirts and crazy hair. They talk about how everything should be natural and that "herbs" is all what woman need. I'm not sure where this idea came from, possibly because being a midwife is somewhat of a traditional thing. If being a midwife is traditional and an "old" way of thinking, does that mean going to the doctors is modern and "new"?
I felt like I needed to see what an older generation thought about it so while I was home this weekend I talked to both my parents and grandparents. When I asked them what they thought when I said "midwife" they all said they thought of a woman who has a lot of knowlege about birth who helps families have a safe birthing experience at home. They said they didn't see them as any stereotypical person, such as a hippie. Which got me thinking, is the idea of stereotyping people a newer way of thinking when it comes to midwives? Or is it just because they are older and it doesn't seem like a different, or weird, way of having birth like several other people do.
I felt like I needed to see what an older generation thought about it so while I was home this weekend I talked to both my parents and grandparents. When I asked them what they thought when I said "midwife" they all said they thought of a woman who has a lot of knowlege about birth who helps families have a safe birthing experience at home. They said they didn't see them as any stereotypical person, such as a hippie. Which got me thinking, is the idea of stereotyping people a newer way of thinking when it comes to midwives? Or is it just because they are older and it doesn't seem like a different, or weird, way of having birth like several other people do.
The Social Construction of Race
The readings from Section Three of Grewal and Kaplan about the formation of race were very eye opening for me. I thought that the divisions of race were always around and never considered them to be constructed. These essays revealed to me that races were often malicously created to promote the selfish gains of other races and to bring down those who were considered different. The creation of races even brought about scientific experiments studying "skin color, hair texture, facial angle, jaw size" and many other insignificant charecteristics to deferenciate types of people and give reason to discrimination.
Fortunately, there have been break throughs which have altered the societal norms surrounding race. For example, in 1950, the New York Times published an article called "No Scientific Basis for Race Bias by World Pannel of Experts" which described UNESCO's statement that there was "no scientific justification for race discrimination". Also, other articles such as "What Color is Black?" have had an extremely positive impact, causing people to rethink their definition of race.
Thought these publishings have made radical changes in our current intepretation of race, I feel it will be a very long time before these categories and the stereotypes that go with them will be illiminated. It is very difficult to imagine a world without defined races, but I believe it is possible.
Fortunately, there have been break throughs which have altered the societal norms surrounding race. For example, in 1950, the New York Times published an article called "No Scientific Basis for Race Bias by World Pannel of Experts" which described UNESCO's statement that there was "no scientific justification for race discrimination". Also, other articles such as "What Color is Black?" have had an extremely positive impact, causing people to rethink their definition of race.
Thought these publishings have made radical changes in our current intepretation of race, I feel it will be a very long time before these categories and the stereotypes that go with them will be illiminated. It is very difficult to imagine a world without defined races, but I believe it is possible.
Midwives vs. Hospitals
Before watching The Business of Being Born I had never thought I would ever consider using a midwife when it came time to have my own child. I have had a couple friends who have used a midwife during their pregnancies and I thought they were completely insane. But after watching the movie I would seriously consider using a midwife instead of going to the hospital. I never realized that all the different interventions done at the hospital were the cause of more interventions which ultimately ends up with having surgery. I know that this is not always the case but even the thought of going in with a specific birth plan and having the doctors change that to make it easier on themselves scares the hell out of me. During the movie it was made clear the doctors will almost scare you into doing what they want you to by saying, "Well it's better for your baby", the fact that doctors do that is morally wrong. I think that every women should have to see this movie so they can make a more informed decision about their birthing plan, most women are not even aware midwifery still exists. And the women who do know about it like me will be shocked to see how their perspective on it will change after seeing this movie.
Midwives and The Business of Being Born
Though we've only watched part of The Business of Being Born, my opinion on midwifery has already begun to change. "Exorcising the Midwives" was an interesting article when read on it's own. Since it focused mainly on the history of midwifery in the United States and how almost one hundred years ago this vital part of childbirth was being intentionally wiped out by hospitals and doctors, it didn't really engage my views on midwifery's place in today's world. The authors included important points, making it clear how "women lost their last autonomous role as healers" when they lost their right to become midwives or have a midwife present during labor. Upon first reading this article was important solely because it furthered my understanding on the history of women in the United States and how they have either been deprived of power or simply never given power in the first place. My views changed after we started The Business of Being Born in class.
To be honest, some parts of the movie were difficult for me to watch because hospital scenes, especially scenes of women in labor, freak me out. It was really funny when the movie actually discussed how many women are scared of childbirth because of how sensationalized it is in movies and television. I really can't remember the last time I watched a natural, healthy birth in a movie or tv show. Probably the last time was in eighth grade health, when everyone screamed in shock when an actual vagina was showed on the screen during school. Other than the shock of a naked woman on the screen, the birth was pretty boring. Just a lot of pushing and yelling and sweat, and then the baby popped out and that was that. Anyways, back to the point of this! Once I calmed down and realized that hey, for centuries women have been giving birth naturally (I mean, for as long as the human race has existed, women have been there popping out babies without hospitals), the documentary started to really engage me. The horror of how many drugs a woman can be administered during a hospital birth was crazy. "Exorcising the Midwife" began to make sense when I reread the article and it said "The day of totally medicalized childbirth- hazardously overdrugged and overtreated- was on it's way." The movie proves that we've reached the point in history where the amount of interference a hospital has in the natural process of childbirth is horrific. Most births are unnatural; a woman's body can no longer be trusted to give birth to a child itself.
I believe I'll have a lot more to add to this, but I'd like to finish the documentary before I do!
To be honest, some parts of the movie were difficult for me to watch because hospital scenes, especially scenes of women in labor, freak me out. It was really funny when the movie actually discussed how many women are scared of childbirth because of how sensationalized it is in movies and television. I really can't remember the last time I watched a natural, healthy birth in a movie or tv show. Probably the last time was in eighth grade health, when everyone screamed in shock when an actual vagina was showed on the screen during school. Other than the shock of a naked woman on the screen, the birth was pretty boring. Just a lot of pushing and yelling and sweat, and then the baby popped out and that was that. Anyways, back to the point of this! Once I calmed down and realized that hey, for centuries women have been giving birth naturally (I mean, for as long as the human race has existed, women have been there popping out babies without hospitals), the documentary started to really engage me. The horror of how many drugs a woman can be administered during a hospital birth was crazy. "Exorcising the Midwife" began to make sense when I reread the article and it said "The day of totally medicalized childbirth- hazardously overdrugged and overtreated- was on it's way." The movie proves that we've reached the point in history where the amount of interference a hospital has in the natural process of childbirth is horrific. Most births are unnatural; a woman's body can no longer be trusted to give birth to a child itself.
I believe I'll have a lot more to add to this, but I'd like to finish the documentary before I do!
The Business of Being Born Reaction
After watching The Business of Being Born in class on friday I can say that my whole perspective on child birth has changed drastically. Before watching this video I figured giving birth in a general hospital wasn't nearly as traumatic as it was projected in this film. Women are almost forced to take a variety of different drugs in order to trigger contractions , which can cause intense pain and stress. After that if the labor process is taking to long doctors pressure women to resort to getting cesarian sections to deliver the baby. Its almost as if a woman has no say in the delivering of her own child, which brings up the idea of Midwifery. Based on the film it allows women to have a relatively stress and drug free child birth in the comfort of their own home. Personally after seeing this film I can seriously question if I would be comfortable with my spouse giving birth in a hospital. Especially if the process is going to have the same affect as it did on the women in the film , where they felt almost cheated of what is supposed to be one of life's most magical moments. Ultimately its up to the mother of the child to decide how she wants to bring it into this world but The Business of Being Born has definitely made me question the system and beliefs about child labor in the United States.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Addicted to the Knife
In "The Business of Being Born" it is brought up how our society has a sort of obsession with surgeries. Women in New York will schedule their C-sections and then have a tummy tuck immediately after. Women are given epidurals, which slow down labor, so they need a drug to speed up labor, which makes the epidural wear off so they need more of that, and eventually they have to go in for a c-section because all the drugs ruin their natural labor. It also brings up the point of 18 year olds going in to get plastic surgery procedures done. Our society is obsessed with drugs, making the pain go away, doing things as fast possible.
This whole mentality reminds me of a favorite movie of mine "REPO! The Genetic Opera". The main plot is that a disease spreads the world and starts causing organ failure as an epidemic. Geneco is able to devise a way to create organs and then transplant them into people. People are able to then upgrade their "second class heredity" and surgeries become something of a fashion statement. There is an obsession with drugs and changing who you are from the inside out. It makes me think of the women who use drugs to alter their labor and birth. I feel like while maybe the whole movie isn't completely plausible, the future with an obsession with drugs and surgery is already upon us. It scares me because soon there will be a surgery for everything and you will be pushed into things you don't really need to "fix" your body. I want no part in it.
This whole mentality reminds me of a favorite movie of mine "REPO! The Genetic Opera". The main plot is that a disease spreads the world and starts causing organ failure as an epidemic. Geneco is able to devise a way to create organs and then transplant them into people. People are able to then upgrade their "second class heredity" and surgeries become something of a fashion statement. There is an obsession with drugs and changing who you are from the inside out. It makes me think of the women who use drugs to alter their labor and birth. I feel like while maybe the whole movie isn't completely plausible, the future with an obsession with drugs and surgery is already upon us. It scares me because soon there will be a surgery for everything and you will be pushed into things you don't really need to "fix" your body. I want no part in it.
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