I mentioned previously that we are taking a Bradley Method class. Now, I'm not going to try to tell you that I'm objective, but you should know there are options if and when you are expecting. The way that we think of pregnancy and birth comes to us from society at large and from the particular mix of people we know. Those ideas don't necessarily reflect what is actually best. If and when you find yourself expecting a baby, just know that what is presented to you as the way is not the only way. Know that things that are presented as unambiguously good things aren't.

Birth and delivery in the United States are viewed as a medical event. This mindset tends to think of mothers as patients and pregnancy as a condition to be cured. I exaggerate, of course, but only a little. The hospital forms we filled out have an area where you check off either "Disease" or "Injury" as the reason for being admitted. In most cases, nature will take its course and do fine. This isn't some kind of Luddite thing but rather the recognition that evolution has been operating for a very, very long time. I also recognize that birth has historically been very dangerous, which is why we don't eschew modern medicine. However, many women in the United States give birth outside of hospitals, either in birth centers or in their homes. Globally, that is also the reality. The infant mortality rate in the United States is not the lowest such in the world. There are countries with lower rates that don't have quite as extreme a perspective as the American one.

You should know that nurses and doctors don't necessarily know better. Their interests are not going to be perfectly aligned with yours. That's not because they're bad people, but because they have established ways of doing things. They are afraid of malpractice claims, claims which result far more from injuries to the child than they do from an "unpleasant birth experience." All else being equal, medical practitioners will look for things to do and might not be so comfortable with not doing anything.

One standard intervention is the epidural. The mother is injected with an anesthetic directly into the lower spine to numb her lower body and thus the pain of delivery. However, the numbness is complete, which results in the mother being unable to control her muscles as well. As a result, epidurals can prolong labor. Additionally, the baby isn't as protected from the anesthetic as was previously believed, making them less alert and responsive at birth, and thus making it harder to tell if the baby is healthy.

Another common intervention is the use of pitocin. Pitocin is a synthetic form of the hormone oxytocin. It is used to stimulate or accelerate labor. It's used fairly often as part of normal procedure. Usually, though, you're just better off waiting. A downside of pitocin is that it can make labor more forceful, which will make it more painful for the mother and more distressing for the baby.

Circumcision is a stupid practice and there is no legitimate reason for doing it.

Like I said, I'm not objective. Every woman is different, and every pregnancy is different. Furthermore, everything above reflects only what we plan to happen given that Jessica has had a smooth and problem-free pregnancy so far (*knock wood*). It also has a lot to do with our comfort levels and preferences. I'm not saying that any of our choices are unambiguously better or right (except circumcision). Just be aware that many of these things are in fact choices. Be aware that they are your choices. Your doctor may advise you, but it is your decision, just like everything else.

¶ 1035 Posted at 12.17 PM ⇒ No Comments ( us | fyi )