My Rant about Natural Birth Documentaries

Sooooooooooo, I was so angry about the last documentary I watched about the "terror" of giving birth in a hospital in the United States of America that I had to at least mention some of my beef. I'm obsessed with babies, always have been, hence the phD in developmental psychology, so it makes sense that during my pregnancy, I could not resist watching any video or documentary I could find that had anything to do with pregnancy or labor and delivery. Thus, I watched several documentaries sensationalizing the birth process in modern USA.

One, hosted and produced by Ricki Lake, seeks out to make every women scared to death of letting their baby be birthed by a doctor in a hospital by showing creepy footage of what it was like to have a baby back in the early 1900's when the entire medical profession was still kooky and ignorant compared to today's standards. They also make doctors out to be purely in it for the money and thus that is what is driving your care and treatment, and that of your baby's, if you choose the doctor/hospital route. Instead of choosing "evil" medical professionals, everyone should choose "good over evil" by having their baby at home with a midwife. Interestingly, the woman followed in the film, a co-producer, ends up having her baby at the hospital due to complications. Unfortunately, since I watched this movie during my highly hormonal first trimester, it did freak me out a bit due to some graphic images but not to the point that I wanted to have my baby anywhere but the hospital with all the modern advancements and amenities that includes.

The second documentary pointing out the evils of modern medical practices for childbirth did not freak me out; it just made burn with anger. This one is hosted by a guy whose wife is pregnant with their first child. His slant is that he wants to "protect" his wife and unborn child from the evils of the hospital system in America. To do this, he drags his pregnant wife all over the world to interview various professionals and lay people about their birth experiences. Then, at some point in her pregnancy, his wife talks to the camera (her husband), with tears, that she's so many weeks out from their due date but still feels unprepared for the birth of their child. Does that sound like her being cared for and protected?

He even goes so far, toward the beginning of the film when his wife is very early in her pregnancy, as to convince her through interviews and some sort of hokey "research" that she (and all women) don't actually have to experience pain during labor and delivery, that's just a symptom of what the American medical profession has been tricking women into thinking. In fact, instead of pain, women can actually have orgasms during delivery...yes, you read that correctly. According to this guy's documentary, women can experience orgasms when they deliver a baby, rather than experiencing pain, and what is sad is that he convinces his pregnant wife that this can be true for her. Well, when the big day arrives, his wife is in a lot of pain during contractions...big surprise. Unfortunately, it actually is a big surprise to him, so he calls the midwife and tells her in worried, urgent tones that his wife is experiencing a lot of pain and could she come over right away to do something to help with that. If this guy had been any bit prepared by going to any kind of birth class, he would have known how to help his wife do breathing exercises or something to help her manage contractions, I mean, come on! I thought he was all about protecting and caring for his family - what a show! Well, after the baby is born, there are some concerns, so they decide to go to the...hospital! He, of course, feels so conflicted about going to the evil hospital and even rags on the hospital for not giving their baby a diagnosis even though they are asked to stay several days for monitoring. He even questions their decision to go to the hospital, in hindsight. Whatever, dude. He was a major drama queen about it. I just can't help but think it's funny that both documentaries that are so adamently anti-hospital end in hospitals, allowing both babies and moms to thrive.

Now that I've given birth in a hospital and also returned with a newborn, I can attest to the excellent care we received in the maternity and pediatric floor. The doctor who delivered my baby was amazing and made decisions that definitely caused her, the doctor on call, to have to spend many extra hours up at the hospital, at all hours of the night. Her decisions were clearly not based on money but rather on the patient's needs and desires, giving the best possible care. Furthermore, the nursing staff was absolutely phenomenal. They double-checked my infant's health and records, they went the extra mile on delivery strategies and newborn care. They helped every step of the way with kindness and expertise and cooperation among themselves. I felt completely pampered and fully confident in my infant's health and safety. I am so glad to be an American.

Birth Day

Though I might not have admitted it beforehand, I do not think I have ever had as many preconceived notions and expectations about an event as for my little baby's birth day. Now, it's been 2 months since the big day, and I am wondering where the time has gone! Wow. Nothing can describe the magic and the craziness of those first few weeks after our little girl came out into the world, but that won't stop me from trying to memorialize those first few hours and days.

Well, pregnant women are always being told to keep an open mind about the big day of arrival, not to get their heart set on a certain type of birth experience because no one can predict the hour of arrival, you never know what complications might arise, and the important thing to remember is that the ultimate outcome is what's important: a bouncing, new baby and healthy mom. Okay, sure, we all have to agree to that mentality on the surface, but let's be real. If I'm preparing for a "watermelon" to come out of my "lady spot" and for the arrival of my first child, the baby I've been dreaming of since I could say the word "baby," I'm going to have some expectations and hopes for the grand entrance. Who wouldn't? Of course, in my heart of hearts, I want a healthy baby more than a vaginal delivery, but I also dream of a smooth, painless, vaginal delivery that comes naturally and quickly...know what I mean? Furthermore, pregnant women are also subject to everyone else's pregnancy and birth experiences, adding to the expectations and madness.

To set my stage, I was expecting my baby to come late, most likely having to be induced, due to family history and since this was my first child. I was also expecting my epidural to allow me to "party through labor and delivery," due to experiences of family and the lady at the local coffee shop. I also expected my baby to be in just the right position for delivery, based on what I thought I'd heard at the birth class we had attended. My first nurse at the hospital also told me that, based on my cervix and position of my baby, once things got going, that baby was gonna come FAST...Well, my baby came on her own terms and I love her for it and despite it. (1) I started having contractions the moment I woke up on my Due Date! I had been saying that if my baby decided to come of her own accord (instead of being smoked out via induction), it would be a Christmas miracle. So, of course, it took several hours of contractions that increased in frequency and duration to actually believe this was the real deal. (2 & 3) I actually did feel like I was having an epidural party for the first few hours after I got it, but that slowly but steadily ended, and the last chunk of my 20 hours of labor/delivery was definitely not a party. However, once she made her big debut, the party immediately started up at 3:47AM the "morning" after her due date. (4) As it turned out, she slowed things down considerably by being "sunny side-up" or with her face looking up instead of down, however we powered through and got to have a vaginal delivery instead of a c-section. Thanks to God's answer to the many prayers over that event, truly.

As for holding her for the first time, I don't know what my expectations were exactly, but I know she surpassed them. Getting to know her in a whole new way during the first few weeks was such a precious time. Discovering what a sweet baby she is and how soft and cuddly and cute this little person that relies on me for food and comfort and help in figuring out the world is such a special gift from God. Looking her in the eyes for the first time, feeling her little fingers wrap around one of mine, changing her tiny little diaper, dressing her in the itty-bitty newborn outfits that are still too big for her are just a few of the experiences that give a new sense of wonder and appreciation for what God has done and created. Humanity is a frail, beautiful thing. Love that produces life, what an amazing creation.

Sentiments

http://pinterest.com/pin/91324037/

How God prepares the pregnant woman for life after baby is born...

In the midst of all kinds of weird symptoms common during pregnancy, I have been trying to look for purpose and what God is trying to teach me through the various, odd-ball challenges. What I especially love about pregnancy symptoms is that, more often than not, their is no explanation for what causes them. So, if you ask the doctor or look it up in your pregnancy how-to book, they will tell you that your symptom of, say, the line down your tummy or the weird feelings on your skin or forgetfulness, is common and not to worry, even though they have no idea why pregnany women experience it. Two common effects of pregnancy have struck me as perhapsa funny way of preparation for caring for a newborn baby.

First, my sleep pattern has never been worse - I don't know how people with other children, especially small ones, survive on the amount of sleep you get during the last part of pregnancy. To start, I'm waking up every few hours to use the bathroom - I actually get really excited when I've only used the restroom once or twice in a night. :) It doesn't seem to matter what I do to prepare before lying down for the night, when you gotta go, you gotta go (this could actually be a third side effect of pregnancy, in and of itself, to give me more sympathy when changing my newborn's diaper and then she immediately wets it again...). Then, I get woken up occasionally by a little baby kicking my tummy...really hard. It usually only affects me when I've woken up to use the bathroom, then can't get back to sleep because my little friend has gotten riled up and needs to show off her acrobatics for 30 to 45 minutes before calming back down. She especially surprises and startles me when I'm in that halfway awake/asleep phase and she suddenly gives me a big love-kick. Finally, if those sleep-inhibitors aren't enough, insomnia is a common pregnancy symptom. So, if I wake up two hours before the alarm is going to go off, my body has decided that it doesn't want to go back to sleep, so I lie awake and think about baby things until it's finally time to get up for the day. Well, the good news is, learning how to deal with lack of sleep will be old hat after the baby actually gets born, and instead of just waking up to tinkle, I'm waking up to change a teeny weeny diaper and feed a cute little (crying) baby. This is training time...yay pregnancy :)

The second big preparation symptom, not as obvious, is the raging emotions as a result of the raging hormones. I have probably cried more in the past 7 months than in the 27 years preceding pregnancy. My poor, sweet husband has mastered the art of holding me close and checking whether I'm crying because I'm actually upset about something or because I'm tired or because...who knows, I just got the irresistible urge like I needed to cry. Well, who else cries inexplicably on a frequent basis...newborn babies! So, perhaps my empathy for little baby cries is being built up to better care for our fragile newborn. I'll remember back to my water faucet eyes and really feel for my little crying baby and more sensitive to helping calm her. I'm glad God is getting us ready for that, you know. <sigh> I can't wait to meet our little girl face-to-face, tears and sleepless nights and all.

What Mama eats, Baby eats: part II-Amniotic Fluid

Research suggests that babies' taste buds are not fully functioning until around 20 weeks gestation, so that's when the pressure is on...I don't want to make my baby addicted to cookies and cake! They are going to be more apt to like the taste of healthy foods, such as vegetables and diverse types of food, if they get some exposure in utero. Not that I'm going to start eating lima beans just for the baby, but I am trying to incorporate unique vegetable varieties such as cauliflower, eggplant, broccoli, leafy greens, etc. in order to help her development. Since, of course not only does the food I eat affect her taste preferences, but the nutrients are important for her cognitive and physical growth and development. Lots of junk food don't leave room in my stomach for healthy foods, and food with less nutritional value put her at a greater risk for obesity and cognitive deficits, etc.

Interestingly, the baby tastes what the mom has eaten by swallowing the amniotic fluid. As the baby is floating around in the amniotic sac, filled with amniotic fluid, the baby is practicing her swallowing and digestive system by drinking the amniotic fluid. This liquid reflects what the mother has eaten through its flavor and smell, so the baby is smelling and tasting what the mother has been eating. Delivery room doctors report smelling coffee and Indian food when a woman's water breaks during labor and delivery, based on what she had eaten earlier that day! I think of the amniotic sac almost like a toilet bowl (except much cleaner and prettier) because the liquid actually cycles in and out approximately every three hours. It is unclear how long it takes for what a mom consumes to reach her little baby fetus, but it must be pretty quick since a suggestion to instigate some fetal movement is to drink something cold and sugary and then lie on your left side.

Recently, I've been thinking especially about what I'm eating because my doctor strongly suggested I slow down on the weight gain! At 28 weeks, I've gained close to 30 pounds, so I need to slow down and cap the weight gain at 40 lbs, meaning I can gain 10 pounds over the next 12 weeks. Easier said than done is all I can say, but we'll see how it goes. A few too many fast food treats may be the culprit since we've been traveling a lot on weekends, including a trip to a wedding (who doesn't love eating wedding cake and all the other food that you find at a wedding weekend??). Of course, it doesn't help when your husband and relatives are bringing you anything you want from the food buffet, plus double helpings of cake and punch, and not to mention hotel breakfast food, like waffles with syrup, every morning. Now, I find out that my iron is a tad low, which means I need to incorporate more iron-rich foods and maybe cut down on things containing caffeine (I love the occasional vanilla coke and oreo java shake), so what happened to eating for two and letting loose during pregnancy? I thought you got to indulge a bit! Well, looks like moderation in everything, even pregnancy :)

Poking back, part 2...the hormonal side of fetal movement

So, I love feeling baby Penelope kick, but then, when I don't feel her kick, it makes me CRAZY! Augh!

At 24 weeks, my little bundle of joy has developed somewhat of a schedule as far as when I feel her moving around in my tummy. I expect her to kick and twist in the morning as well as a bit throughout the day and then to go crazy again around bedtime. One day, we did a lot of driving, so she was going all acrobatic while riding in the car. I think she gets riled up when I sit for a long time, and plus, we were singing along to music, including her special playlist. Then, that night, we were up later than usual and got to sleep in a bit. I think that the combination of all that threw her off her schedule because the next day, I didn't feel her kicking all morning or hardly at all throughout the day. I was thinking of all the different pregnancy literature I'd read, about calling your doctor if you feel major changes in the pattern of fetal movement or if you don't feel fetal movement in a 24-hour period... Thanks to crazy motherly worries and high hormone levels, I, of course, was in tears. I wanted to feel my baby. Who knew that fetal movement could bring such highs and lows?

Well, that following night, every time I woke up to go to the bathroom, I felt her kicking like crazy, and the next few days proved for her to be back to her typical movement schedule. Ah, the ups and downs and tender joys of carrying a little child.

Fetal Learning: A Musical Approach

From early on, babies in the womb can start hearing sounds from the outside world. While they are mostly hearing their mother's bodily sounds such as heartbeat and digestion, they also hear mommy's voice and recognize her voice by at least 30 weeks. They can also learn daddy's voice and their native language by around the same time. Furthermore, babies remember sounds and patterns that they've heard in the womb after they are born. One older study showed that babies could remember hearing The Cat in the Hat, read to them by their mothers several times a week during the latter part of pregnancy, after birth and would prefer hearing that over other stories or language sounds (DeCasper & Spence, 1986). The babies were given pacifiers to suck on, that measured and recorded their rate of "sucking," and then learned that whenever they sucked at a certain rate, The Cat in the Hat was played for them, while other stories/readings were played in response to other rates of sucking. Once babies figured out the system, they would only suck at the rate that cued the familiar story to be played for them.

Hearing familiar sounds after birth, or anything that mimics the womb environment, can have a calming and comforting effect on young infants. So, to take a more proactive approach, my husband and I have come up with a playlist for Baby Penelope to hear us sing along to during pregnancy. If we sing them to her throughout the next 4 months, then when we sing them to her after she is born, they should be familiar and provide a way for us to calm and soothe her during those trying times of her adjusting to life outside the womb. I've made a separate post of "Penelope's Playlist" to share the songs we've decided on, with much helpful input and suggestions from family and friends, to sing to her now and after she is born. Enjoy! I'm hoping it really works!