As of right now 99% of the births in America are “normal births,” meaning it takes place in a hospital, where one or more doctor is involved, the option of taking epidurals and pitocins is available, and about a third of the births lead to a caesarian section (according to “Business of Being Born”). Around a month ago, I believed all these aspects of birth were good and indispensable to the birth process. However after interviewing several mothers, receiving many lectures, researching, watching various videos, reading a few articles and listening to guest speakers, I have gained a small but significant amount of insight into the American Way of Birth, which would be the normal hospital births. And from what I learned, I have come to a short conclusion that, similar to the many other aspects of the American Way of Life, the American Way of Birth is a source of alienation to life itself. However in order to counteract that one particular facet, “natural births,” that includes a midwife and often takes place at an individual’s home, should be considered by America.
Whether or not, we will have to personally or directly be involved with the birthing process, we all believe it is a painful and disgusting to a certain extent. Consciously we, or at least I, believe and say that birth is beautiful thing. But subconsciously, the image that often takes place in a hospital with a woman going through an extremely long process involving blood, screaming, and overall instability is incorporated with the idea of birth. And it is this image, created by the American Way of Birth that alienates America from the true meaning of birth. The perception of something being disgusting and repulsive is caused by the feeling of borders being crossed, as explained by Julia Kristeva. She says, “The abject body repeatedly violates its own borders, and disrupts the wish for physical self control and social propriety.” This concept of why we believe birth is partially a repulsive process is due to the violation of borders that occurs in the hospital while a female is giving birth, according to Kristeva. In a hospital, a woman in labor is connected to many wires that restrain her movements, which Kristeva would describe as the disruption of “physical self control.” In addition to the physical limitation, the mother also faces emotional suppression. The doctors overwhelm the mother and delude any feelings or thoughts that the mother has. According to Julia Kristeva, our subconscious view on births being something sickening is germane to the crossing of boundaries in hospitals. Thus the American Way of Birth is alienating us from the genuine perception on birth.
Rather than seeing births as an entrance of another human being, some people view it as “labor” and as a part of what you have to do in order to get what you want. In an article named, MD- Midwife in Disguise, the author says “My mother talked about birth being hard work- painful, yes, but an intensely physical experience with a tremendous reward when the work was done.” In America, birth is seen as an obstacle. Not knowing that birth can be a wonderful experience and sometimes even an “orgasmic” one, we view it as “work.” Our approach of birth in America has led us to perceive it as something to just get out of the way, and is alienating us from the fact that it can be a pleasurable moment in each of our lives.
The vast majority of America that goes to the hospital in order to give birth, and view birth just as a disgusting and necessary process is alienated from the true meaning of birth. However, if they were to choose to have a natural birth with a midwife, their alienated perception would slowly change. The representation of midwives in the movie, “Business of Being Born” shows that midwives see birth as a “life altering experience.” Our guest speaker and soon-to-be-midwife, Kaitlyn would agree with that statement. Kaitlyn described births as the transition where a woman turns into a mother. She also said that it was her duty to “protect that experience for her.” Contrary to hospitals, where births are viewed as repulsive and an obligation, going with midwives, who values the birthing processes, will possibly eliminate the alienation of our perception of birth.
Other than alienating our view on birth, the American Way of Birth also alienates the mothers from themselves. The American Way of Birth has led woman to be believe that they do not have the ability to give birth by themselves. One of the teachers in our school, Ms. Plaza was brave enough to share her birth story with our class. And her story is a perfect example of the alienation of the mother and themselves. In her experience, Ms. Plaza had to wait for the doctor to arrive to her room. And when he finally arrived, she said, “We can do this.” Ms. Plaza, as well as many other women in America, is convinced that they cannot give birth without the doctor. The alienation from the American Way of Birth is especially apparent when she referred to the person giving birth as “we.” Women who plan on having a child in America are now totally mentally reliant on the doctors. The American Way of Birth has alienated women from their abilities to give birth.
Another portrayal of the alienation between mothers and their abilities, caused by the American Way of Birth, is a skit called the Monty Python. Although, the skit was created as a joke and humor purposes, there is some truth behind it. In the Monty Python skit, the mother was about to give birth, and she asks the head doctor, “What should I do?” The doctor responds, “Nothing, dear, you’re not qualified.” The significance of this response is that it shows the American Way of Birth/doctors have led women to believe that there are qualifications for giving birth, as though women did not give birth for the thousands of years before hospitals were established. Women are alienated from their own abilities, and without the doctor they do not think they are “qualified” to give birth.
On the contrary, natural births revive the connection between women and their bodies. Our two guest speakers, Melissa and Shira have had natural births where they had a midwife instead of a doctor. At one point in their lives, they also had a normal birth. However, regardless of what type of birth it was, both Melissa and Shira had an instinct, that they both described as “animalistic.” They said that during the labor, their bodies just wanted to move a certain way and be in a certain position. And during their natural births, they were able to approach this instinct. But in Melissa’s first birth, which took place in hospital and a doctor was present, she was bounded from acting upon her animalistic instinct. The doctor prevented her natural body movement in order to reserve their convenience. Natural births, on the other hand, allow the mothers to do and react as they please, at least in our guest speakers’ cases. A natural birth usually takes place at the mother’s home or a birthing center. Whichever location, it still gives the mothers her privacy and freedom. The mother, who would normally be alienated from her own body and abilities in a hospital, is now given back the connection between herself and those two things.
Not only does the American Way of Birth alienate the mothers from their bodies and the significance of birth, it also alienates them from the actual birthing experience. The movie, Business of Being Born, shows that natural births involve a lot of close interaction between the mother and child immediately after the child is born. In the movie, we see that in all the births that involved a midwife, the child instantly went to hold grasp of the mother. This moment is due to a natural chemical called oxytocin, which makes the two people feel connected and as though they are merged together. Through the Business of Being Born, we see that birth is in fact a delightful experience, rather than one of pain and suffering.
Although natural births do supply the mother with a wonderful experience and oxytocin moment, not all births do the same. The American Way of Birth, or the normal hospital births, would actually do the opposite. They alienate the mothers from that experience and leave them clueless of the birthing process. Currently 36% of the births in America involved an intervention named epidural, according to Momaroo. Epidurals are used to numb the mother from the waist-down, in order to eliminate the pain of birth. But since it numbs the body, the mother no longer has any feeling during the process of giving birth. Thus the “mother feels detached from the process and becomes an observer” (Childbirth Solutions, Inc.). Mothers who go to hospital to give birth, using an epidural and follow the American Way of Birth often feels like they are not part of the moment. As part of the American Way of Birth, the use of epidurals alienates the mother from her birthing experience.
The alienation between a mother and the experience of giving birth is also seen in the Monty Python skit, as well as Ms. Plaza’s birth story. Unlike the Business of Being Born, the Monty Python skit portrays the moment after birth as it being the doctor saying, “Isolate it.” The child is immediately taken away from the mother, and there is no bonding between the two of them. Even though Monty Python is a skit, this is often times this is true for almost all hospital births. One real life example would be Ms. Plaza’s birthing experience. In her story, she gave birth in a hospital, where she was completely worn out by the waiting and the labor. And after the labor was finally over, she was already saying “take the baby away.” While, the women in the movie, Business of Being Born were closely bonding with their children, Ms. Plaza could care less about the presence of her baby, mainly due to the exhaustion of the hospital. The normal hospital birth, also referred to as the American Way of Birth, alienates the experience of giving birth and the experience of connecting with her child after the labor done.
Further Thoughts and Questions:
- What forms of alienation do we see in natural births, if any?
- How does the approach of giving birth affect the relationship between the child and parents? How does it the schema of the society as a whole?
- I believe that most people continue to follow the American Way of Birth and go to the hospital, because they are already indulged by the belief that hospitals are sanctuaries. People only feel safe if they are with an official, being monitored. That is why, I think that people will begin to approach natural home births when they are revealed to the fact being in a hospital does not mean you’re in safe hands.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
AWOB Outline
I. Introduction
• Normal vs. Natural Births (Venn Diagram notes)
• What is the American Way of Birth?
• Briefly explain the sources: interviews, videos, BoBB, guest speakers, reading, research
• Thesis (very possible that it will be revised): Similar to the many other aspects of the American Way of Life, the American Way of Birth is a source of alienation to life itself. As we follow the AWOL, we are slowly drifting away from what life has to offer us, and the AWOB is just an example of that.
II. How We Perceive Births
• Julia Kristeva: Crossing boundaries and birth
• My own initial thoughts about birth
• Quote from MD-Midwife in Disguise: “I didn’t start medical school with a lot of fear about birth. My mother talked about birth being hard work- painful, ye, but an intensely physical experience with a tremendous reward when the work was done”
• Cesarean section Rates and process: Risen 43% since 1996 Fear of stretching and pain
III. Information about Normal Hospital Births
• The general process
• How births are treated in hospitals- Response to Monty Python skit, interviews, Ms. Plaza
• Doctor convience: position, timing, c-sections
• Interventions (BoBB): Domino effect of epiduralpitocinepidural…
Cesarean section/vacuum
• Hospitals = businesses
• MD- Midwife in Disguise (pg. 114)
IV. Information about Natural Births
• Dolphin and giraffe birth videos
• Midwifery (BoBB)- “assist” the birth
• How the mothers are treated by the midwives
• Guest speaker: Kaitlyn- protecting the transition of going from being a woman to being a mother
• Guest speaker: Shira
V. Direct Comparison between Normal and Natural birth
• Focus of Birth Stories (Interviews vs. MD-midwife in disguise)
• How the mothers/children are treated during and after the birth process (BoBB/Shira/Plaza)
• “machine” and “cow” vs. mother
• Incubator vs. Oxitocin moment (Ms. Plaza/BoBB/Shira)
• Fear and pain vs. “Orgasmic birth”
• Do we really need a monitored environment and interventions to give birth? (Birth videos)
VI. Alienation through the AWOB
• MD- Midwife in Disguise (pg. 113)
• Awareness during hospital births (both vaginal births and c-sections)
• (http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,4521,00.html)
• Normal vs. Natural Births (Venn Diagram notes)
• What is the American Way of Birth?
• Briefly explain the sources: interviews, videos, BoBB, guest speakers, reading, research
• Thesis (very possible that it will be revised): Similar to the many other aspects of the American Way of Life, the American Way of Birth is a source of alienation to life itself. As we follow the AWOL, we are slowly drifting away from what life has to offer us, and the AWOB is just an example of that.
II. How We Perceive Births
• Julia Kristeva: Crossing boundaries and birth
• My own initial thoughts about birth
• Quote from MD-Midwife in Disguise: “I didn’t start medical school with a lot of fear about birth. My mother talked about birth being hard work- painful, ye, but an intensely physical experience with a tremendous reward when the work was done”
• Cesarean section Rates and process: Risen 43% since 1996 Fear of stretching and pain
III. Information about Normal Hospital Births
• The general process
• How births are treated in hospitals- Response to Monty Python skit, interviews, Ms. Plaza
• Doctor convience: position, timing, c-sections
• Interventions (BoBB): Domino effect of epiduralpitocinepidural…
Cesarean section/vacuum
• Hospitals = businesses
• MD- Midwife in Disguise (pg. 114)
IV. Information about Natural Births
• Dolphin and giraffe birth videos
• Midwifery (BoBB)- “assist” the birth
• How the mothers are treated by the midwives
• Guest speaker: Kaitlyn- protecting the transition of going from being a woman to being a mother
• Guest speaker: Shira
V. Direct Comparison between Normal and Natural birth
• Focus of Birth Stories (Interviews vs. MD-midwife in disguise)
• How the mothers/children are treated during and after the birth process (BoBB/Shira/Plaza)
• “machine” and “cow” vs. mother
• Incubator vs. Oxitocin moment (Ms. Plaza/BoBB/Shira)
• Fear and pain vs. “Orgasmic birth”
• Do we really need a monitored environment and interventions to give birth? (Birth videos)
VI. Alienation through the AWOB
• MD- Midwife in Disguise (pg. 113)
• Awareness during hospital births (both vaginal births and c-sections)
• (http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,4521,00.html)
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Buisness of Being Born
The main purpose of the Business of Being Born was to introduce natural births and midwifery to America, as well as provide critiques of hospital births. One of the movie’s main focuses was that natural births can be emotionally rewarding. Most of the mothers that were included in this film reasoned that they already have or would choose natural births because they wanted the moment to be special. They wanted to feel a bond between their children. This movie included footages of this happening, and explained that the bonded feeling is a result of the brain releasing oxitocin, which makes the mother and child momentarily feel as though they are merged. Personally, I felt that seeing the mothers and children hold onto each other after the birth was my favorite part. It showed their reliance and necessity for one another. But more importantly it showed the melancholy of hospital births. A great 99% of the mothers are unable to feel this, and even though the babies are reaching out in the hospitals they are unable to grasp their mothers.
One critique of hospital births was that it was like a “dominoes effect.” They would give the mother epidural to ease out the pain, but it also slows down the birthing process. So in order to speed it up, they give the patient pitocin, which forces the mother to give harder and more frequent contractions. As a result, the doctors give them the epidural to ease those contractions, and thus it becomes a never-ending process until the mothers are convinced that they “need” a cesarean section. It may appear that this whole hospital process is done for the mothers, however as this movie has states, hospitals are a business. Hospitals are mainly concerned with its efficiency and convenience. Almost everything that is done in a hospital, as far as births are concerned, is done for those two things; everything down to the position that the mothers are in, the timing of the births, the speed of the births, and the type of births they’re having (vaginal or c-section).
Even though this movie was more on the side of natural births, the producer, Ricki Lake and the director Abby Epstein were not completely against hospital births. It appeared that they decided to have natural home births (or would have liked to, in Epstein’s case), but felt that it is also necessary to have hospitals as a backup (which it was, in Epstein’s case). In some ways, I think that they were simply trying to propose a transaction from hospital births to home births with a midwife. This movie was very similar to the class polls that we did about our feelings towards normal and natural births. In both AWOB classes, many people would “accept normal births but consider alternative for self.” However this movie is criticizing, but still accepting normal births and recommending home births to others, which was the next level on the polls. After watching this movie, I can’t help but to wonder; if we were to do more research and went into greater depths, would our opinions and feelings naturally shift up to that next level and begin to attempt what was done in the movie?
One critique of hospital births was that it was like a “dominoes effect.” They would give the mother epidural to ease out the pain, but it also slows down the birthing process. So in order to speed it up, they give the patient pitocin, which forces the mother to give harder and more frequent contractions. As a result, the doctors give them the epidural to ease those contractions, and thus it becomes a never-ending process until the mothers are convinced that they “need” a cesarean section. It may appear that this whole hospital process is done for the mothers, however as this movie has states, hospitals are a business. Hospitals are mainly concerned with its efficiency and convenience. Almost everything that is done in a hospital, as far as births are concerned, is done for those two things; everything down to the position that the mothers are in, the timing of the births, the speed of the births, and the type of births they’re having (vaginal or c-section).
Even though this movie was more on the side of natural births, the producer, Ricki Lake and the director Abby Epstein were not completely against hospital births. It appeared that they decided to have natural home births (or would have liked to, in Epstein’s case), but felt that it is also necessary to have hospitals as a backup (which it was, in Epstein’s case). In some ways, I think that they were simply trying to propose a transaction from hospital births to home births with a midwife. This movie was very similar to the class polls that we did about our feelings towards normal and natural births. In both AWOB classes, many people would “accept normal births but consider alternative for self.” However this movie is criticizing, but still accepting normal births and recommending home births to others, which was the next level on the polls. After watching this movie, I can’t help but to wonder; if we were to do more research and went into greater depths, would our opinions and feelings naturally shift up to that next level and begin to attempt what was done in the movie?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Reaction to Birth Videos and Monty Python skit
Initially I thought that the births of the giraffes and the dolphins were natural births. Neither birth involved any interventions. The birth was centered around the mothers. There was a midwife (in giraffe birth). There was immediate interaction between the baby and the mother. All of these factors caused me to believe that the two births were natural births. However, as I was reading over my original entry and notes, and thought back to the video, I began to consider other aspects of the births, which made me second-think about the categorization. In some ways, the births of the giraffe and dolphins are also normal births. The births did not exactly take place in their homes and were in a monitored environment, somewhat like the hospital in a human’s case. Also, both births were not really mother-centered. Most viewers were more focused on the baby and were anticipating its birth. In the birth of the giraffe, the people placed sand on the floor, because they were concerned for the baby’s safety. They were not really worried about the mother. Another thing that prevents these two births being a natural birth is the presence of the father or loved ones. In the dolphin video, the mother was not surrounded by any of her loved ones. Instead, she was just surrounded by people who sees this sacred moment for her as a source of entertainment. The father giraffe was there to support the mother, but they were separated by a fence, kind of like how family members are told to stay outside the room while the mother is giving birth.
Both births certainly have characteristics of a normal birth and a natural birth. However, I feel that the normal side of the births in these two cases is a result of humans trying to make the giraffe and dolphin’s births similar to their own, and doing what they believe is “better” for the mother and the baby. And by that, I mean imprisoning them in an isolated area away from their fellow giraffes or dolphins and monitoring the birth as thought it was a show. Comparing the suggested videos from the assignment with another giraffe birth video made me realize that the human contribution is not necessary. Animals in the wild give birth without the help of humans and most of them turn out just fine (assuming they don’t get eaten immediately after birth). For example, a giraffe birth taken place in Memphis Zoo did not pad the floor with sand nor had any midwives, but the mother still gave birth and the baby giraffe was still alive. Unfortunately, it took place in a similar setting. Regardless, it shows that it is pointless to add all those things that make a natural birth into a normal birth.
Watching the two birth videos made natural births seem even more favorable than normal births, at least to me. The births of giraffes and dolphins have certain aspects that would be considered ideal and unrealistic for a human birth. In both of the videos, the mothers appear to be in no pain. Giving birth did not seem to have caused any irregularities with the mother and did not seem to have taken much time. There were also a lot of movement involved, as well as first moment interaction between the mother and child. The mother giraffe (in the Memphis Zoo) did a lot of walking as she was giving birth, and afterwards was encouraging the baby giraffe to walk. The mother dolphin was swimming around the whole time that she was giving birth. And once the baby dolphin was born, the two swam together side by side. The whole birth process for each of the animals was very fluent, which is something most people would hope for. These two videos portrayed birth in a way that much different than what is expected. It appeared that their (natural) way of birth was very easy and painless, as opposed to the normal way of birth, which usually involves the imagery of blood, tubes, knives, doctors, and/or screaming.
When we were first assigned to watch these birth videos, I was very reluctant to do so. I have never seen a birth video before this and was not planning to. I felt that it would be something very disgusting to watch and I would have a hard time watching it, especially the human birth. Part of the reason why I felt this way was because I have a handful of friends who have watched “The Miracle of Life” and told me that it was very bloody and horrible. I already had a mindset about how birth was going to be like. However I forced myself to watch the videos, starting with the Monty Python skit and then the giraffe and dolphin birth. It turns out that watching the births did me no harm at all and have yet to scar me for life. I actually found the dolphin birth to be enjoyable. It was pleasurable to see the mother so lively even while she was giving birth. In a way, watching the videos relieved me because it showed me that births do not have to be a painful experience. I have heard classmates say that, but until now I did not think it was possible. After a couple of days, I decided to watch the human birth video and add this part into my blog). As I mentioned previously, I was particularly afraid of watching the human birth video. But just like the other videos, it was unexpectedly not as frightening as I thought it would be. While watching the video, I did not see any blood and the stress level of the room appeared to be very low. That birth appeared to be a delightful experience for everyone there. In the background, you can hear their older child say with amusement “you can see its head now.” The father was also “far more involved that I would have ever expected.” You can also tell that this natural birth was much more mother-centered than a normal birth. Everyone was comforting the mother as she was giving birth. And one of her friends (or the midwife) showed her a mirror so she watching her child being born. All three birth videos have contradicted the planted image of births being extremely painful, risky, long, stressful, and bloody.
Monty Python was a humorous and extreme portrayal of a normal birth in a hospital, but there is still truth in the skit. But it mainly focused on how normal births are mostly focused on the doctors. In the very beginning of the skit, the head doctor ordered the other doctors and nurses to get the machinery and the most expensive machine, in case the administer came. To the doctors, birth was just a way to impress their higher ups and earn money. Normal births are pretty much about what the doctor wants, like who gets to put the tube on the baby. This skit also demonstrates how the mother, father and child are neglected. The mother was told that she had to do nothing because she was not “qualified.” And after the baby was born she was not even allowed to see it. The father was sent out of the room because “only people who are involved” were allowed to watch the mother give birth. The person who was neglected the most would probably be the baby. The doctors had a machine that goes “bing” to notify them that the baby was still alive. Therefore the doctors did not have to check on the baby or even look at the baby as they were delivering it. This still applies even after the baby is born, because when the baby is finally out of the mother’s womb, they chopped the umbilical cord with a butcher knife, flung it around in a towel, and then “isolate it.” Ignoring the fact that the baby is being horribly treated, you can still see that the baby is being disregarded due to its reference. The doctor calls the baby “it,” demonstrating that the doctor did not even take the time to look at the baby. The Monty Python skit may have been done for laughs, but there are parts that show the flaws and the truth of a normal hospital birth.
As I was watching the Monty Python video, I was aware that it was done for comical purposes. However, I did not laugh at all throughout the video. Two weeks ago I might have found it hilarious, just like anyone else would right now. But after taking awareness about the aspects of births, I took the skit very seriously because the truth is that what they’re showing are valid points put to the extreme (but I guess that’s also what makes it funny). Mothers, fathers and babies are really being ignored during the whole birth process. And the sacred moment of birth is really being tainted by the hospital. My first reaction to this video was not to laugh, but instead it was to see how truthful it really was and if other people were aware of it.
Both births certainly have characteristics of a normal birth and a natural birth. However, I feel that the normal side of the births in these two cases is a result of humans trying to make the giraffe and dolphin’s births similar to their own, and doing what they believe is “better” for the mother and the baby. And by that, I mean imprisoning them in an isolated area away from their fellow giraffes or dolphins and monitoring the birth as thought it was a show. Comparing the suggested videos from the assignment with another giraffe birth video made me realize that the human contribution is not necessary. Animals in the wild give birth without the help of humans and most of them turn out just fine (assuming they don’t get eaten immediately after birth). For example, a giraffe birth taken place in Memphis Zoo did not pad the floor with sand nor had any midwives, but the mother still gave birth and the baby giraffe was still alive. Unfortunately, it took place in a similar setting. Regardless, it shows that it is pointless to add all those things that make a natural birth into a normal birth.
Watching the two birth videos made natural births seem even more favorable than normal births, at least to me. The births of giraffes and dolphins have certain aspects that would be considered ideal and unrealistic for a human birth. In both of the videos, the mothers appear to be in no pain. Giving birth did not seem to have caused any irregularities with the mother and did not seem to have taken much time. There were also a lot of movement involved, as well as first moment interaction between the mother and child. The mother giraffe (in the Memphis Zoo) did a lot of walking as she was giving birth, and afterwards was encouraging the baby giraffe to walk. The mother dolphin was swimming around the whole time that she was giving birth. And once the baby dolphin was born, the two swam together side by side. The whole birth process for each of the animals was very fluent, which is something most people would hope for. These two videos portrayed birth in a way that much different than what is expected. It appeared that their (natural) way of birth was very easy and painless, as opposed to the normal way of birth, which usually involves the imagery of blood, tubes, knives, doctors, and/or screaming.
When we were first assigned to watch these birth videos, I was very reluctant to do so. I have never seen a birth video before this and was not planning to. I felt that it would be something very disgusting to watch and I would have a hard time watching it, especially the human birth. Part of the reason why I felt this way was because I have a handful of friends who have watched “The Miracle of Life” and told me that it was very bloody and horrible. I already had a mindset about how birth was going to be like. However I forced myself to watch the videos, starting with the Monty Python skit and then the giraffe and dolphin birth. It turns out that watching the births did me no harm at all and have yet to scar me for life. I actually found the dolphin birth to be enjoyable. It was pleasurable to see the mother so lively even while she was giving birth. In a way, watching the videos relieved me because it showed me that births do not have to be a painful experience. I have heard classmates say that, but until now I did not think it was possible. After a couple of days, I decided to watch the human birth video and add this part into my blog). As I mentioned previously, I was particularly afraid of watching the human birth video. But just like the other videos, it was unexpectedly not as frightening as I thought it would be. While watching the video, I did not see any blood and the stress level of the room appeared to be very low. That birth appeared to be a delightful experience for everyone there. In the background, you can hear their older child say with amusement “you can see its head now.” The father was also “far more involved that I would have ever expected.” You can also tell that this natural birth was much more mother-centered than a normal birth. Everyone was comforting the mother as she was giving birth. And one of her friends (or the midwife) showed her a mirror so she watching her child being born. All three birth videos have contradicted the planted image of births being extremely painful, risky, long, stressful, and bloody.
Monty Python was a humorous and extreme portrayal of a normal birth in a hospital, but there is still truth in the skit. But it mainly focused on how normal births are mostly focused on the doctors. In the very beginning of the skit, the head doctor ordered the other doctors and nurses to get the machinery and the most expensive machine, in case the administer came. To the doctors, birth was just a way to impress their higher ups and earn money. Normal births are pretty much about what the doctor wants, like who gets to put the tube on the baby. This skit also demonstrates how the mother, father and child are neglected. The mother was told that she had to do nothing because she was not “qualified.” And after the baby was born she was not even allowed to see it. The father was sent out of the room because “only people who are involved” were allowed to watch the mother give birth. The person who was neglected the most would probably be the baby. The doctors had a machine that goes “bing” to notify them that the baby was still alive. Therefore the doctors did not have to check on the baby or even look at the baby as they were delivering it. This still applies even after the baby is born, because when the baby is finally out of the mother’s womb, they chopped the umbilical cord with a butcher knife, flung it around in a towel, and then “isolate it.” Ignoring the fact that the baby is being horribly treated, you can still see that the baby is being disregarded due to its reference. The doctor calls the baby “it,” demonstrating that the doctor did not even take the time to look at the baby. The Monty Python skit may have been done for laughs, but there are parts that show the flaws and the truth of a normal hospital birth.
As I was watching the Monty Python video, I was aware that it was done for comical purposes. However, I did not laugh at all throughout the video. Two weeks ago I might have found it hilarious, just like anyone else would right now. But after taking awareness about the aspects of births, I took the skit very seriously because the truth is that what they’re showing are valid points put to the extreme (but I guess that’s also what makes it funny). Mothers, fathers and babies are really being ignored during the whole birth process. And the sacred moment of birth is really being tainted by the hospital. My first reaction to this video was not to laugh, but instead it was to see how truthful it really was and if other people were aware of it.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Normal vs. Natural
Typically blood, screaming, pain, stretching and time is incorporated with our thoughts about birth. But the lecture we had on Friday made me realize that the image of births being disgusting and painful only exists because people made it that way. 99% of the people in America choose to give birth in a hospital [Link]. In hospitals, birth is a process that often involves needles, knives and other steel instruments. All of these things factor into the pain and screaming as well as the fearful image of birth. However, birth does not have to be represented by all these images, as shown in the lecture. People can have very pure and natural births in their homes. Birth does not necessarily have to be painful experience that will not be remembered due to the mist of the hospital routines. Instead, birth can be a gratifying experience that will become a lasting memory, and a thought that triggers positive images rather than those of suffrage.
Initially I did not have a point of view about normal versus natural birth. But just like everyone else, my birth plans involved a hospital and a doctor, which would be having a normal birth. For me, it felt like that was something planned by society and the mainstream AWOL. Giving birth in a hospital has almost become a tradition, in America at least. The option of having a natural home birth never occurred to me. But now that I am aware of the benefits of natural births, compared to normal births, I think that natural births would be better. Noticing my change of point of view about births, from not having one, but agreeing to normal births to supporting natural births, I wonder if the rest of America or the world will also go through the same transition, and how. In my opinion I think that if people just break the barrier created by trends, they will realize that there are better alternatives. And when that happens, the percentage of home births will be greater, compared to the current 1%.
Initially I did not have a point of view about normal versus natural birth. But just like everyone else, my birth plans involved a hospital and a doctor, which would be having a normal birth. For me, it felt like that was something planned by society and the mainstream AWOL. Giving birth in a hospital has almost become a tradition, in America at least. The option of having a natural home birth never occurred to me. But now that I am aware of the benefits of natural births, compared to normal births, I think that natural births would be better. Noticing my change of point of view about births, from not having one, but agreeing to normal births to supporting natural births, I wonder if the rest of America or the world will also go through the same transition, and how. In my opinion I think that if people just break the barrier created by trends, they will realize that there are better alternatives. And when that happens, the percentage of home births will be greater, compared to the current 1%.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Answers to Questions about Birth
1. What is the cost of an Epidural?
The price of an Epidural can range anywhere from $700 to $1,200. This includes all the other required fees for the procedure and for the anesthesiologist. [Link]
2. What are the percentages of intervention usage?
"Without any anesthesia :51% (Yes, over half!)
With an epidural: 36%
Inductions: 17%
Augmentations (use of pitocin after admitted for labor): 34%
Assisted vaginal deliveries (i.e. vacuum or forceps): 8%
C-sections: 33% (includes elective repeats)"[Link]
3. What is the cost of a home birth?
Home births cost around $1,500-$3,000. This includes the cost of a midwife (1500-3000), lab test (100), Ultra Sound (100-200), birth supplies and water tub rental. [Link]
4. What are the risks of using Epidural?
- Effects on mothers: inadequate pain relief, increase in oral/vaginal temperature, drop in blood pressure, long/short term backache, risk of spinal block, shivering, itching, "Mother feels detached from the process and becomes an observer."
- Effects on the Labor: slows down the process, increase the chances of cesarean delivery.
- Effects on the fetus: irregular heart rate patterns.
- Effects on the newborn: may not be as responsive in the short term
[Link]
5. What is the most effective birth control?
Abstinence is the most effective and the most common (obviously because people are not having sex 24/7) [Link]
6. What are the costs of an abortion?
On average, each abortion costs $600. [Link]
7. What % of abortions is a result of rape?
1% [Link]
8. What is the % of adoption in America?
2-4% of American families have adopted a child. [Link]
9. What is the amount of children adopted in America?
In 2002, there were 120,000 children that were adopted. However since then, the number of children adopted has decreased. Perhaps it is due to the economical crisis. [Link]
10. What percentage of women have c-sections?
In 2005, 30% of the women who gave birth had a cesarean section. [Link]
11. Why do women have c-sections?
There are certain circumstances where a women would NEED a c-section, which are:
- has had a previous c-section
- breech
- multiple babies
- baby is expected to be very large
- has had a previous surgery (invasive uterine surgery)
- placenta previa
- baby has an illness
- mother is HIV positive [Link]
It has been apparent in our class and within myself, that many people view birth as a very troubling process, rather than "holy experience." And after answering these questions and looking at many different websites, that point has just been reinforced. While researching these questions about birth, the presence of joy was lacking. I wasn't thinking about a newborn child or a new form of life. Instead, the only thought that occupied my thought I had was about how troublesome this is. Everything I read was just numbers, statistics, outcomes, costs, procedures, alternative procedures, cost of alternative procedures, side-effects, etc. Out of all the websites I visited, there was never one website that took a positive attitude on birth. All of these things kind of degraded the whole idea of birth and its meaning. When there is no stress involved, everyone says birth is something very beautiful and is bringing in another soul into this world. However, when the labor and troubles are the main focus, a completely negative tone takes place. Everyone view it as the worst experience any person can ever have. And in some cases, females
use that to their advantage in a discussion about which gender has it worse. This possibly explains the cartoonist view of how babies are made ------------>
We often want the child but without all the strain that comes with having one. And other times, we fear the strains so much we don't even want the child at all.
The price of an Epidural can range anywhere from $700 to $1,200. This includes all the other required fees for the procedure and for the anesthesiologist. [Link]
2. What are the percentages of intervention usage?
"Without any anesthesia :51% (Yes, over half!)
With an epidural: 36%
Inductions: 17%
Augmentations (use of pitocin after admitted for labor): 34%
Assisted vaginal deliveries (i.e. vacuum or forceps): 8%
C-sections: 33% (includes elective repeats)"[Link]
3. What is the cost of a home birth?
Home births cost around $1,500-$3,000. This includes the cost of a midwife (1500-3000), lab test (100), Ultra Sound (100-200), birth supplies and water tub rental. [Link]
4. What are the risks of using Epidural?
- Effects on mothers: inadequate pain relief, increase in oral/vaginal temperature, drop in blood pressure, long/short term backache, risk of spinal block, shivering, itching, "Mother feels detached from the process and becomes an observer."
- Effects on the Labor: slows down the process, increase the chances of cesarean delivery.
- Effects on the fetus: irregular heart rate patterns.
- Effects on the newborn: may not be as responsive in the short term
[Link]
5. What is the most effective birth control?
Abstinence is the most effective and the most common (obviously because people are not having sex 24/7) [Link]
6. What are the costs of an abortion?
On average, each abortion costs $600. [Link]
7. What % of abortions is a result of rape?
1% [Link]
8. What is the % of adoption in America?
2-4% of American families have adopted a child. [Link]
9. What is the amount of children adopted in America?
In 2002, there were 120,000 children that were adopted. However since then, the number of children adopted has decreased. Perhaps it is due to the economical crisis. [Link]
10. What percentage of women have c-sections?
In 2005, 30% of the women who gave birth had a cesarean section. [Link]
11. Why do women have c-sections?
There are certain circumstances where a women would NEED a c-section, which are:
- has had a previous c-section
- breech
- multiple babies
- baby is expected to be very large
- has had a previous surgery (invasive uterine surgery)
- placenta previa
- baby has an illness
- mother is HIV positive [Link]
It has been apparent in our class and within myself, that many people view birth as a very troubling process, rather than "holy experience." And after answering these questions and looking at many different websites, that point has just been reinforced. While researching these questions about birth, the presence of joy was lacking. I wasn't thinking about a newborn child or a new form of life. Instead, the only thought that occupied my thought I had was about how troublesome this is. Everything I read was just numbers, statistics, outcomes, costs, procedures, alternative procedures, cost of alternative procedures, side-effects, etc. Out of all the websites I visited, there was never one website that took a positive attitude on birth. All of these things kind of degraded the whole idea of birth and its meaning. When there is no stress involved, everyone says birth is something very beautiful and is bringing in another soul into this world. However, when the labor and troubles are the main focus, a completely negative tone takes place. Everyone view it as the worst experience any person can ever have. And in some cases, females
use that to their advantage in a discussion about which gender has it worse. This possibly explains the cartoonist view of how babies are made ------------>We often want the child but without all the strain that comes with having one. And other times, we fear the strains so much we don't even want the child at all.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Birth Control | Abortion | Intentional Birth Q's
1. What % of teenage women uses birth control?
2. What % of women dies from having an abortion?
3. Is it true that you can become sterile from birth control?
4. What % of American babies is aborted annually?
5. Does abortion endanger your chances of being impregnated later on in life?
6. What % of women gets abortions?
7. Are there more intentional births or “accidents?” What %?
8. What are the effects of using birth control?
9. What is the relationship between intentional births and married couples versus teenagers?
10. What is the % of adoption in America?
11. Do we need more babies? Should there be more abortions?
12. What is the most common birth control?
13. What is the most effective birth control?
14. Do more women get pregnant accidentally or accidentally on purpose?
15. What % of men are asked to put on a condom but refuse to?
16. Does impregnating a woman give men status or hurt their current one?
17. How many intentional births (%) are raised by a single parent?
18. What % of abortions is chosen because of the lack of the ability to support the child (financially, emotionally, etc.)?
19. Are abortions bad?
20. Are births bad?
21. How does race tie in with the intentional birth percentages?
22. What % of births is a result of rape?
23. What is the process of an abortion?
24. What is the % of usage of different forms of birth controls?
2. What % of women dies from having an abortion?
3. Is it true that you can become sterile from birth control?
4. What % of American babies is aborted annually?
5. Does abortion endanger your chances of being impregnated later on in life?
6. What % of women gets abortions?
7. Are there more intentional births or “accidents?” What %?
8. What are the effects of using birth control?
9. What is the relationship between intentional births and married couples versus teenagers?
10. What is the % of adoption in America?
11. Do we need more babies? Should there be more abortions?
12. What is the most common birth control?
13. What is the most effective birth control?
14. Do more women get pregnant accidentally or accidentally on purpose?
15. What % of men are asked to put on a condom but refuse to?
16. Does impregnating a woman give men status or hurt their current one?
17. How many intentional births (%) are raised by a single parent?
18. What % of abortions is chosen because of the lack of the ability to support the child (financially, emotionally, etc.)?
19. Are abortions bad?
20. Are births bad?
21. How does race tie in with the intentional birth percentages?
22. What % of births is a result of rape?
23. What is the process of an abortion?
24. What is the % of usage of different forms of birth controls?
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