tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859748852940300750.post3803857511755605093..comments2023-04-04T09:18:42.393-05:00Comments on From the Mixed Up Files of The Amazing Idiot Girl: Childbirth is a Feminist Issuecathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12507895793724303891noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859748852940300750.post-29553870968012496272010-12-31T21:39:17.951-06:002010-12-31T21:39:17.951-06:00Hi Cathryn! I'm the "very preggo friend i...Hi Cathryn! I'm the "very preggo friend in Illinois" my buddy Squatlo mentioned in your Eviction Notice post (hilarious, btw!) After reading this post, I had to comment because I so completely agree with everything you've written. I'm pregnant w/ my 2nd and was very much pro-natural child birth w/ my first 3.5 years ago. I was 6 days late, had gestational diabetes, and delivered a 9 lb 6.7 oz boy naturally. The only intervention I had was a half dose of Stadol b/c after 21 hours of labor and 3 hours after my water broke, i still wasn't completely dilated. No pitocin, no water breaking, no epidural, and it was not easy fighting off the "recommendations" despite the fact my OB new our wishes. <br /><br />As a result, we searched around for a new OB after discovering I was pregnant, which is an ordeal in and of itself because docs take the "if we accept you as a patient" approach, as opposed to the allowing the patient to determine if we accept the principles/philosophies of the doctor. However, we did find one we very much like and is very supportive of our preferences...though they all find a way to cover their butts "if the baby or mother is at risk".<br /><br />I watched Business of Being Born at the beginning of this pregnancy and wow, what an eye opener. Sadly, midwifery is practically illegal in IL, and they can only operate under an OB, and the only ones close to my area work out of a hospital at which I wouldn't have a thorn removed from my finger, let alone give birth. So, that was out, though I totally support the option and wish the "system" would get its head out of its arse and worry about something more than the bottom line.<br /><br />All of this to say, in summary, GO YOU! and your family!! I hope you had a wonderful birth experience, and sincerely hope your little guy got out in a timely fashion. ;) I'll check back later for an update. All the best...AimeeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859748852940300750.post-15352297727888099792010-10-20T21:48:17.300-05:002010-10-20T21:48:17.300-05:00Hi there, finally catching up on the blog. I'...Hi there, finally catching up on the blog. I'm definitely not at the baby stage yet, but after having my stomach surgically opened this summer and having to go through all of the healing, I think you're making a wise choice. I'm no wuss when it comes to pain (remember shopping the day of my emergency appendectomy?), but that abdominal incisions are no fun, so if you can avoid the c-section and do things on your own terms, I'm all for it!Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859748852940300750.post-54050420966844889982010-09-27T15:02:04.257-05:002010-09-27T15:02:04.257-05:00Last Thursday I visited the Birthingway College of...Last Thursday I visited the Birthingway College of Midwifery in Portland, Oregon. The organization I work for gave them some money to digitize some of their original thesis projects. Anyway... if you could see this place, I think you would be even more confident about your decision. Midwives are very well-educated people.<br /><br />I think Heidi's friend Sarah told me her birth story the very first time I met her :) She's a west coast hippy nut of the nicest variety.Alisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16743934761931818560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859748852940300750.post-75267957889216476142010-09-25T07:34:35.857-05:002010-09-25T07:34:35.857-05:00Rachel - I've read that labor pains from induc...Rachel - I've read that labor pains from induction are often much more intense. Interventions, whether necessary or unnecessary hold higher risks of complications like infection - at least that's what I've read :) Thanks for sharing your story!cathrynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12507895793724303891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859748852940300750.post-72915967742772378092010-09-21T13:41:10.314-05:002010-09-21T13:41:10.314-05:00I had two births. My first-born, a son, was induc...I had two births. My first-born, a son, was induced because he was 10 days past the estimated due date. My daughter came early. If I could do it over again, I would not be induced. In my experience, the labor pains were so much more intense from the induced birth and they were unbearable when I was only about 3 or 4 centimeters dilated whereas with my daughter they didn't reach that point until I was about 7 centimeters dilated. Plus with my son, we got an infection and had to have antibiotics and I think that is becuase after I was induced they had to break my water.Rachelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859748852940300750.post-16833703297455397202010-09-20T10:34:01.984-05:002010-09-20T10:34:01.984-05:00mom - I think the more we know, the more my fears ...mom - I think the more we know, the more my fears and uncertainties dissipate and my confidence in our ability to give informed consent increases. Which makes me more calm and relaxed :)<br /><br />boty - Yeah - I just didn't realize how "corporate" childbirth has become. It's kinda scary.<br /><br />MG - That's awesome! Sarah is my heroine :) And yeah, if she wouldn't mind sharing her birth stories with a complete stranger, I'd love to email her!<br /><br />Janelle - I can never hear too many stories! :) While the fear of birthing an 8 lb. 14 oz. baby is a compelling reason to go for induction, knowing that the women in my family have routinely and successfully given birth to "big babies", makes me less intimidated. But we'll see how it plays out :) I'm so suspicious of fetal weight estimates. lolcathrynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12507895793724303891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859748852940300750.post-59602350067263150232010-09-20T07:52:13.956-05:002010-09-20T07:52:13.956-05:00Hi Cathryn,
Glad to see you're thinking ahead...Hi Cathryn,<br /><br />Glad to see you're thinking ahead. I was one of those women induced for a big baby. Turned out okay (ie no surgery, no long-term damage), but I don't think I'd want to be induced next time. I'd have pushed harder (get the pun?)to wait one more week, if they hadn't estimated an 8 lb., 14 oz. baby (plus or minus a pound -- and he ended up being 8 lbs.). It was the fear of pushing the big guy out of me that led to our induction decision. We can talk more sometime . . . unless you have heard too many stories already. Hang in there!<br /><br />JanelleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859748852940300750.post-13842013210266189772010-09-20T06:08:56.686-05:002010-09-20T06:08:56.686-05:00Cathryn, if it's any reassurance, my friend Sa...Cathryn, if it's any reassurance, my friend Sarah had a doula and midwife for BOTH her children and she had them both naturally without meds. I thought she was kind of a hippy nut when she first told me about it, but after her second baby, and then talking to her this summer, I'm convinced I'd go that way too if I ever had kids. Would you like her email address to ask her questions about the birthing process? I think she's really honest and positive. She actually made me think that while painful, it's not a horrible process. I think our society uses too much pain reduction medication when it's really not necessary. You're SUPPOSED to feel the pain of childbirth to know when to push! (From what I understand the pain only comes in waves.) I've never been a fan of any pain meds... whenever I've been prescribed narcotics for pain, I rarely take them because I dont like how they make me feel.Mars Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11403414048823693159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859748852940300750.post-49991464778757489332010-09-18T17:48:46.375-05:002010-09-18T17:48:46.375-05:00birth is absolutely a feminist thing! Glad you'...birth is absolutely a feminist thing! Glad you've come to realize it and are marching at the head of the charge!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04914920663705037023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859748852940300750.post-6454342016786072902010-09-17T12:07:32.675-05:002010-09-17T12:07:32.675-05:00I think it's great that you and Daniel have do...I think it's great that you and Daniel have done your research and are getting as prepared as possible. Sounds like you have all the bases covered. It should be a very cool experience for all three of you.momnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859748852940300750.post-46195534595901444452010-09-16T21:03:19.102-05:002010-09-16T21:03:19.102-05:00Thanks Jackie! :) And seriously, if you haven'...Thanks Jackie! :) And seriously, if you haven't seen The Business of Being Born, check it out. I'm also waiting for my copy of the book Pushed to arrive. A couple of the doulas I talked to highly recommended it.cathrynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12507895793724303891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2859748852940300750.post-87985707078451858282010-09-16T19:08:55.621-05:002010-09-16T19:08:55.621-05:00This is an incredible post and absolutely in line ...This is an incredible post and absolutely in line with ALL of my hypothetical, if-I-have-a-baby-sometime musings. You go, Cathryn! I hope your labor & delivery is everything you hope for it. I am rooting for you!Jackiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13462034904085916539noreply@blogger.com