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Monday, February 7, 2011

You should stay home

"If you plan to go totally natural and don't want much intervation why would you go to a hospital? I don't understand the mentally of granola. They should of stayed home and have a home birth."

This is a quote from someone in response to a new TV series about birth. I found this interesting because I would hear this when I worked at the hospital a lot. It kind of implies that a hospital cannot provide the same environment for minimal interventions as the home can. There were nurses that would be offended by a patient saying they don't want anything done. I would often hear a nurse say to the other nurses, "why don't they just stay home".

Here's the problem with that sort of attitude. #1) women go to the hospital because they know that something may go wrong, even if it is a small chance, and they want the quick access to medical care #2) even women who want minimal interventions should be able to have that peace of mind if they want it, without interference or back talk #3) if the hospital cannot offer a safe, quiet place to birth that respects all women's wishes, it should be offered.

Bottom line...a hospital should be able to provide both low intervention and high technology if needed. That's sometimes hard to find because many people have the same attitude of the lady whom I quoted above....hospitals are for high tech, hi intervention...stay home if your expecting otherwise. It really doesn't have to be this way...sigh:) I waiting for the day when we can have all wrapped into one...

2 comments:

Enjoy Birth said...

I look forward to that day too!

Joshua & Abby Alger said...

That is really sad that nurses feel that way. I would love to have all my kids at home but my mom was high risk for all of her births and I am worried I may be the same. The hospital should happily do what the mother wishes. Maybe that is an utopian idea..

Birth is a Journey: Does it have to be life changing?


  • One woman might have to climb on an overfilled boat, risking her life and nearly dying as she escapes over the ocean to come to this land. This experience could certainly be life altering. It may very well color the rest of her life, positively or negatively. (I overcame this amazing struggle and here I am triumphant! OR Holy crap, that was SO hard I don’t know if I can go on! By the way, neither response is “right”. No one would judge the woman with the 2nd response.)
  • One woman may buy an airplane ticket, sit on a comfortable 747 and fly to America with a nice smooth flight and landing. She is happy to be in America. Those welcoming her are glad she is here safe and sound. She may only travel by plane 2-4 times in her life, so it is pretty memorable. But the journey itself probably wouldn’t be life changing; it would simply be a journey.
  • One woman may learn to fly an ultra-light plane to lead a flock of geese into America teaching them to migrate. This experience could certainly be empowering and life altering.