Childbirth is a mixed bag of emotions. It has differing value depending on the culture, values, and experiences of each individual. Regardless of emotions, there is universal respect and reverence for childbirth. For me, childbirth is a beautiful, messy, difficult, and miraculous event that I hope to experience someday (though not anytime soon). I've noticed that in the U.S., many mothers like to swap stories about the difficulty of their labor as if the increased difficulty were a badge of honor and strength amongst the other mothers. Although I have yet to experience childbirth, I am very familiar with my own birth story.
My mom would tell me the story whenever she was particularly frustrated with my behavior. She opted to go for a hospital birth and did not have a midwife or doula. She would remind me that she was in labor for 22 hours before they had to perform a c-section. My heart rate had risen to a dangerous level due to the stress of being born, and the doctors felt that a c-section was the fastest route to ensure my health and safety. At this part of the story, I would usually joke about being born with anxiety. My birth story sounds similar to that of many of my friends and family members. But in other parts of the world, birth looks vastly different.
According to an article on parent.com in the Netherlands, there is a greater emphasis on a midwife, and there is not as much social pressure to go to a hospital. Their local midwives not only help with the birth but with aftercare too. Some midwives will cook and clean the house after the baby is born, regulate visitors, and bake a traditional treat for the baby's guests and family. In the Netherlands, it is also unlikely that you will receive an epidural and are only dispensed at the anesthesiologist's convenience. The relaxed nature of childbirth stuck out to me when reading this article. Mothers are allowed to bring home the necessary medical equipment to give birth at home, and doctors are not needed during the process if the mother only wants a midwife. In the U.S., it seems as if going to the doctor's is the norm, and anything outside of a hospital is "different" or "weird," but in the Netherlands, there is no shame or condemnation for either birth plan.
When I studied abroad in Fiji, I learned that many mothers will opt for a home birth due to hospitals' cost and distance. Often the women will give birth without a sedative or painkiller. They might ask for the help of local midwives or family members who are familiar with childbirth. Though in more urban settings, mothers will opt to give birth in a hospital. I found this interesting because economics plays a huge role in the birth plan of the family. In the U.S., we have various options and accommodations for people of various economic backgrounds. I have friends who volunteer at their local pregnancy care clinics to help mothers find a hospital and birth plan they can afford and provide ultrasounds and other services to help the mothers. But in Fiji, the economic disparities greatly influences the type of birth a mother might choose to have. I bring this up because I believe it is important to be aware that not everyone can afford the birth they want.
Each country, culture, and person have different concepts of what childbirth will look like. The examples listed above are a small fraction of the variants in childbirth. But as long as the mother and baby are healthy, each birth plan is a beautiful and sacred moment for mother and child.
Thank you for sharing your birth story! Something you said stuck out to me. You said you would joke about being born with anxiety. Both of my children were born via c-section and have anxiety. I would be interested to see if this is a common occurrence in c-section births or a coincidence.
ReplyDeleteI love a baby with a full head of head!!
I love your baby picture, Itze! That is amazing that you were born with so much hair!
ReplyDeleteI have thought a lot about the differences between hospital births and home births because I chose to have both of my babies at home. I found my experience to be very similar to those you described in the Netherlands. My midwife knitted both of my children little caps to wear after they were born (both with just a little bit of hair). She also stayed with us many hours after the birth of our daughters as well as came back the day after, 3 days after, a week after, and so on. She helped me learn to breastfeed my baby and made sure I and my baby were doing well at each visit. My husband and I have a close relationship with our midwife, which made our birthing experiences quite wonderful. I was lucky to have healthy pregnancies and births, but I know that this is not the case for all women, so hospital care has it's place.
Thanks for sharing!