Comments on: “The Business of Being Born”…Please See This Movie! http://prenatalyogacenter.com/blog/the-business-of-being-bornplease-see-this-movie/ Deb's blog about the Prenatal Yoga Center, life as a Doula, and her own journey to motherhood Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:43:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Deb http://prenatalyogacenter.com/blog/the-business-of-being-bornplease-see-this-movie/#comment-72 Deb Mon, 10 Mar 2008 20:37:39 +0000 http://prenatalyogacenter.com/blog/?p=26#comment-72 To the writer of the comment above, I absolutely agree with you. I am very thankful that when a medical incident occurs, we are fortunate to have modern medicine and technology to fall back on. I am not against hospitals, I am just disappointed that the birthing paradigm of our society relies so heavily on them that many women are not often encouraged to see what their bodies are truly capable of doing. I am glad to her that you and your baby are doing well. Sincerely, Deb To the writer of the comment above, I absolutely agree with you. I am very thankful that when a medical incident occurs, we are fortunate to have modern medicine and technology to fall back on.

I am not against hospitals, I am just disappointed that the birthing paradigm of our society relies so heavily on them that many women are not often encouraged to see what their bodies are truly capable of doing.

I am glad to her that you and your baby are doing well.

Sincerely,

Deb

]]> By: MR http://prenatalyogacenter.com/blog/the-business-of-being-bornplease-see-this-movie/#comment-69 MR Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:11:59 +0000 http://prenatalyogacenter.com/blog/?p=26#comment-69 Actually, I took my then 7 month old in my carrier and we went to see the very last showing of this film at the film center. I had planned my whole pregnancy long to birth with a midwife, preparing along the way with her. Then, when it come time to give birth, I had to go to the hospital. Because I had read so much stuff with information like this film, I was devastated and had to have my baby delivered by a perfect stranger. The truth is, there are a ot of complications that can happen-that's why so many women used to die in childbirth in the old days. Yes, there are too many C-sections happening these days, but if I had been at home instead of at the hospital, I would probably have had a sezure and my baby could've died. That was enough of a scare to make me appreciate the medical route. I am 25 years old, and in excellent health, and I was in the hopsital for a week after having my baby and I feel so lucky I was. In the olden days I probably would've been one of those unfortunate women who died in childbirth. Thank God for hopsitals. Actually, I took my then 7 month old in my carrier and we went to see the very last showing of this film at the film center. I had planned my whole pregnancy long to birth with a midwife, preparing along the way with her. Then, when it come time to give birth, I had to go to the hospital. Because I had read so much stuff with information like this film, I was devastated and had to have my baby delivered by a perfect stranger. The truth is, there are a ot of complications that can happen-that’s why so many women used to die in childbirth in the old days. Yes, there are too many C-sections happening these days, but if I had been at home instead of at the hospital, I would probably have had a sezure and my baby could’ve died. That was enough of a scare to make me appreciate the medical route. I am 25 years old, and in excellent health, and I was in the hopsital for a week after having my baby and I feel so lucky I was. In the olden days I probably would’ve been one of those unfortunate women who died in childbirth. Thank God for hopsitals.

]]> By: Kimberly Steinhorn http://prenatalyogacenter.com/blog/the-business-of-being-bornplease-see-this-movie/#comment-59 Kimberly Steinhorn Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:43:49 +0000 http://prenatalyogacenter.com/blog/?p=26#comment-59 Dear Deb, I attended classes at your center and I have been meaning to share my story with you but the two Fridays I have come to postnatal Jane has been the teacher. Anyway, you can read it on my blog (www.steinhornindia.blogspot.com) and I think you'll be quite impressed. Sincerely, Kim Dear Deb,
I attended classes at your center and I have been meaning to share my story with you but the two Fridays I have come to postnatal Jane has been the teacher.
Anyway, you can read it on my blog (www.steinhornindia.blogspot.com) and I think you’ll be quite impressed.
Sincerely,
Kim

]]> By: Leanne http://prenatalyogacenter.com/blog/the-business-of-being-bornplease-see-this-movie/#comment-56 Leanne Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:32:46 +0000 http://prenatalyogacenter.com/blog/?p=26#comment-56 Thank you for your blog - I have been processing my rather negative birth experience at a NYC hospital and the blog came to my attention after attending Mommy & Me yoga at the center. I am curious - is there any kind of help for women in my birth situation, which was PROM at term? I had an extremely low risk pregnancy and was looking forward to the same trouble-free birth experience most women in my family have had, but when my husband called the hospital to tell them my water had broken, it was the beginning of the end. I was told to come in immediately, etc...and once there, everything that I had been told in my hospital-sponsored childbirth class (Lamaze-based) and even the tour itself seemed to go completely out the window. In the tour I was told that an IV would be "placed," but wouldn't be hooked up to anything unless I had to have an epidural - in reality, I was hooked up to a very painful IV in my hand immediately as I sat in triage. I was told on the tour that they had a few rooms with telemmetry-based "wireless" EFM and it was first-come first-served, we had only to ask for it - in reality, my nurse looked at me quizzically and said they never just use those on request, and then hooked me up to the monitors, which kept slipping if I moved at all. In the childbirth class and the tour, we were told to be assertive about moving around - not my strong point, but I did ask if I could stand and walk around. In reality, it was made clear that this was a nuisance - I could get up "for a few minutes," and some of my nurses were more amenable and helpful than others, but they'd have to hook me right back up again. In the childbirth class I was told to stick to my guns about my birth plan - in reality, the attending OB (not my doc) immediately told me he wanted to start me on Pitocin, almost as soon as I had hit the door of the laboeing and birthing room. When I said "let's wait," he acquiesced, but when he came to check me again and my husband asked how long we could reasonably wait, the doc said, "well we're past the point of safety now." Over the next 27 hours I had the classic cascade of intervention (Pitocin, unbearable pain which led to an epidural before 4cm, failure to progress, I got a low fever and my son's heart rate went up, internal fetal monitor, c-section). I didn't feel prepared for PROM at term. It was only marginally covered in my childbirth class. I knew that PROM created a special situation in that there was a risk of infection...but then after the fact I heard of women whose water had broken being allowed to labor for 40+ hours. I heard of women who spiked a fever being given antibiotics instead of a section. It's hard for me to process what happened to me because I can't decide whether I was shoehorned into this less than ideal birth, or if because of my situation there was very much a real danger to my son. All I knew was that after 12 hours of failed augmentation, exhausted from the maximum dose of Pitocin and an epidural that kept coming in and out and at one point was accidentally turned off, I wouldn't have had it in me to push for 3 hours even if I wanted to. I was so doped up during my section (since my epidural kept wearing off) that I couldn't make any requests, and with my son believed to be at risk for infection, he was whisked away to the NICU before either I or my husband had ever held him. I just saw him, briefly, and I remember when the nurses held him to my face I hoped I wouldn't vomit on him because I was so nauseated from the anesthesia. My son was fine. Breastfeeding got off to a shaky start, but I am stubborn so eventually it was a success after about 4 days of supplementation. I rejoiced in my healthy, beautiful son, but I wish other women could be spared my experience. I felt completely prepared to be a bulldog and stick to my guns with a normal labor - PROM changed our game plan entirely. I am not sure how else it could have gone, but I certainly hope there are alternatives. Thank you for your blog - I have been processing my rather negative birth experience at a NYC hospital and the blog came to my attention after attending Mommy & Me yoga at the center.

I am curious - is there any kind of help for women in my birth situation, which was PROM at term? I had an extremely low risk pregnancy and was looking forward to the same trouble-free birth experience most women in my family have had, but when my husband called the hospital to tell them my water had broken, it was the beginning of the end. I was told to come in immediately, etc…and once there, everything that I had been told in my hospital-sponsored childbirth class (Lamaze-based) and even the tour itself seemed to go completely out the window.

In the tour I was told that an IV would be “placed,” but wouldn’t be hooked up to anything unless I had to have an epidural - in reality, I was hooked up to a very painful IV in my hand immediately as I sat in triage. I was told on the tour that they had a few rooms with telemmetry-based “wireless” EFM and it was first-come first-served, we had only to ask for it - in reality, my nurse looked at me quizzically and said they never just use those on request, and then hooked me up to the monitors, which kept slipping if I moved at all. In the childbirth class and the tour, we were told to be assertive about moving around - not my strong point, but I did ask if I could stand and walk around. In reality, it was made clear that this was a nuisance - I could get up “for a few minutes,” and some of my nurses were more amenable and helpful than others, but they’d have to hook me right back up again. In the childbirth class I was told to stick to my guns about my birth plan - in reality, the attending OB (not my doc) immediately told me he wanted to start me on Pitocin, almost as soon as I had hit the door of the laboeing and birthing room. When I said “let’s wait,” he acquiesced, but when he came to check me again and my husband asked how long we could reasonably wait, the doc said, “well we’re past the point of safety now.” Over the next 27 hours I had the classic cascade of intervention (Pitocin, unbearable pain which led to an epidural before 4cm, failure to progress, I got a low fever and my son’s heart rate went up, internal fetal monitor, c-section).

I didn’t feel prepared for PROM at term. It was only marginally covered in my childbirth class. I knew that PROM created a special situation in that there was a risk of infection…but then after the fact I heard of women whose water had broken being allowed to labor for 40+ hours. I heard of women who spiked a fever being given antibiotics instead of a section. It’s hard for me to process what happened to me because I can’t decide whether I was shoehorned into this less than ideal birth, or if because of my situation there was very much a real danger to my son. All I knew was that after 12 hours of failed augmentation, exhausted from the maximum dose of Pitocin and an epidural that kept coming in and out and at one point was accidentally turned off, I wouldn’t have had it in me to push for 3 hours even if I wanted to. I was so doped up during my section (since my epidural kept wearing off) that I couldn’t make any requests, and with my son believed to be at risk for infection, he was whisked away to the NICU before either I or my husband had ever held him. I just saw him, briefly, and I remember when the nurses held him to my face I hoped I wouldn’t vomit on him because I was so nauseated from the anesthesia.

My son was fine. Breastfeeding got off to a shaky start, but I am stubborn so eventually it was a success after about 4 days of supplementation. I rejoiced in my healthy, beautiful son, but I wish other women could be spared my experience. I felt completely prepared to be a bulldog and stick to my guns with a normal labor - PROM changed our game plan entirely. I am not sure how else it could have gone, but I certainly hope there are alternatives.

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