Comments on The Lactivist Breastfeeding Blog: Childbirth Issues - Lack of Good Medicated Childbi...

Hey thanks Jill!I'm not going to pass it on again ...

2007-04-19T06:33:00.000-07:00

Hey thanks Jill!

I'm not going to pass it on again as I did when someone else nominated me a few weeks ago, but I very much appreciate the sentiments! :)

Because of this and m-a-n-y other posts I nominate...

2007-04-18T20:54:00.000-07:00

Because of this and m-a-n-y other posts I nominated (tagged) you for a Thinking Blogger award. Do with it what you will. No pressure. Just know that I enjoy reading your thoughts as they inspire my own.

I am a 2-time c-section mommy. I am also a mommy ...

2007-03-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

I am a 2-time c-section mommy. I am also a mommy who got pregnant both of those times while on birth control (not really important, but hey so much for modern medicine). I was 30 when I had my first child. I was of course totally about an OB cause I had not been planning on children anyway, then to find out I was expecting--oh wow! I had never felt an urge to have children, I never looked at

I think all of these comments are a really honest ...

2007-03-15T13:57:00.000-07:00

I think all of these comments are a really honest sampling of birth experiences and attitudes in the USA.
My extra two cents: If you choose birth at the hospital, choose a care provider who will listen and work with you. Don't decide 1st which hospital and then a care provider. Going to a large teaching hospital may mean cutting edge, but it may also mean that alot of your care is done

I am a childbirth educator and doula in the centra...

2007-03-14T00:19:00.000-07:00

I am a childbirth educator and doula in the central Ohio area and I will say that many of us try very hard to educate mamas on all their choices. I give all my clients and students the risks and benefits to procedures and then support the mom's decision 100%. I have no issues with women who choose to birth differently then I did. There have even been times in my doula career that I recommended

Ditto on the sentiment that you CAN have choices i...

2007-03-13T21:07:00.000-07:00

Ditto on the sentiment that you CAN have choices in a hospital birth. But first you need to know what your choices are! You need to know that when someone says, "Here, you need this," you can say, "Wait, unless this is an absolute emergency, I know I have a choice. What are the options/risks/benefits?" One big difference, in my opinion, comes from who you choose to surround yourself with--partner

Regardless of what you may have discussed with you...

2007-03-13T19:08:00.000-07:00

Regardless of what you may have discussed with your OB/GYN or midwife, it is important to clearly state your wishes to hospital staff when admitted. A friend of mine initially said "not yet" when she was offered an epidural. When she later decided it was time, the nurse indicated that she would see if an anesthesiologist was currently available. She didn't have much of a wait, but the

That's a great post! I am a mom who chose to have...

2007-03-13T18:43:00.000-07:00

That's a great post! I am a mom who chose to have a natural birth in a hospital. I found that my wishes were respected, and that I was given choices in respect to the nursing staff.

For me, it wasn't the hospital setting that took away my choices in labor. It was my particular doctor. My labor went great until the 10 minutes before delivery when my OB showed up. :-) I have since

The birth of my daughter was before I was "enlight...

2007-03-13T17:50:00.000-07:00

The birth of my daughter was before I was "enlightened", so to speak, of the choices available to me. As such, it was fully medicated. I was induced with pitocin, received a shot of Stadol, and eventually had an epidural. I told the nurses when I came in that I only had a couple of requests: wait for a few minutes to put the antibiotic in her eyes (because I'd heard they make baby's vision blurry

I am glad that this subject is being talked about ...

2007-03-13T17:26:00.000-07:00

I am glad that this subject is being talked about in a positive way; thanks Jennifer for bringing it up!

As a bith doula who supports women who usually are giving birth in the hospital, I just wanted to remind you all that doulas can be very useful for a mom who had an epidural. However, doulas really aren't there to speak FOR you, we are there to support you and your partner (if there

I wound up with a medicated, hospital birth. To b...

2007-03-13T15:50:00.000-07:00

I wound up with a medicated, hospital birth. To be honest, not having given birth before, even though it was only a teeeeensy chance, I was terrified of being anywhere I couldn't immediately have a c-section if the baby had problems. And I hate surgery, and wanted to avoid it at all costs!!

To be honest, I stayed home for 14 hours, no medication, no problem. I went 26 hours, doing

I also want to share another resource I use in my ...

2007-03-13T15:25:00.000-07:00

I also want to share another resource I use in my childbirth class that I think is very especially for those choosing a hospital birth. It is a card from a resource manual with these questions that can be asked about suggested interventions.

Informed Consent Questions
1. Is this an emergency, or do we have time to talk?
2. What would be the benefits of doing this?
3. What

On cesarean: make sure they do the type of procedu...

2007-03-13T15:11:00.000-07:00

On cesarean: make sure they do the type of procedure where they separate the muscles instead of cut them and that they double stitch the uterus instead of single stitch. It makes for a better, faster recovery, reduces complications and increases your chances for a successful VBAC.

Another great, balanced discussion. I have done bi...

2007-03-13T15:03:00.000-07:00

Another great, balanced discussion. I have done birth three different ways - vaginal with IV meds, c/s, all-natural VBAC. I had a wonderful doula the last time around, who had assisted at all types of births, including c/s. Her philosophy is that every woman has a natural birth unless she has delivered a frog. Anyway, there was a great

I had a wonderful childbirth teacher whose focus w...

2007-03-13T13:54:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful childbirth teacher whose focus was unmedicated, natural childbirth, but she covered everything. She gave us information on all the intervention procedures and medications and how they work. The reason one intervention often leads to another and another all the way to a cesarean is that the first intervention was done too early, for example, when the cervix is still hard. I wish

I really want to thank you for this post! As a pr...

2007-03-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

I really want to thank you for this post! As a pregnant mom who has to give birth in a hospital due to thyroid issues, it has been incredibly frustrating trying to learn about all my options. Thank you for showing everyone that all moms deserve support and education!

Thank you, thank you, thank you Jennifer! I love ...

2007-03-13T12:09:00.000-07:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you Jennifer! I love your blog and when you described your home birth, there was a big part of me that was jealous. But in reality, when I start thinking about having a baby in my house, well, I get light-headed and nausous. I KNOW how safe it can be. I KNOW how much better many women have found it. But I also know it's not for me. I would be paniced, not relaxed

You catch more flies with honey, eh Heidi? ;) Seri...

2007-03-13T11:47:00.000-07:00

You catch more flies with honey, eh Heidi? ;) Seriously though...it was women that warmly and openly shared advice without judging that got me looking at home birth. The same women that honestly tried to help prepare me for a hospital birth.

I'm not one for pushing my beliefs, simply for educating and encouraging and when necessary, fighting...but always fighting for the RIGHT to make a

I think you make a lot of good points. First, the...

2007-03-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

I think you make a lot of good points. First, there needs to be a release of the "all or nothing". And homebirth, unmedicated birth, etc will not solve everyone's problems.

As a labor nurse, I see women who have all of the intentions to have a positive birth experience. They have done their "homework", so to speak, and frequently encounter something totally unexpected. However, the

This is a wonderful post, and you're absolutely ri...

2007-03-13T11:34:00.000-07:00

This is a wonderful post, and you're absolutely right; it is a necessary one! What I love about your blog is how inclusive and positive you are. That's so important. It's not only unsupportive but also counter-productive to take a holier-than-thou attitude.

I just wanted to say first, thank you. I was an e...

2007-03-13T11:09:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to say first, thank you. I was an educated mother who chose a hospital setting and took most of the steps you described. I am happy to say that I had a very pleasant experience.

The only thing I would add is that it is well within your rights to schedule a meeting with an anesthesiologist in the weeks BEFORE your labor. (Some hospitals actually offer this as a class)

This type of information is necessary not only for...

2007-03-13T10:53:00.000-07:00

This type of information is necessary not only for women that choose specific interventions, but also for women presented with unexpected complications and those that have to negotiate and advocate for themselves regarding hospital policies and procedures. Every labor is unique and unpredictable. I encourage moms to have a plan, but try to keep an open mind. It's important for all moms to

As you know Jen, I wanted a home birth but was for...

2007-03-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

As you know Jen, I wanted a home birth but was forced into an almost emergency c-section because of a previa.

I think having a doula or someone to advocate for you shortly after the c-section is very important. I was in the most pain ever in my life and was high on narcotics right after the birth and was in no condition to fight nurses.

Also, educate yourself no matter what

Honestly, I think the reason we don't have a lot o...

2007-03-13T09:16:00.000-07:00

Honestly, I think the reason we don't have a lot of good advice for them is that in a medical hospital situation, they're really not in charge. Advice on what choices to take implies that you're going to be able to make those choices. In a hospital, they may tell you ahead of time that you can - but when you get down to it, they're going to pester and push you on anything you refuse, wear you