I realize I write a lot about pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and other stuff that may make some people uncomfortable. I decided a few weeks ago to try to tone it down after I caused a stir on facebook... however, I have to rant about something tonight. I'm allowed to write about what I am passionate about... everyone else does. At least I'm warning you in advance so if you're sick of hearing about it from me, you don't have to read it.
The Today Show on NBC aired a segment showing a live c-section being performed. The reason why: both the mother's and the father's families have a history of big babies and an ultrasound done last week put the baby at 10 lbs. C-sections are there for medical emergencies, people. You're in labor for an insane amount of time without progressing, fine, that's what c-sections are there for. You or the baby are in true distress, it's a great thing we have this surgery that can end that distress. However, more and more c-sections are being done that are elective like this one and not medically necessary. Now onto my specific rants about the segment:
First, I hate that this show reached millions of people and normalized c-section as an elective choice. Second, they were flat-out wrong and most people watching don't even know it. The baby ended up weighing 10 lbs at birth. That means the ultrasound weight estimate was wrong, which actually happens a lot. It was likely about half a pound off, because babies usually gain an ounce a day in utero at the end of the pregnancy. And here's my biggest rant: when the baby was weighed, Meredith Vieira commented that they had obviously chosen the right way to deliver this big baby. Umm... no. I had a 9 lb 14 oz baby vaginally. It can be done. For the most part, a woman's body can and will do what it is meant to do. My friend had a home birth last April that I was privileged to be present at. She's a tiny little thing, and she gave birth to a 9 lb baby. Our births were not wrong. Big baby does not need to equal c-section.
I think I'll be tuning into Good Morning America from now on.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
image found here
I know his last show was almost a week ago, but I keep thinking about this quote. I've been too cynical lately... cynical about myself and my future hopes and dreams. I needed to hear him say this, to know that I need to believe in myself again (and also to work really hard and be kind like he said).
Monday, January 11, 2010
A Fine Balance
From goodreads.com:
"With a compassionate realism and narrative sweep that recall the work of Charles Dickens, this magnificent novel captures all the cruelty and corruption, dignity and heroism, of India. The time is 1975. The place is an unnamed city by the sea. The government has just declared a State of Emergency, in whose upheavals four strangers--a spirited widow, a young student uprooted from his idyllic hill station, and two tailors who have fled the caste violence of their native village--will be thrust together, forced to share one cramped apartment and an uncertain future.
As the characters move from distrust to friendship and from friendship to love, A Fine Balance creates an enduring panorama of the human spirit in an inhuman state."
I cannot thank Danielle enough for this recommendation (and Kerri for seconding it). This is a book I had never even heard of and would likely never have picked up. But it was so good! One of those books that is just so sad- compelling- epic- beautiful- I could go on and on. It was the perfect book to start off the year on from my list of 50. I actually finished another book today as well. I have been listening to Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo on my Zune at work. It's sad too, but somehow there is a difference. Although A Fine Balance was very sad, it had so many moments of redemption,of the characters coming together and finding meaning. Johnny Got His Gun had maybe one moment, but it was fleeting and soon ended badly. I highly recommend A Fine Balance. Don't let its length (600 pages) or the fact that it was part of Oprah's book club turn you away. :)
"With a compassionate realism and narrative sweep that recall the work of Charles Dickens, this magnificent novel captures all the cruelty and corruption, dignity and heroism, of India. The time is 1975. The place is an unnamed city by the sea. The government has just declared a State of Emergency, in whose upheavals four strangers--a spirited widow, a young student uprooted from his idyllic hill station, and two tailors who have fled the caste violence of their native village--will be thrust together, forced to share one cramped apartment and an uncertain future.
As the characters move from distrust to friendship and from friendship to love, A Fine Balance creates an enduring panorama of the human spirit in an inhuman state."
I cannot thank Danielle enough for this recommendation (and Kerri for seconding it). This is a book I had never even heard of and would likely never have picked up. But it was so good! One of those books that is just so sad- compelling- epic- beautiful- I could go on and on. It was the perfect book to start off the year on from my list of 50. I actually finished another book today as well. I have been listening to Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo on my Zune at work. It's sad too, but somehow there is a difference. Although A Fine Balance was very sad, it had so many moments of redemption,of the characters coming together and finding meaning. Johnny Got His Gun had maybe one moment, but it was fleeting and soon ended badly. I highly recommend A Fine Balance. Don't let its length (600 pages) or the fact that it was part of Oprah's book club turn you away. :)
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Remember the Details
I have this picture at my work for "inspiration" while pumping and was noticing things in it before that I have not really paid attention to. Things that have already changed. I was inspired to write some of the details down so that when I'm old and can't really remember stuff... I'll still be able to. I hope to get enough of this to eventually make some sort of book. So here's the first one.
I want to remember:
-his "pirate eye" he had going on for awhile, especially while nursing
-the slight bit of newborn jaundice left
-the redness across his forehead... still there at 6 months but has faded a bit
-the downy hair still visible on his shoulders
-the chubby roll already on his arm
-how the bottom half of his top lip and the top half of his bottom lip are chapped from nursing
-the hair on his head he basically lost that is finally starting to come back although slowly and we think lighter
I think this will be a great project, and if any of you are also inspired I would love to see your important photos.
I want to remember:
-his "pirate eye" he had going on for awhile, especially while nursing
-the slight bit of newborn jaundice left
-the redness across his forehead... still there at 6 months but has faded a bit
-the downy hair still visible on his shoulders
-the chubby roll already on his arm
-how the bottom half of his top lip and the top half of his bottom lip are chapped from nursing
-the hair on his head he basically lost that is finally starting to come back although slowly and we think lighter
I think this will be a great project, and if any of you are also inspired I would love to see your important photos.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Midwifery
I feel like writing about midwives today. I've had birth on my mind since I read that article I posted yesterday. I will admit right now, at the very beginning, to making plenty of assumptions in what I am about to write. One, I'm assuming that my experience with my midwife is what a typical experience with a midwife is like. Two, I'm making generalizations on what an experience with an OB is like. Both of these assumptions are somewhat grounded in fact though, because I have read a lot and talked to a lot of people.
These are just some of the many reasons I loved seeing a midwife:
-My prenatal care was amazing. I never had to wait more than ten minutes to be seen. My appointment never got postponed (now, I know had someone been giving birth it would have been, but the fact that it didn't either tells me that I'm lucky or that my midwife doesn't take on too many women at one time). I was greeted with a hug every appointment. She asked about names and various other things and seemed genuinely interested. She never rushed me. I could ask all the questions I wanted to without feeling like I was being pushy.
-Midwives cost less than OBs. Yes, that is because they are technically not doctors. But guess what, in most other developed countries, women are seen by midwives unless they have a high-risk pregnancy. Watch "The Business of Being Born."
-Midwives have lower c-section rates than OBs. That is why I choose to see a midwife at first. I had no idea if I would actually choose to have natural childbirth, but I knew I wanted to see the provider with the lower rates. My midwife told me her c-section rate is about 4-5%, which is amazing seeing as the hospital she delivered at, Utah in general and the U.S. as a whole all have rates that are much higher.
-Near the end of my pregnancy, she gave me her cell phone number. I don't think that routinely happens with OBs. They have you call the on-call doctor, or go into the hospital and have the hospital call them once you are admitted. Here's how my day started on July 2nd. I called her on her cell phone at about 6:00 am. She was already at St. Marks and told me to do a couple things and then come in around 8. When we got there, she was right there. She did the initial exam to see if I could be admitted. When that inital exam showed I was dilated to a 5, she told me "Looks like you're going to have a baby today" and hugged and reassured me as I broke down crying, scared to death. She saw me multiple times throughout the day, in between the other two births she was attending that day and seeing her patients across the street. She was with me from probably 3 pm until the hour or so after I gave birth. In other words, she was very involved in my birth experience. I've only ever heard about OBs showing up at the very end, just in time to deliver the baby and take the credit.
-I know this has gotten long, but I have one other thing. My midwife (so I'm assuming most midwives do this) had me come in at 2 weeks postpartum AND 6 weeks postpartum. The 6 week visit was just like everybody else's- a physical check and the birth control discussion. But my two week check was basically an emotional check-up. I thought that was really amazing. Really, it should be the norm. I think they could detect PPD earlier, help with general breastfeeding/new mom issues, etc.
These are just some of the many reasons I loved seeing a midwife:
-My prenatal care was amazing. I never had to wait more than ten minutes to be seen. My appointment never got postponed (now, I know had someone been giving birth it would have been, but the fact that it didn't either tells me that I'm lucky or that my midwife doesn't take on too many women at one time). I was greeted with a hug every appointment. She asked about names and various other things and seemed genuinely interested. She never rushed me. I could ask all the questions I wanted to without feeling like I was being pushy.
-Midwives cost less than OBs. Yes, that is because they are technically not doctors. But guess what, in most other developed countries, women are seen by midwives unless they have a high-risk pregnancy. Watch "The Business of Being Born."
-Midwives have lower c-section rates than OBs. That is why I choose to see a midwife at first. I had no idea if I would actually choose to have natural childbirth, but I knew I wanted to see the provider with the lower rates. My midwife told me her c-section rate is about 4-5%, which is amazing seeing as the hospital she delivered at, Utah in general and the U.S. as a whole all have rates that are much higher.
-Near the end of my pregnancy, she gave me her cell phone number. I don't think that routinely happens with OBs. They have you call the on-call doctor, or go into the hospital and have the hospital call them once you are admitted. Here's how my day started on July 2nd. I called her on her cell phone at about 6:00 am. She was already at St. Marks and told me to do a couple things and then come in around 8. When we got there, she was right there. She did the initial exam to see if I could be admitted. When that inital exam showed I was dilated to a 5, she told me "Looks like you're going to have a baby today" and hugged and reassured me as I broke down crying, scared to death. She saw me multiple times throughout the day, in between the other two births she was attending that day and seeing her patients across the street. She was with me from probably 3 pm until the hour or so after I gave birth. In other words, she was very involved in my birth experience. I've only ever heard about OBs showing up at the very end, just in time to deliver the baby and take the credit.
-I know this has gotten long, but I have one other thing. My midwife (so I'm assuming most midwives do this) had me come in at 2 weeks postpartum AND 6 weeks postpartum. The 6 week visit was just like everybody else's- a physical check and the birth control discussion. But my two week check was basically an emotional check-up. I thought that was really amazing. Really, it should be the norm. I think they could detect PPD earlier, help with general breastfeeding/new mom issues, etc.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Peas... No thank you!
Brayden turned six months old yesterday (and can I tell you just how crazy that is to me?!) so we started "baby food." I'm hoping on making my own... at least most of it. Anyways, as you can tell he is not a fan of peas. I tried them today too and he was still having none of it. I even mixed it with some rice cereal. He has also tried a Mum-Mum (rice husk-cracker type thing) and Gerber puffs, neither of which he liked. Next on the list to try is rice cereal, avocado, sweet potato, and carrots. If I have to, I'll try the jarred foods, but I feel like what I make tastes closer to the real thing, which will help him like it better later on.
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