I'm not from the United States. Virtually all the births I've seen have been assietd by midwives only, with the doctors called in only to 1) administer epidurals and 2) stitch up the poor girl's vagina after it was over.
Believe me: nobody forces anything on these mums. The midwives tell them to get into whatever position they find comfortable. Lying on your back? OK. Lying on your side? Sure. (Occasionally, if the baby's heart rate shows it's a bit distressed, they'll ask the woman to lie on her side, because this can help the baby get into a better position.) Standing up, leaning on a raised bed? Great. In the bath? Sure. All the birthing rooms in the hospitals I've been in have great big bathtubs just for this purpose.
Pain relief is offered if and when the mother wants it. Plenty of mums having their second or third baby never ask for anything. But all the mums having their first end up asking for something. Many will start out saying they don't want an epidural, but once the contractions get really bad, they're begging for it - and cursing the anaesthetist, who's taking ages to show up!
Hell, I know I'll be asking for an epidural when I have a baby. I've seen enough births to know that no matter how compassionate and understanding and lovely the midwives are, pushing a baby out is hell on earth.
Oh, and babies can, and do get stuck. Why do you think so many women used to die in childbirth? There are a gazillion things that can go wrong in labour. Millions of mohters and babies have been saved by performing a c-section. Oh, and by the way, usually doctors here - I don't know about the United States - will do anything and everything to encourage mum to have a normal delivery. C-section is a last resort, when it's too dangerous to deliver vaginally.
Sorry, I just thought I'd point out that even in a health system where hospitals are non-profit organizations, childbirth is generally Not Much Fun. It can be a positive experience for some mums having their second or third child, but a first child is always torture. It's just the way our bodies are.
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Believe me: nobody forces anything on these mums. The midwives tell them to get into whatever position they find comfortable. Lying on your back? OK. Lying on your side? Sure. (Occasionally, if the baby's heart rate shows it's a bit distressed, they'll ask the woman to lie on her side, because this can help the baby get into a better position.) Standing up, leaning on a raised bed? Great. In the bath? Sure. All the birthing rooms in the hospitals I've been in have great big bathtubs just for this purpose.
Pain relief is offered if and when the mother wants it. Plenty of mums having their second or third baby never ask for anything. But all the mums having their first end up asking for something. Many will start out saying they don't want an epidural, but once the contractions get really bad, they're begging for it - and cursing the anaesthetist, who's taking ages to show up!
Hell, I know I'll be asking for an epidural when I have a baby. I've seen enough births to know that no matter how compassionate and understanding and lovely the midwives are, pushing a baby out is hell on earth.
Oh, and babies can, and do get stuck. Why do you think so many women used to die in childbirth? There are a gazillion things that can go wrong in labour. Millions of mohters and babies have been saved by performing a c-section. Oh, and by the way, usually doctors here - I don't know about the United States - will do anything and everything to encourage mum to have a normal delivery. C-section is a last resort, when it's too dangerous to deliver vaginally.
Sorry, I just thought I'd point out that even in a health system where hospitals are non-profit organizations, childbirth is generally Not Much Fun. It can be a positive experience for some mums having their second or third child, but a first child is always torture. It's just the way our bodies are.