The Birthing Experience

The first step in a childs development is the pregnancy and delivery process.  The importance of these areas of development are often overlooked and I am so excited we are studying them in our course this semester.  This topic is near and dear to my heart as a mother of 5...so do I have birth stories to share!

My wonderful birth experience with my youngest son, who is now 2 1/2 was a result of my previous experiences I resolved not to repeat.  My first born, who is 13 now, was born in a hospital where I was forced to lay for 36 hours with no food or water and strapped to a fetal monitor, pumped with pertocin, coerced and browbeaten into having an epidural and almost forced into a c-section, despite being 21, perfectly healthy and having a completely normal pregnancy. So yeah not a great birth experience, but my son is healthy and that was as they told me was there only concern.  As the mother I was treated as an obstacle on there way to the prize not as someone who had anything to do with the birth process at all.  It was a very dehumanizing experience. 

Comparing that experience with the birth of my youngest son is hard to do because it was so completely different.  My youngest had a water birth at a birth center.  It was the most relaxing and powerful experience in my life.  I had him with no pain medication and had a joyful birth which my husband and children attended.  Actually my brother, wife and kids were there too (which was not planned exactly, but someone most have been selling tickets without me knowing it lol!) I had an awesome midwife at the birth center, which was in a converted house with cozy bedrooms which also had some medical equipment if need be. I had the water birth in what looked like a kiddy pool with high sides.  Everthing was professional and sterile but very laid back.  The warm water alleviated alot of the discomfort from the labor and I was able to have my baby laid right in my arms after delivery.  No confusion or high tech security to keep from having my baby stolen, he never left my side.  I took a nap and had something to eat and then went home.

I was interested to see how these two exeriences compared to typical births in other countries.  I found an article from Parenting magazine that interviewed mothers from various countries about the typical birth experience and customs in their country.  The article, http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/vaginal/birth-customs-around-the-world/?page=4, was very interesting as it compared birth stories from women from the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Brazil and Turkey. 

In Japan, they have mostly natural births with no pain medication due to their belief that the suffering of labor prepares the woman for the job of motherhood.  After the birth the new Mom typically stays at her Mom's house for about a month as it is a cultural tradition for the mother to stay in bed with her baby for 21 days after the birth.  I think that these three customs are wonderful for the child as well as the bond for the mother and child.  It is true that the pain of labor prepares the woman for motherhood as it shows her what she is capable of and it is an important step women skip in this society through epidurals and or c-sections.  Also the ability to rest and focus on bonding with your baby while being loved on by your Mom cannot be overstated, how wonderful must that be! 

Although I had a wonderful birth experience with my youngest I would not at all minded the 21 days in bed loving on my baby! What importance the Japanese place on the mother/child bond and ensuring that the mother is prepared in her new role.  Interesting stuff... I can't wait to learn more!