Week 1! New Class!

Wow! I made it through my very first class and I’m so excited to be over my first class jitters! I’m excited about what’s to come.

This week we are asked to write about a personal birthing experience. I’ve never had a personal birthing experience that I can think of, other than my own and remembering that would be a miracle considering I was a baby! Yes, there have been people that I’ve known who were pregnant and have children, but nothing that I can personally report as far as being with them through the experience. I know that I desire so deeply to have children of my own someday. I just don’t know how much of a possibility that will be, but in the meantime I’ve been blessed with godchildren to love and nurture.

My personal birthing experience might lead to be complicated, as my genetic makeup leaves me with health issues that might make children a risk for me. So I would assume, that if I were to conceive that things would be a lot more complicated than some of the people who I know who have children. The usual checkups and doctors’ visits for them would be a lot worse and more frequent for me, as my blood condition would require me to inject myself daily with blood thinners in my belly the entire 9 months. Not to mention that risk of other health factors that could lead to a very painful and long pregnancy.

Although I don’t have my own birthing story to share, I did find it rather interesting how birthing is done in other countries. For example, in The Netherlands, mothers don’t go to an OBGYN, that are referred to a midwife. In some foreign countries, midwifery is most popular. Doctors don’t usually interfere with the birth, unless there are complications. The woman decides if the baby will be born in a hospital or at home. Also, women in the Netherlands don’t get epidurals. This is due to many anesthesiologist in the Netherlands working only from 9 to 5. Natural births are very popular. The time in the hospital is different as well. Dutch women who don’t have a complicated delivery usually can go home within two hours of giving birth. They have a unique belief that the care of the baby should be done at home. For seven days a nurse comes to the home to care for the mother and the child. This is covered by insurance! Wow, that would never be covered in the states! This nurse not only cares for the health of mom and baby, but they also cook, clean, and monitor the visitors who visit the home. This allows the mother time to adjust to motherhood.

Another country that has a unique birthing experience is Brazil. In Brazil C-section births are very popular. In some parts of Brazil 100% of women have a C-section birth. In Germany, the act of giving birth is more important than the outcome. Babies in Germany are usually delivered by a mid-wife, like the Netherlands, and doctors are optional. Also, in Germany, when a woman tell her boss that she is pregnant, her job is secure. That is amazing, in the US, you’re lucky to get the 12 weeks of FMLA for pregnancy. And some jobs don’t offer leave for pregnancy. It’s amazing at how the rest of the world values pregnancy and makes it a beautiful event and not a stressful situation.

Resources

Schalken, L. (2015). Birth Customs Around the World. Retrieved May 7, 2015, from http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/vaginal/birth-customs-around-the-world/

Sharma, H. (2014, May 2). 10 Strange Birth Customs From Around The World – Listverse. Retrieved May 7, 2015, from http://listverse.com/2014/05/03/10-weirdest-birth-customs-from-around-the-world/