An open mind
I think of myself as an open-minded person and have always had the philosophy of "to each their own", but recent experiences have made me realize that there are limits to my acceptance.
As past of our training in obstetrics, the department has paired us up with midwives so we can have a 'less medicalized' experience of how different women approach childbirth. I like the way that midwives for the most part approach the birthing process (i.e. keep a normal biological process normal and not medicalize the experience). I feel confident that for a normal uncomplicated pregnancy, a midwife is a great alternative to the traditional physician for pregnancy care...in some ways better!
I did learn that midwives tend to attract a certain sort of client. One of these clients taught me something I didn't know that existed until yesterday! It is called a "Lotus Birth". In this, when the baby is born, the umbilical cord is not cut and if left attached to the baby. It is allowed to stop pulsating (i.e. blood flow to the placents has stopped) and the placenta is then birthed. Afterwards, the placenta and umbilical cord are left attached to the baby until they detatch naturally! This process can take days to weeks! EEEEEEEWWWWWWWWW! So this baby is carried around with this rotting, smelly, decomposing placenta wrapped up in a towel. That is f***ing disgusting. I have no idea why people do this, but I can't think of a single reason.
A classmate told me about his experience with a client. She absolutely refused any sort of perceived intervention with her pregnancy. She refused bloodwork of any sort (which screens for any infectious diseases that can be transmitted to or affect the baby), ultrasound, vaginal swabs (again which screen for dangerous infections) and even the dopplertone (what they use to hear the baby's heart in the office). She thought that "her body would know when something was wrong". That's just plain stupid. She wanted to labor alone, but she found out it is illegal to purposefully have an unassisted birth (i.e. no doctor or midwife present). I shake my head. Hope everything goes well for her. Like I said, there are limits to my open-mindedness.
As past of our training in obstetrics, the department has paired us up with midwives so we can have a 'less medicalized' experience of how different women approach childbirth. I like the way that midwives for the most part approach the birthing process (i.e. keep a normal biological process normal and not medicalize the experience). I feel confident that for a normal uncomplicated pregnancy, a midwife is a great alternative to the traditional physician for pregnancy care...in some ways better!
I did learn that midwives tend to attract a certain sort of client. One of these clients taught me something I didn't know that existed until yesterday! It is called a "Lotus Birth". In this, when the baby is born, the umbilical cord is not cut and if left attached to the baby. It is allowed to stop pulsating (i.e. blood flow to the placents has stopped) and the placenta is then birthed. Afterwards, the placenta and umbilical cord are left attached to the baby until they detatch naturally! This process can take days to weeks! EEEEEEEWWWWWWWWW! So this baby is carried around with this rotting, smelly, decomposing placenta wrapped up in a towel. That is f***ing disgusting. I have no idea why people do this, but I can't think of a single reason.
A classmate told me about his experience with a client. She absolutely refused any sort of perceived intervention with her pregnancy. She refused bloodwork of any sort (which screens for any infectious diseases that can be transmitted to or affect the baby), ultrasound, vaginal swabs (again which screen for dangerous infections) and even the dopplertone (what they use to hear the baby's heart in the office). She thought that "her body would know when something was wrong". That's just plain stupid. She wanted to labor alone, but she found out it is illegal to purposefully have an unassisted birth (i.e. no doctor or midwife present). I shake my head. Hope everything goes well for her. Like I said, there are limits to my open-mindedness.
posted by MSI (Med Student Intern) @ 11:58 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home