Let me clarify one thing, I am not a gynecologist. But I have been in the health care field for nearly two decades. I have learned a lot of insider information from medical doctors, surgeons, anesthesiologists, physiatrists, chiropractors, naturopaths, homeopaths, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and last but not least, midwives.
What I’m about to share with you might shock you, upset you and take you out of your comfort zone. It might go against what you have been taught. It might stir up your emotions and beliefs. All I ask is that you read this with an open mind.
You see, when my wife and I were starting a family, I started asking a lot of questions. I asked a lot of questions to those individuals I mentioned in the first paragraph. I asked a lot of questions to my friends who already had children. I asked questions to many of my female patients about their experiences with childbirth, hospitals and their Ob-Gyns. I researched on the internet for countless hours. What I found out was shocking. It was disgusting to say the least.
What I found on the internet was that women are the most abused when it comes to needless surgical procedures. It was the same stories all the people I asked were sharing with me. It makes sense. Women go to doctors more particularly because of female issues. The U.S. used to have the highest C-section rates in the world. Not anymore. Read this excerpt from Kaiser Daily Women’s Health Policy-
A “soaring number” of Chinese women — approximately 6.5 million annually — are choosing to deliver their infants by caesarean section, a trend that has resulted in the country having the highest c-section rate in the world, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The World Health Organization, estimates that currently 47% of all infants in China are delivered by c-section, compared with 20% 10 years ago and approximately 26% in the United States, according to the Journal. Several factors — including the belief that c-sections are the safest and most reliable option “to protect the one, precious offspring” allowed under the country’s one-child-per-couple family planning policy — have influenced Chinese women to choose c-sections over vaginal delivery, the Journal reports.
Women also are choosing c-section deliveries because they allow them to choose the day of their infant’s birth, which holds significance according to traditional Chinese beliefs.
Further, the improved quality of medical care in the country is “seducing” wealthy families to get “the best money can buy,” making c-sections a “lucrative” business for doctors and hospitals, according to the Journal.
Although some doctors believe the trend of healthy, pregnant women having c-sections “on demand” is dangerous, increasing women’s chances of having serious complications and infants’ risks of being born premature, the movement “doesn’t seem to be slowing,” theJournal reports (Mazurkewich, Wall Street Journal, 8/26).
What’s going on in China sounds like what’s been going on in America for quite some time now. Maternal, neonatal mortality rates, pro c-section activists (pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and obstetricians) and statistics are used to further complicate and cloud the subject.
As a side note, I have read that prostitution is the oldest profession in the world. But who delivered them? Midwives. Unless the first midwives were prostitutes turned midwives.
Another note about midwives. I just saw on the History Channel, a program on the birth of Jesus where Joseph went to look for a midwife to help Mary with her childbirth. I had never even thought of that. That was interesting. OK. Let’s move on.
I’ve been told by many of my young female patients that their Ob-Gyn told them, “your pelvis is too small, you cannot deliver vaginally”. My wife weighed 110 pounds, measured 5’2” and wears a size 0-2. Do you know what the Ob-Gyn would have told her had she gone to an Ob-Gyn? You can’t deliver vaginally.
We did not believe this lie. This is one of the reasons we chose to use a midwife. Midwives will even come to your home so you can deliver your baby in the comfort of your own home. They will allow you to stand, walk and have a water birth in your own tub if you choose. They will hold your hand and be there with you every step of the way.
Other reasons we chose to use a midwife versus Ob-Gyn / hospital for where our children would be born; reduces the risk of acquired hospital infections, reduces the risk of unnecessary medical procedures like routine multiple sonograms, the use of pitocin, episiotomy, c-section, forceps, vacuum extraction, silver nitrate, many times not having immediate contact with your newborn baby and there may be more reasons that I can’t think of at midnight as I write this.
There’s also the recommendation for reconstructive surgery if you have a problem with your bladder after childbirth. In almost every case will time and exercise heal your body.
Now think about this. When you give birth in a hospital, besides all the risks I mentioned above, you are hooked up to monitors that will ensure everything is alright. Sounds good right?
But you are also lying on your back which no woman especially in her last trimester can stand to be in that position for very long. When you go into labor, if you did not plan an elective c-section, they still have you lying on your back.
When you are ready to deliver, they have you put your legs up in stirrups. Do you think that is to make you comfortable, have an easier delivery and reduce the chances of complications and a c-section? Think about this again.
When you are into your last trimester, can you sleep on your back? Of course not. You feel suffocated and uncomfortable. You have to sleep on your side. Then why on earth do they have you deliver on your back with your legs up in stirrups? This positions your vagina in a slighted upward position? Do you think it’s easier to push your baby upwards? I don’t think the laws of gravity change when you are having a baby.
My wife used a “birthing stool” to give birth to our daughter. The midwife and I were kneeling in front of my wife while she was on the stool and when our daughters head presented she popped out. The midwife had to literally catch her or my daughter would have hit the floor.
My wife delivered in a sideways position with our son who weighed 9 lbs. 6 ozs. She did not tear or need an episiotomy. If fact, she had a somewhat difficult birth due to him being so big for her small size and he got stuck. The midwife very skillfully reached inside her vagina and repositioned his shoulder and then he came out.
So why do they position women on their backs and use stirrups? It makes it EASIER for the DOCTOR who is delivering your baby. How do you like that?
Is you blood starting to boil? So you’re lying on your back all hooked up to monitors and now you have this 7-10 lb baby compressing your abdominal aorta which is one of the main blood vessels which circulates blood to you and your baby. It’s being compressed and you are getting more and more uncomfortable.
The monitor goes off. All you can hear is … Oh no!!! The baby is in distress… we need to do an emergency c-section. Off you go to have an emergency c-section. But cesarean operations are big business for hospitals. This could have been prevented.
To all you young woman who are going to be mothers….do your homework. Midwives have been around for thousands of years. Like I mentioned already, it is one of the oldest professions.
Most babies delivered in Europe and Canada are through midwives. America is perhaps the only country on earth where women are brainwashed into believing that the only place to have your baby is in a hospital.They use the fear factor ” what if something goes wrong”.
If you’re healthy and not high risk the chances of something going wrong are actually HIGHER in the hospital as reported by the Wall Street Journal previously. It’s called needless medical interventions.
To all of you mothers who may have been the unfortunate victim of an unnecessary c-section…..PLEASE share this article with all the young women and soon to be mothers you know.