I understand that some mothers want this crazy room full of people.  One of
my friends had someone tweeting every detail of her birth.
After hearing Michel Odent speak about the primal nature of birth and
'cocktail' of love hormones, I feel strongly that we are inhibiting so much
of this process with interruptions.  I'm not saying that we should go
against the mother's wishes.  I just think that we are naive to the impact
that a crowd of people has on this unique time in a family's life.
I had an old delivery nurse tell me that she finally told one of the
doctors who refused to let father's in the delivery room.  "You just want
the mother to look at you and love you after the baby is born".  There is
something about reserving all of that love for your partner and baby.  One
hour is not too much to ask people to wait.  I think too many people want
to bring thier own 'issues' to another woman's birth.  There needs to be
healthy boundaries.  Birth and that inital bonding are primal.  it is hard
to be primal with people watching.
My first 3 births included a crowd.  After having a very peaceful and
private 4th birth, I looked back and had some resentment for the intrusion
of the other births.
I think science and wisdom is pretty much in favor of keeping the room
quiet and personal for that first hour.  Hospitals can certainly make this
a 'rule.'

Just my thoughts,
Melissa Senf


On Sunday, November 3, 2013, heather wrote:

> Nina writes:
>
>
>  Hi Christine
>> Why does this have to be a one-size-fits-all policy.  Unlike Heather, I
>> don't find the idea of visitors in the hour or two after birth monstrous -
>> if the mother wants them there.
>>
>
>
> If a mother *genuinely* wants more than one or two visitors in the hour or
> two after birth, then I am hard-pressed for an argument why her wishes
> should not be accommodated....except to say how difficult it would be for a
> mother to express this choice freely if she has domineering relatives. And
> how does the HCP step in to say 'STOP passing that baby round like a bowl
> of popcorn!' when the relatives make the most of their photo opportunity?
>
> There are sound *clinical* reasons why peace and quiet are best for the
> baby, and for getting breastfeeding going.
>
> I am sure there are some families - Nina's, for instance - who are
> wonderful, supportive and don't all want to pass the baby round them all.
>
> But I still think the best solution is to have Rules which are adhered to.
> No one - no mother, no baby - suffers any loss or inconvenience if she is
> not surrounded by family immediately after birth. They can all wait a few
> hours. They are grown up and can defer their gratification.
>
> Heather Welford Neil
> NCT bfc, tutor, UK
>
> --
>
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