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Subject:
From:
"Barbara Wilson-Clay, Ibclc" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 29 Jan 1996 10:20:21 -0500
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I have had one hospital and two home births. I have also assisted at 3
births:  one hospital (as care taker of the older child) and two home (as a
labor coach in one, and as a more active assistant in a v-bac which happened
so quickly the 2nd midwife didn't make it in time.)  As others have said,
there was no comparison in terms of the experiences.  My episiotomy and the
episiotomy of the friend who delivered in a pretty birthing suite were
automatic and done after flat-on-our-back labors. Both OBs (one male, one
female) had promised episiotomies would only be done if necessary, and yet
they were absolutely routine when the time came.  Recovery from my hospt.
birth was by far more lengthy and uncomfortable.  My 2nd birth at home was
wonderful.  It lasted a total of 3 intense hours, but the intensity was
mitigated by the brevity, and I felt like I had won an Olympic gold medal.
This birth resulted in a small tear which the midwife stiched up, and which
healed very quickly.  The woman I assisted who had never labored before and
who, in safe, sheltered surroundings popped out an 8 pounder in 2.5 hours)
also resulted in a small tear which the midwife stitched up with a few small
stitches.  Compared to the recovery from a c-sec it was nothing to that
mother.

 My third birth was my largest child.  She was born in 1hr 45 min. with me on
hands and knees.  I felt completely uninhibited during this birth and
controlled every aspect of my positioning.  With skilled massage from my lay
midwives I delivered with no tearing.  I shudder to think that I almost went
to the hospt. with Lydia because our health insur. wouldn't cover home birth.
I'll be forever grateful that I happened to see Dr. Odent during that preg.
and he reminded his lecture audience that women only give birth a few times,
and that birth is an experience women remember all their days.  They deserve
it to be a wonderful experience, not something that gives them post-traumatic
stress syndrome (those last are my words).  Anyway, I came home and told my
husband I couldn't go through a hospital birth -- I was too afraid to now
that I knew the difference.  I got a part-time evening job to pay for the
midwives, and I've never regretted it for a moment.

 I found birth painful --my brief labors produce sensations  beyond intense
 for me.  I think everyone is different on their perceptions.  But I found
birth very revealing and the pain was not more than I could bear. ( God knows
I'm not a martyr.) Thanks to not being drugged  I know a lot more about
myself, my own strength, my endurance, etc.  These are powerful forms of
self-knowledge to steal from women all in the name of someone else's ideology
of convenience and technology.  Not everyone is a good candidate for home
birth or even un-medicated hospt. birth. Pre-natal eval. has as its purpose
screening of high-risk situations which OF COURSE are handled differently.

While it is a bit of a counter-culture shock to the conservative 90's crowd,
my favorite birth book is Ina May Gaskin's, Spiritual Midwifery.  Its full of
birth stories.  I read it with every preg.  and I also like to read Dr.
Odent's work.  If all babies had a gentle birth, our work would be so
different.  I do hope that people on the list who wonder if it is really
necessary to share these stories will see the connection between birth and
what happens next.  I despair over the loss of all the zeal to reform and
take back birth which occurred in the 60's and 70's.  Women are being robbed
of the joy of their generative power.

Barbara wilson-Clay, BSE, IBCLC
priv. pract. Austin, Tx

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