Birth!

When I originally read the blog assignment for this week I was very unsure what to write. You see, I have never given birth or experienced someone giving birth. All of my girlfriends are single or had children before I met them. I was too young to remember my siblings birth and I certainly don't remember my own.   I contimplated for a long time what story I would write for this blog. 

The only birthing experience I have any personal knowledge of is my own. This is not because I remember anything about my own birth, however, I was home in Michigan for the holiday's and my mom shared with me a journal she had written about being pregnant with me, the story of my birth and a few stories throughout my first year. She gave this journal to me because I am 11 weeks pregnant with my first child and she wanted me to be able to read her thoughts and feelings about being pregnant and encouraged me to share my own feelings about it.

So, let me share with you the story of how I was born. :-)

My birth didn't go according to plan.  My parents went into the hospital on a Wednesday at 8 pm. My mom had been feeling contractions all day on Tuesday but they were not regular or intense, however, all day Wednesday they became increasingly tense and more regular. They admitted my mom an hour after monitoring her.  They broke her water and hooked her up to an IV and attached a fetal monitor to my scalp (good thing I have no memory of this).  She had difficulty relaxing and concentrating because there was a problem with my heartbeat. My heart rate kept dropping and they doctors were watching it closely.  The doctors decided it was time to go into delivery. They discussed a C-section but then I stabilized and my mom began pushing.  When she started pushing I went into distress and they rushed her into an emergency C-section. My mom was put under anestisia and my dad couldn't be in the room. It turned out the cord was wrapped around my neck and was causing the falling heart rate.  I was fine once I had been delievered. My mom woke up later in recovery and saw me for the first time in my dad's arms.

I had been told this story before, however, reading it in my mom's words really impacted me.  I don't remember any of this and I am now a healthy 28 year old, married with my own child on the way.


Birth on other areas of the world:

When researching different birthing practices around the world I came across an interesting article on parents.com that talked about several different regions. One of the regions I found most interesting was Japan. I know nothing about Asian culture and figured this would be a good learning experience for me.

In Japan, a majority of women give birth without painkillers. Doing this relates to a Buddhist practice of suffering. The labor and pains of delivery act as a test for women in preparation for the role of motherhood.
Most women give birth in a hospital which is similiar to the US and my own story.  Father's can only be present if they have taken prenatal course and if a c-section is performed they may not be in the room. The hospital stay in Japan is longer than in the US. Women who give birth vaginally may stay up to 5 days and those who have a c-section may stay up to 10.  Another interesting custom is that the mother and child stay at the mother's parents house for a month after giving birth. It is also tradition that mother and baby stay in bed for 21 days and at that time friends can stop by to visit.


References:

Schalken, L. (2012). Birth customs around the world. Parents Magazine, Retrieved from http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/vaginal/birth-customs-around-the-world/?page=4