Another One Bites the Dust

Well, chalk up another c-section to the Istanbul doctors and for faulty pretenses at best.  I am so disappointed.  Last night we went to see a couple who had their baby while we were on vacation.  (Names withheld to protect their privacy.)  I have been waiting to find out if they were able to have the natural birth that they wanted.  Knowing how highly interventionist their physician was during the pregnancy, I suspected that would not be the case.  Although they are blessed with a beautiful boy, I feel so badly for his mum and dad who really wanted him to come into the world in the way that God intended.

Apparently, the reason given for this c-section was beause labor would be "hard" on mum.  As if major abdominal surgery wouldn't be!  Also, labor hurts.  Well no kidding!  Of course labor hurts, but so does the aftermath of major abdominal surgery!  Clue--natural labor does not require anesthesia, surgical delivery does.  Why do you think that is?  I've had both a natural labor and a minor abdominal surgery (laparacopic cholecystectomy, aka gall bladder), not even a major surgery that requires cutting through skin, fascia, and muscle tissues, and I can tell you that hands down I'd rather have a baby any day and twice on Sunday.  I was laid up for a week after the lap chole, but was up and around the same day I had my daughter.  Although this mum and dad protested the scheduled c-section, the doctor proceeded to fill them with horror stories about what can go wrong during labor.  The one that really stood out in my mind was the idea that baby may be turned around "the wrong way."  I'm not sure what the doc meant by that, whether he was referring to a breach position or more simply an occicput-posterior presentation, but either of those can be found out readily by a quick ultrasound (which they are so fond of here) and neither requires a c-section.  (Reminds me of an acquaintance in the US who was subjected to a surgical birth for an anterior lip at 9cm dilation!) 

Did this doctor mention any of the pitfalls of surgical delivery?  Of course not.  Apparently they had some of the usual complications of a surgical birth, but no one thought to tell them that these might happen, that they were actually complications of surgery, or what to do in case they did.  Although mum tried to nurse right off the bat, baby had a weak sucking reflex (oh so common in surgical births) and had difficulty latching on.  Rather than immediately introducing a bottle, I'm glad that the hospital staff gave mum a spoon to supplement (although requiring forumla for supplementation--bad!), but they didn't bother to show her how to use it.  Then the doctor made quite a fuss because baby lost weight after birth (duh--they all do!  It's the loss of brown fat, designed to help baby stay warm in the first few hours after birth--normal, natural, healthy, no reason to be concerned!) and insisted that mum start formula feeding to put some weight back on.  Rather than encouraging every effort to breastfeed and give baby the best start possible, this doctor not only shot down the mum's confidence in herself and her ability to provide food for her baby, but he introduced this baby to all the well-documented risks of artificial feeding.  Baby is still having some breathing difficulties (I noticed some minor retractions last night) at one month old.  Mum is exhausted as well, trying to pump breastmilk and feed it in bottles.  She has the worst parts of bottle feeding, combined with the worst parts of breastfeeding--baby nurses every 2-3 hours, but she has to prepare bottles instead of just sleep-nursing (akin to sleepwalking).  I can also see signs of postpartum depression in her affect, and I could strangle the doctor for setting her up for this.

What do these jokers think that they are doing?  Do they really believe that surgical delivery is as healthy as a normal, vaginal delivery?  Do they really believe that artificial milk is as good as human milk for babies--and mums?  Why do they insist on sending the message that women's bodies are faulty, inferior products that must be fixed by surgery?  Or that their milk is somehow not nutritious enough for their baby?  And why don't mothers question this attitude?  Are they such lemmings that they are willing to just go along?  Or do these scare tactics really work?  Don't they read everything they can on pregnancy, labor, birth, and baby feeding?  I know I did with my first baby, and am re-reading it all again now. 

Of course, at some point in the evening, the conversation had to turn to what the plans are for the birth of our baby, and they asked what hospital we'd be going to.  When we told them that we were planning to have this baby at home, they were mildly shocked (they're already acquainted with my radical beliefs, LOL), and asked if my doctor was willing to go along with this.  Of course my doctor is not interested in attending a homebirth, no matter the circumstances (too much liability according to her), but we are looking for a midwife (or doctor) who would be willing.  Besides, I didn't need a doctor to get the baby in, I don't need one to get the baby out.  We also discussed my refusal of all the tests the doctor wanted to order for me, and I could see them shaking their heads and thinking "Why doesn't she want what's best for the baby?"  How do you explain to people who believe that the doctor is a God-like figure that these tests only provide scanty information, much of it false, and little of it usable?  I'm all for knowledge for the sake of knowledge, but not when it could jeopardize the health of my baby or me.  They may rely on technology for their information, but I rely on God.  What will be, will be.  No amount of testing of any sort will make this baby any more or any less than what God has planned for him or her.  I realize that my age increases the risk of having a baby with a congenital defect, but amniocentesis doesn't reduce that risk, it only gives us proof earlier and actually increases the risk of miscarriage.  I will not play into the fear factor" game and go along with testing that is of little to no value.

Ask me again why I want to have my baby at home.