In my feelings re: Michelle Wolf childbirth piece

[robderron]

@pablo628 There is a reason why childbirth ideally occurs in hospitals these days. Discouraging women from seeking medical assistance should be a crime. There needs to be stricter regulation in the US- midwives in other countries must be registered as health practitioners.

 

[miranda97]

@pablo628 Home births in uncomplicated pregnancies and no congenital defects are 450% more likely to result in a dead baby than hospital births.

That’s using MANA’s own stats.*

The absolute risk is still very low, and some women value a home birth enough for it to outweigh the risk for them personally.

But make no mistake, there’s a reason births are “medicalized,” and it’s because when things go wrong people die, and medical treatment means people die less often.

I had a traumatic birth (PPROM, induction, several failed attempts and internal versions, and eventual C). I am incredibly grateful for it. My bestie had a water birth in hospital with midwives and still has severe pelvic trauma she’s in PT for and our kids are almost in kindergarten. She couldn’t walk to the toilet for almost 2 weeks. I was driving in 10 days. So.

• ETA: the stats are a bit dated (released 2013) but there aren’t any newer.

 

[niqq]

@miranda97 I’ll never understand why someone wouldn’t want to be in the same place as the lifesaving measures when they give birth and I find it incredibly selfish for someone to insist on a homebirth.

 

[flashdoc7]

@pablo628 I’m sorry for your experience. I have no doubt that the hospital birth methods in America NEED to be reformed (I think inductions are way to common, birth shouldn’t cost the mother money, medically knowledgeable well trained midwives should be the norm and women need to be able to move more in labor). That being said I really didn’t like this piece (and I love the daily show). It seemed extremely slanted. It didn’t talk about any of the known risks of home birth and it could lend credence to the insanely dangerous “free birth” movement. Women in the past and present have died or lost their babies because of lack of medical care. Birth is a medical condition.

 

[angelmom1958]

@pablo628 My cesarean saved my life and that of my daughter’s.

I developed HELLP Syndrome at 33 weeks. My liver was bleeding, my blood pressure was extremely high, I was very anemic, and my baby was in distress. I had to have a vertical incision to limit blood loss but I still had to get a transfusion. My daughter had aspirated meconium and had to be intubated.

I spent six days in the hospital with three days spent in the ICU. My daughter was in the NICU for 31 days.

I have no memory of her birth and five months later, I’m still grieving that.

The healthcare system is absolutely flawed and maternal mortality rates are awful but like, I’m just thankful my baby and I survived. I wouldn’t dream of ever delivering anywhere other than a hospital.

 

[nickparons6790]

@pablo628 I was in a postpartum support group and we spent a whole session talking about our birth stories. So much grief, disappointment, and trauma. Several women underwent emergency c sections. I didn't, but a part of me still feels inadequate as a woman for not having a "natural" birth (whatever that actually even means). Giving birth can absolutely be a traumatic event, and it's also wrapped up in a lot of messy feelings and internalized misogyny.

I just wanted to say that your feelings are very valid.

 

[denlhj]

@pablo628 I used to be a doula and went on to have a medically necessary c-section myself. I think two things can be true: some doctors/hospitals practice over-intervention, and sometimes those interventions are truly and completely necessary.

The one thing I feel ends up being a common issue is inducing based on wanting to be done being pregnant, or because it's a better time for the doctor/hospital, rather than a real medical need (health issues in mom/baby, being 41+ weeks). It tends to set off a cascade of interventions that could be avoided, and I feel like women aren't told about this possibility enough.

 

[toyoken]

@pablo628 I love Michelle Wolf! That was a really good piece; thank you for sharing it here. I'm sorry you're having a tougher day today.

 

[modsquad]

@pablo628 I think she forgets how dangerous child birth has always been. We romanticize the old ways and forget that childbirth was the top cause of women's deaths. No one calls for going back to dentistry of the 1900s because it was "more natural" and something women must "experience." No one says I want a medication free tool extraction so I can feel every minute. Delaying c sections can cause brain damage to the baby because they don't get enough oxygen. My second was vaginal (first c section) and I appreciated have a full team to focus on my baby since he swallowed meconium and wasn't breathing. He was fine but I'm glad my ob did not have to decide between helping me or my baby. Childbirth sucks. God or whoever designed us had a design fall on the shape of a pussy versus the shape of the baby's head. Sometimes they fit but just like that baby toy where you put the shapes through the holes, a lot of the time no matter how much you push it won't go through.

 

[pablo628]

@modsquad How did you get here? I made this post six months ago.

 

[jabe]

@pablo628 I had a planned C 2 months ago (baby was breech and I had pre eclampsia). It was a wonderful experience, very calm and lovely with medical staff who were wonderful. But now I speak to almost every single one of my girlfriends, and they tell me horror stories and trauma. The whole thing has radicalized me tbh, everyone should have a good experience. But there’s a lot of nuance to it.

 

[captainrogers20]

@pablo628 Let be real. It's all because of capitalism. Healthcare shouldn't be for profit. Period. Childbirth, cancer treatments, heart attacks. We shouldn't be padding a CEOs pockets because of our health! Of course one way to "stick it to the system" is home birth, but there are some legit concerns if something does come up and you are far away from a hospital who can handle tough situations.

Politicians wonder why we aren't having more kids, this is why. Capitalism is at its end stage, and yes there are doctors that put profit over health, and schedule c section so they can go on vacation. It's hard to want to have a child when that's our reality!!!

 

[ocheaccounts]

@pablo628 I just want to say, I was so surprised that Michelle Wolf had a child. After all her standup talking about not having kids, I felt like… motherhood was just so impossible. But I guess not.