Healthy Birth Practices

This evening, I found myself in the gym flipping through the stations on the TV attached to the elliptical. I had doubt that I would find much on at eight o'clock on a Friday night. I happened upon MTV's 16 and Pregnant. This is a show I have watched bits and pieces of in the past, but have never been able to watch a full episode. I don't care for the program for a number of reasons, but found myself getting very involved tonight. A year ago, I would not have been thinking about Lamaze's Healthy Birth Practices while watching this show, but that is exactly what I was doing tonight.

The staff was good about asking the mom about who she planned to have with her for support (care practice #3) and when her over-bearing mother tried to avoid certain questions, the nurse offered to answer questions in private with the pregnant teen. However, I cringed when the nurse pointed out that "all of the equipment that we need for delivery is in the room." (Care practice #4)(The episode is here and the hospital tour is at about 15:30) I couldn't help but think of how many babies were born before there was any equipment. While it is used for some very good reasons in some births and some women take comfort in the information it provides, I can't shake the notion that women's bodies are designed to birth babies. The equipment doesn't change that fact.

Some time after receiving an epidural, it was time to push. It wasn't surprising to see directed pushing being used, but there was one moment that stood out. The nurse wanted Mom to start pushing and Mom was waiting until she could focus inwardly before beginning. I was proud of her for taking control of the situation and pushing when and how she needed to (care practice 5).

Finally, a beautiful baby girl emerged. The doctor held her up for Mom to see, had the grandmother cut the cord and took the baby to the warmer. Due to the magic of television, it is unclear how much time the baby was there but when the hospital staff was done, they brought a completely bundled baby to see her mom for the first time. I immediately thought "Number 6! No separation of Mom and Baby with unlimited opportunity to breastfeed." (Healthy Birth Practice #6) A year ago, that thought never would have crossed my mind.

I recently posted on childbirth as it is portrayed in programming for preschoolers. Watching this show led me to consider similar questions about childbirth in programs for teens. I wonder if there are any episodes showing young moms who chose unmediated births or even home births. If not, what impact would including different types of birth have on teens?

As always, I want to emphasize that each woman should choose how she handles the birth of her child. My goal is to make sure that families have evidence-based information to make their own decisions. Much of the information I have learned in the past 10 months would have changed the questions I asked and the ways in which I chose to advocate for myself during the birth of my own children.