Monday, June 22, 2009

Freebirthing

**The opinions expressed here on this blog are exactly that, just my personal opinions, I mean absolutely no disrespect for anyone who agrees with this method of childbirth. So don't anyone go and get on any high horses okay?**

I watched the show FreeBirthing on Discovery Health the other night and I couldn't help but watch it - in that same way you can't help from looking at a train wreck. The show follows moms who are practicing the Free birthing method of childbirth. These people choose to give birth with no drugs, no midwife and no medical support whatsoever.

Now I'm all about the fact that women should be able to choose how they want to give birth I mean we are carrying the kid after all but this show really put a nasty knot in my stomach and I watched with my mouth hanging open. Home births are one thing but these ladies had absolutely NO ONE with any medical training nearby! One of the couples not only had no medical personnel present at the birth but she also choose not to have ANY prenatal care and leading up to her birth she suspected (knowledge she gained not from medical school but by using the blood pressure machine at Wal-Mart and a stethoscope she bought off Ebay) that she had placenta previa! Um I didn't have that condition while pregnant but I know that it can be VERY dangerous for mom and baby. That lady had someone come to her house to teach her infant CPR instead of just going to get looked at "just in case" her baby couldn't breath when it came out - she asked the CPR instructor how long the baby would have to be without oxygen before it died "just in case" and when asked about that very real possibility she said "well I know it could happen and I know I would feel really bad about that" Um gee you think? They tied the baby's umbilical cord with a SHOESTRING!! I mean really that's just ugh.

There are mid-wives out there that will do a home birth and assist as little or as much as you want so WHY IN THE HECK would you do this and possibly put your baby at risk just so that you can have the kind of birth experience you want? I mean I just could not imagine doing anything that would put my son in danger - even a little bit of danger. Isn't a little doctors help worth your kid living a full and healthy life? I know that our bodies are designed for childbirth but all it takes is a few minutes without oxygen and that baby is DEAD - I just can't fathom being so selfish that I would risk my son for anything at all. Maybe my opinion would be different if I'd have had a horrible birthing experience but somehow I can't think it would.

What do you all think? Yep I'm asking you all to ACTUALLY COMMENT!! Come on I know you all can do it - I believe it you!!

5 comments:

Bri said...

I would have liked to have done a homebirth but I would definitely want someone nearby to assist incase something went wrong. As for no prenatal care, that is terrible. She could have went with minimal invasion with just an ultrasound, heartrate check, etc just to make sure her and the baby were fine. I can understand not wanting to do it in a hospital but what is so wrong with actually GOING to a dr for checkups? Could it have been a money situation?

Tiffany said...

Bri - NOPE her husband was military I think so there was zero cost to think about. I'm totally there with you on doing it at home in a setting that will calm you but she was crazy to not even get it checked out when even she thought something was wrong. Some peoples kids.

Hippie Mama Kelly said...

Wow!! If money was an issue, which you said it wasn't, there are all sorts of government programs for pregnant women to have prenatal care. Trust me I know!

But to do this and risk not only your life, but the life of your unborn or soon to be born child is just unthinkable! Like you said, there are midwives that will stand back and not do anything unless need be, why wouldn't you choose that over nothing.

I don't think I could ever watch that show!

Tiffany said...

Kelly ~ I know what you mean - it was VERY hard to watch it but at the same time I was just so darn horrified that I couldn't not watch it either kwim? The one lady didn't say that it had anything to do with money - she just kept talking about how "invasive" her previous birth (her son looked to be maybe 1 1/2 or 2) had been at the Military Hospital because they kept telling her that she needed to push.

I know that I couldn't do anything to put my son in danger and to me at least what they were choosing to do is dangerous. Then when she was talking about how she would feel 'bad' if something happened to the baby I wanted to throw up - that she couldn't comprehend that possible pain that would cause - especailly when she already has a child just made me see red. People can be so selfish.

John Deere Mom said...

I am all about the hospital and epidural, thankyouverymuch! :)