I am fortunate to get to child birth 36 hours every week. Before you think I am crazy my current profession is a surgical technician. I just happen to work on a labor and delivery unit. I have seen the highs and lows of the experience for the past ten years. One experience that brought tears to my eyes was a couple had a 24 week demise in 2011. I worked the entire weekend while she labored. During that time you bond with the families and they look to the staff for guidance. They know we have experienced death, on a different level, more frequently than them. February of 2013 the couple came back to the hospital with a full term pregnancy. She requested the same room as her previous pregnancy. She dilated to 10 cm but because of CPD ( cephalo pelvic disproportion) she was delivered by cesarean section. CPD occurs when the babies head or body is to large to fit through the pelvic canal. Without a second thought she agreed to the surgery and a healthy baby girl was born. The baby had and initial evaluation by the nursery staff and was given a 9/9 apgar. The next event is what brought tears to my eyes. She kissed her baby girl and said, "I love you, daddy loves you, and your sister told its okay to love you as much as she loved me." She kissed her again and said, I don't have to go home empty handed this time." Talk about a touching moment.
Brazil has over a 90% cesarean rate among middle and upper class citizens. One reason given for opting out of a traditional child birth is the damage done to the body during delivery. Also the women did not want to feel the pain during labor. Other reasons given was for the convenience of the physicians. It is easier to schedule a surgery and know exactly when the baby would arrive. In 2011 the US C-section rate was 32.8. That shows a extreme difference in practices.
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http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/delivery.htm
What a great job to have and a job that must have your heart in knots. I am alarmed by the stat you gave about Brazil. I know they love their bodies and that is a very important value but it is just crazy that they see it as just another operation. I wonder how the after birth is, do they try to make the attachment happen and if they do how does that come about.
ReplyDeleteHi Felicia,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! You have such a unique perspective on this topic being that you're a surgical technician. That story you wrote about put tears in my eyes. That must be very hard to deal with. I was surprised to know that Brazil has a 90% c-section rate! I'm already learning a lot from this class! Thank you for your post!
Felicia,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great career! I was surprised to see you also selected Brazil. I found it so interesting to learn that the reason for the high C-section rate was the element of time by the doctors. I did a great deal of research when I found I was pregnant I did not depend on the doctor's advice alone.
Great post!
Hi Felicia,
ReplyDeleteI was touched by your story. I commend everyone with a job like yours, I had a nurse with the same heart as yours. You are right families do turn to you all for guidance and I know that you have to have a big heart. wonderful post.