As part of a course assignment I've been asked to share a personal birthing experience. I don't have children of my own and no one I know well enough to be a part of their birthing experience has had a child. So I have chosen to share my own birth through the eyes of my mother. Which is very fitting considering it is mother's day weekend!
Here is the paraphrased retelling by my mom.
Your birth was much like my pregnancy with you! You were feisty. During my pregnancy with you I craved spicy foods, the hotter the better. Your movements were very jolting and demanding. Your birth was similar. I went into labor at 6am, my water broke at 7am, we arrived at the hospital at 8am, shortly after arriving you began crowning and you were born at 10am. The contractions were violent and intense. They came fast which left no time for medication for the pain. You were not going to wait for anyone you knew it was your time to enter this world.
When you were born all the comments around the room focused on how awake and alert you were. You were looking around at everyone. When we went in for your 3 week appointment the doctor jokingly said "girl put your head back down you're not supposed to be doing that yet!" You were lifting your head and supporting it's weight on your own and looking around. Your personality started in utero and continued.
The birth was a postivie and emotional experience. This was our second time around so we were more relaxed. Your father and I had been together and for a while and had adjusted to becoming parents. When you were born there was an immediate and extremely intense love that I feared that I didn't have room in my heart to share with anyone else- but that was the medication talking because I soon realized there was plenty of room.
I was born into a positive and loving environment. My mother recognized who I was at birth and never tried to change me throughout my childhood however instead molded me into the woman I am today. The birth experience can have an immense influence on child development. There are numerous challenges a child can be born into which include but are not limited to ;medical concerns for the mother and or child, financial turmoil,emotional and psychological stress. How the people around the child respond to the stressors have the strongest influence on the child. On the other hand a child may be born into a very positive and comfortable situation one free of stressors such as money, and health.
In looking to other countries and cultures to learn more about child birthing experiences outside of the United States I chose to learn more about the Tibetan child birth experience. In Tibet it is believed that life is a cycle and that reincarnation after death into a new life completes that cycle (Wilson,2012). In modern day Tibet most births like my own take place in a medical setting rather than a home based environment when possible. The delivery process is overseen by a midwife. Women often shy away from male doctors during this time. I can only imagine that this is a common concern for women all over the world considering the pysical vulnerability of the woman during this time. While my mom unfortunately had to suffer through unregulated pain during my birth that Tibetans have practices to ease the pain as my mother would have however there are very significant differences. The mother swallows a pallet of butter that has been carved int a the shape of a fish and prayed over by a moral family member two thousand times. I think it is worth mentioning that the medical practices of Tibet including labor and delivery have a holistic approach however has and continues to adapt to some western medicine practices. For example the infant child used to be feed only butter until the 3rd month of life when it would begin drinking milk from the mother, upon learning the importance of colostrum this practice has changed (Wilson,2012). I would like to see western medicine diversify itself to include more holistic approaches as options rather than referring mothers and families to holistic specific doctors and practices. I think that is much to be gained from the exchanging of ideas and practices.
References
Wilson, Debra Rose, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC,A.H.N.-B.C., C. (2012, 01). Birthing traditions in tibetan culture. International Journal of Childbirth Education, 27, 33-38. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/920597298?accountid=14872
Loved reading what your mom had to say about her birth. I also enjoyed reading about the Tibet culture. It is amazing how women in other countries go without medications. I don't know how they do it.
ReplyDelete