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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

or is the American version of One Born Every Minute

97 replies

SmegmaNotJustForChristmas · 27/12/2011 20:29

a bit rubbish compared to the British version?

They're all either on an epidural or about to have a c-section. Nothing wrong with either (I mean that) but it really doesn't make good for telly Grin

Where is the screaming, the swearing? And why blur the good bits? I can't imagine any 14 year old boy (no matter how sad) getting off to a woman giving birth so why fuzz that out but allow simulated sex scenes in most tv?

OP posts:
stubbornstains · 27/12/2011 21:18

Check out a film called " The business of being born "- it's an eye-opener. Makes you thankful to be British. It was commissioned (I think) by the talkshow host Ricki Lake, who was appalled at the medicalisation of American birth. A good talking head appearance by St. Ina May of Gaskin.

AFAIK, midwives are banned in some US states, but not all.

Original poster
SmegmaNotJustForChristmas · 27/12/2011 21:26

That sounds good... I will watch it AFTEr this baby though I think Grin probably freak me out if I watch it now.

OP posts:
shagmundfreud · 27/12/2011 21:26

Put women in a clinical environment where every obstacle is put in the way of them having a normal manageable labour and you are going to have a massive take up of epidural. And quite right too.

Cheerful yank - women who have homebirths aren't especially brave. Because they have optimal conditions to birth in their labours tend to be shorter than similar women birthing in hospital. And probably less painful because they are more relaxed.

OP - no entonox. Boo hoo! Blardy spoilsports......

Original poster
SmegmaNotJustForChristmas · 27/12/2011 21:28

Exactly shagmund...

(what do people do to distract themselves for hours when they haven't got g&a?)

OP posts:
NonnoMum · 27/12/2011 21:35

From my extensive research of US and UK births (i.e watching just a leetle bit too much Discovery Home and Health and other daytime delights) i have gleaned that

  • G and A is not available in the US (something to do with different climate and it being less stable over there, or is it just something to do with drug companies???)
  • most US births are Ob/GYn led, not midwife
  • yup, they get the epis in quick
  • quite often the DM and MiL is in the room for the pushing stage
  • there is a lot less screaming
  • the CS rate is about 1 in 2, not 1 in 4???

Just thought I'd share my research. Every country delivers differently. Pros and cons in both before I start a bunfight...

Original poster
SmegmaNotJustForChristmas · 27/12/2011 21:39

Nonno- it was available widely but went out of favor for the epidural which is deemed to be more "technologically advanced" or some such shit (this is what I have read when researching where I could get the stuff Blush

They are trying to bring it back though although I think it needs to be re accepted by the Food and Drug Administration.

OP posts:
Original poster
SmegmaNotJustForChristmas · 27/12/2011 21:41

And yes, for some reason it seems to be the norm to have your mother, nan, MIl, neighbour, guy that once washed your windows in the room with you..

(but maybe its biased in the sense that if you are happy to have a film crew in while you birth you're probably happy to have EVERYONE else in the room too

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NonnoMum · 27/12/2011 21:44

I told you my research wasn't highly academic... Smile

katkitya · 27/12/2011 21:45

because Im not familiar with the whole medical insurance thing, does a basic insurance that you take out always cover you for births? Im going to admit watching that teenage mum thing occasionally on mtv, does the parents insurance cover the teenager? The whole system baffles me to be honest.

Moominsarescary · 27/12/2011 21:49

Do they give you more scans during pregnancy in America ?

Toobluntforsleighbells · 27/12/2011 21:50

I had my first DC in the US - was fantastic & can't complain but v different to DC2&3 born in England. Was Ob led entirely, got induced after 1 week overdue as that's as long as they let you go, kept being offered an epidural & said yes eventually after approx 12 hours in labour (no idea how dilated I was at the time). Epidural was different to what I've heard they're like here (but not had 1 here myself so can't compare personally) but I could feel the contractions & the pain just didn't feel so bad and I could walk a short while following birth, so it was excellent. Care in the US was excellent but for the birth I had 2 doctors and 3 nurses (totally not exaggerating) along with my mum & husband in the room, for a straightforward birth. Felt very weird when I had DC2 here with only DH and midwife present!

Feminine · 27/12/2011 21:51

I have given birth in both countries.

In the US I had a fantastic midwife, and a great experience.

Same as in the UK.

as we had no childcare, I labored with my DD (US) all by myselfDH popped in at the end...I was concentrating to hard I didn't recognize him.

I was (at my request) given no drugs ...G+A is not allowed here.

Toobluntforsleighbells · 27/12/2011 21:52

I only had 2 scans in US (same as here) but did see my Ob for every routine monthly appt.

NinkyNonker · 27/12/2011 21:52

I think I want a home birth this time, am a bit scared though.

Moominsarescary · 27/12/2011 22:01

I've been consultant led in my last 2 pg but from 12 weeks to 20 you don't see anyone, even though I was high risk pg, I think if we had monthly appointments with consultants for high risk pg in this country they would have caught my ic with ds4 and mybe I wouldn't have lost him at 20 weeks.

I also had cord prolaps with ds3 because although my waters broke at 32 weeks and I was told I needed a csection as he was transverse, when labour started the mw didn't want to check how dialated I was because of the risk of infection. The cord prolapse caused the incompetent cervix and the loss of ds4.

I think what I'm trying to say ( had a few Xmas vodkas) is that the totally hands off approach we have in the uk is ok if no unexpected complications arise

Toobluntforsleighbells · 27/12/2011 22:07

So sorry to hear of your experiences Moomin and so sorry about your DS. I completely agree, if its straightforward in this country then it's fine, but from friends experience & what I read on this board, if its anything more complicated then care can be lacking. US was very medicalised, but like I say, we had a great experience (both there & here) so I couldn't complain about it at all and it was reassuring to see your Ob monthly.

Original poster
SmegmaNotJustForChristmas · 27/12/2011 22:26

I am sorry for your loss Moomins, I was given loads of appts in the UK as I am here. Do you know why you were left for so long?

I was not offered a 12 week scan as it isn't covered by medicaid (national health basically) and I was told it was not covered by most insurance plans unless there is a known problem or a risk of twins.

If you have a teenager who is covered by your insurance (which they normally would be) and your insurance covers pregnancy I think the teen would be covered.

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Moominsarescary · 27/12/2011 22:28

Thankyou tooblunt I just wonder, having spent alot of time on bereavement threads over the last few months if we would get better care if we were paying, I think that sometimes care comes down to finance in the uk, for example if they place a stitch for ic, and which type of stitch they place and how many scans you receive even when you are high risk.

We do have a very hands off approach here because that is what many women want, but for women like me, who have developed different complications in each pregnancy, it can be very difficult to get mw to intervene ( for example checking for dilation) although I can totally understand women wanting natural intervention free labours

Moominsarescary · 27/12/2011 22:40

smeg ds2 and 3 were born early due to pre term premature rupture of membranes , ds 2 at 35 weeks which my consultant thought was a one off as they couldnt find a cause , ds3 at 31 weeks and was born at 32 weeks again no cause was found.

With ds 4 I was due to have more regular checks from 20 weeks, the ic was something the consultant hadn't taken into consideration, apparently it's rare for cord prolapse to cause ic.

I have recently met someone at baby clinic though who was high risk of ic due to cone biopsys and she was told that unfortunately until you have one late loss due to ic they don't realy do much to prevent it

When I was admitted to hospital I was 2 cm dialated and the consultant told me there was nothing they could do, my consultant came in the next day and even though I was 5-6 cm by this point he tried to put a stitch in.

It can be as simple as which consultant you have, which is terrible

Original poster
SmegmaNotJustForChristmas · 27/12/2011 22:44

I am so sorry- I felt at the time having a consultant (my only "risk" was being overweight) and a midwife was overkill but I realize now I was lucky.

OP posts:
Feminine · 28/12/2011 00:02

OP medicaid is not the same as the NHS.

My regular 70/30 insurance would have covered a12 wk scan, but I waited till 18 weeks to go to the OBGYN, then just had one at 20.

They are more keen on an internal scans here, at regular scan appointments.

moomin I am sorry about your loss,that is so terribly sad.

Moominsarescary · 28/12/2011 00:07

Dont be sorry, I shouldn't have put a downer on the thread, I'm sorry for that.

I think at the end of the day we should all get more choice in the care we receive and sometimes they want to intervene more if your over weight when you realy dont need it.

On a lighter note when I was pg with ds 3 I loved watching one born every minute uk, especially the one who said, it got in there ok, it will get out just fine. If it hurts I will take a paracetamol, well I dont know about her but all mine going in, were far more pleasurable ( and smaller going in) than they were coming out !

Feminine · 28/12/2011 00:19

moomin you must always express your feelings/experience:)

especially on a thread like this, its so relevant.

Grin at your story...paracetamol? too funny.

Moominsarescary · 28/12/2011 00:31

I couldn't stop laughing at the paracetamol, which was probably a but mean, but realy! Who thinks it's as bad going in as coming out!

I wonder what her dh was doing to her!

Saying that I loved gas and air but hated epidurals so everyone's different, I've yet to meet someone who thinks a paracetamol made any difference though

BertieBotts · 28/12/2011 00:39

New series of the UK one in the new year I think? Can't wait Grin