to be saddened by way some American hospitals handle birth?

[eachpeach11]

Just watched a programme where a mum gave birth by csection. Baby was taken away whilst she was still being stitched. Think dad went too. She didn't get to see baby till 2 hours later. (Baby well)
So different to my last experience (1 month ago) where baby never left my sight. Was even offered skin to skin in theatre although declined as felt too wobbly.

[JamieandtheMagicTorch]

^ ignore last post. Got mixed up with Samantha Bee

[JamieandtheMagicTorch]

NatashaBee

Are you she? Please say yes

[RubyrooUK]

My UK birth also saw my DS given to my DH as I was in theatre. After I cried for 30 minutes inconsolably of the two hours it took to stitch me up as I wanted to hold my baby so badly, the anesthetist (sp?) eventually shouted at the nurse "can someone just bring her the baby for god's sake?" after trying to cuddle me a bit on the operating table - I was seriously distressed. My husband and son were brought in and I got to hold him eventually. After all I'd read about hospitals promoting skin-to-skin, I didn't really expect not to see my healthy baby straight after birth.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

Well, I think I had the best of both worlds. I live in Canada. So, we have the US focus on good care and expensive post birth lovely rooms and all that. However, we have mainly free healthcare and MWs and a year of mat leave and VBACs if you want them. Everyone, come to Canada.

I had a CS and my surgeon was utterly lovely. He and the MW came and chatted with me and explained everything. Even left the room so DH and I could discuss it. They said it could be put off but they thought I would have one in the end (4 days and I never got over 2cm). All at 3am, BTW. DD never left my sight. They even offered skin to skin after the CS.

[dinkystinky]

Thanks Eachpeach - it was pretty awful but he's a strapping 6 year old now so doesnt seem to have done him much harm

I agree, a healthy baby should be able to stay with mum and dad and have kangaroo care from either

My SIL gave birth in the US - natural birth, baby stayed with her at all times. So it can be that way there.

[FolkGhoul]

That sounds exactly like my experience of C section. I think it probably depends on the individual experience.

I was in recovery for 12 hours and didn't see DD until she was nearly 24 hours old.

[lighthousekeeping]

And yet I've seen plenty of those US birth stories were the couple have had natural births, births in water, births at home so, it must happen. Also what about those that are in the shows re extended breast feeding and not using nappies? How do they get on? Do they fight for their choices or are they encouraged? The American healthcare system does fascinate me.

[eachpeach11]

Sounds awful dinky Hope everything ok now. Baby in film though was perfectly healthy so I just found it strange that she coludn't stay with mum.

[dinkystinky]

erm, the post in the OP sounds alot like my DS1's birth in the UK - traumatic birth in labour ward, DS1 rushed off to special care and I sent DH with him (as I wanted a parent with him and I'd torn to buggery) and lying back being stitched up for the best part of an hour - finally wheeled down to see my son 6 hours later

[Cahoots]

I had one of my three DC in the US. It was very clinical (in a bad way) and despite the fancy surroundings I felt I received the worst care. The medical treatment was fine but there was no 'care', IYSWIM. My DC came very very quickly and they kept trying to get me to sign bits of paper in between contractions. They really didn't like the fact i kept insisting on going on all fours despite me explaining that it hurt way, way less when i did so. I was then shown a video to tell me how to look after a newborn (and sign something to say that I had understood).
After the birth I was put in a shared room with an awful American family who ate pizza's and talked VERY LOUDLY for hours on end. The smell and noise was awful. Luckily, I left the following morning.

[MoreBeta]

The over medicalisation stems largely from doctors wishing to avoid extremely high damages awarded in US courts. A doctor that does not intervene and use every medical test and procedure available will be sued if something goes wrong and it can be proved that an intervention or test that might have saved the baby was not used.

[Francagoestohollywood]

"saddened", really?

What I find sad - like Edgar pointed out - is the high number of women who don't have insurance cover and that don't get adequate antenatal care... in one of the wealthiest country in the world!

[EdgarAllanPond]

the high mortality rate probably has much to do with 1 in 5 women not having health insurance and therefore not getting proper pre-natal care.

[Primafacie]

I am saddened by the way UK hospitals handle birth.

[oldraver]

Needless it is, I found it by accident as the title is missing 'The'

[Want2bSupermum]

I gave birth here in the US last year and will be back in Feb. Overall, I was very happy with my obn group and hospital care. My only complaint was that no one informed me of the potential side effect of my milk not coming in due to the drugs given to me to treat preclampsia.

A lot of these programs are very biased. My experience was positive. I think the high infant mortality here has a lot to do with the higher rates of assisted conception, multiple births and mothers being older. I know two friends who had stillbirths. Both conceived with IVF and were 39 and 43. When I had DD the woman in the next room to me had just given birth at 28 weeks to her twins and she was 44. Both were ok but were in NICU. I was surprised at the number of babies born early but the mothers were nearly all close to the age of 40 with multiples.

[flyingspaghettimonster]

Oh, the biggest two differences were the continual pressure to have him circumcised by every nurse there, and the fact you have to register a name before you leave the hospital. Also the insurance gets to decide when you are fit to leave, not you or even the Dr. I had nerve damage from the spinal and was in agony, which they weren't able to control properly by the time i had to go.

[flyingspaghettimonster]

It is very hard to get the birth you want here. I had my youngest at a great hospital, but it wasn't the vbac i wanted. I was given a very negative response to that request and told that in cases of previous 4th degree tears, the old scar tissue can tear open again and leave permanent seepage between vagina and anus. After hearing that I was sold on the c-section.

The operation was rushed so much that my husband barely made it into the theatre - from first cut to delivery was 2 minutes and the whole thing was just 18 minutes. Total bill over $10k.

We did get an hour to ourselves after delivery, but then baby was stolen for 'warming and bathing' against my wishes. Throughout my three day stay nurses kept coming in to take him to the nursery for the doctor rounds... After 30 minutes I would stagger up there and collect him and inform them the doctor could ruddy well come to us. Ridiculous making all the babies wait crying in the nursery for doctor rounds.

On the other hand, i was treated very well, had my own room and pain meds were plentiful (compared with the lousy paracetamol i was given for my UK c-section) pressing the bell meant a nurse was there within moments. All nappies and newborn supplies were there in a drawer for me as well as vests, hats, blankets. A bag of personal care items for myself as well.

So there is some good, some bad.

[jellybeans]

Is it 'Maternity Ward' by any chance? Some of them focus on high risk wards. I do think YANBU though in general. I also don't like watching them because they often feature circumcision if the baby is a boy. Also the whole doctors in masks and babies sent to the nursery etc. Things are not perfect here though either.

[Fuchzia]

I don't think steak dinners ate a good marker of post-birth care. They probably are cheaper for the insurance company to provide and make it seem a bit fancier but give me the no-fills NHS approach any day!

[Vagndidit]

Funny enough, I have the same horrific reaction whenever I watch UK-based birth shows (treated like cattle, no pain relief, etc) It's just a case of what is considered "typical."

And, I'd hate to say it, but the post-birth recovery and care is years ahead of that which is provided here in NHS hospitals.

Most people get private rooms, catered meals (my friend's hospital offered lobster and steak dinner for her and her DH!) round-the-clock nursing care, and you can send your newborn to the nursery for a nap if you need a break. Although I suppose the Portland and the like would provide the same here if you could afford it...

[EdithWeston]

You might also be interested in reading TheAmerican Way of Birth written by Jessica Mitford some decades ago. Plus ça change...

[TerrariaMum]

I don't think it is, Needles. I've looked for it.

[NeedlesCuties]

I've heard about Rikki Lake's, 'The Business of Being Born'. Is it available online? Linky please, so I and other interested people can find it.

[GhostShip]

Picking her up like a bag of rubbish* got caught up with the doctors words if 'it' then