Comments on: Naturally

By: Susie

Susie — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:30:12 +0000

Snarki, I hope you don’t think I judge parents for those choices, because I don’t. I do want to make sure 1) they’re making informed choices and 2) that they have adequate support to get over any relatively minor obstacles that might be driving their decisions.

If we lived in a land where women got six months’ paid leave after childbirth, I think a lot of nursing issues would vanish. (Not all, but most.) The problem is, many moms are trying to adjust to nursing AND going back to work full-time. That’s a big obstacle right there!

We might see a return to breastfeeding now just because it’s cheaper for parents.

By: Susie

Susie — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:16:30 +0000

I think that sums it all up nicely. That’s why countries with national health coverage tend to have saner policies.

I don’t think women understand, for example, that the usage of a fetal monitor puts you at higher risk for a C-section, simply because the position needed for accurate readings can compress the umbilical cord and actually cause fetal distress.

By: eRobin

eRobin — Wed, 14 May 2008 04:54:16 +0000

When I had my first baby in 1992, the dr called for a section after the first time he bradyed down. I was very grateful. It was absolutely the right decision. (inducing me in first place probably was not) Had a beautiful healthy baby boy.

For my second pg, the docs were all about the V-BAC birth. They were more into that baby coming out of my vagina than I was. After the first difficult delivery, I didn’t want to take any chances. The labor was frightening for me and heavily medicated but my daughter was a VBAC (and was also beautiful and healthy thank god). I didn’t get a medal.

Seven years later all the rules had changed. There were reports of VBAC moms suffering ruptured uteruses and so I had to sign something at my first OB appt that said that I understood the dire risks of having a VBAC baby. I hired a doula (best six hundred dollars I ever spent) learned some Brady relaxation techniques and stayed home until I was 7cm. Had the baby (gratefully beautiful and healthy) w/o meds at all. Still no medal.

There’s no moral here or advice but I do think the medical advice I got each time was based on what insurance companies were telling the docs they should do to avoid being sued.

By: Snarki, child of Loki

Snarki, child of Loki — Wed, 14 May 2008 03:24:08 +0000

Susie,
when the kids are shooting up to 95%+ on the growth charts, it’s not colic. Slowed down eventually (at ~ 2yo), thank goodness, but not before the phrase “keep hands and feet clear of food intake!” became a catchphrase.

And really, we were 100% behind the “natural” techniques. But the subtle guilt-trips coming from lactation consultants & pediatricians when unable to keep up with the insane level of demand were not very helpful. I can see their point: too often it’s a matter of convenience. Not this time.

By: brendancalling

brendancalling — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:05:56 +0000

“A very rough time for all (kid hungry and screaming, mom frazzled and self-esteem in the crapper, dad going nuts) until things settled down on formula.”

roofies help too. Sam’s built up a tolerance for them: it takes at least three to make him sleepy, and even then I have to give him milk laced with Everclear before bed.

By: Susie

Susie — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:39:57 +0000

My ex and I owned and operated an ice cream and candy store.

By: k

Tue, 13 May 2008 18:31:52 +0000

And now that I think about it, you were an astrologer, a midwife, a longshoreman, a mother, a brain surgeon - how many other secret lives have you led?

By: k

Tue, 13 May 2008 18:26:17 +0000

I had a C-section, but I wonder if it could have been avoided if I’d had more individualized attention. No one seemed to notice that things weren’t really going anywhere until Daughter’s heart beat started showing stress. I wish I’d had a doula, somebody who would have stood up and said, “Hey, she can’t keep her contractions under control with all those freaking drugs you’re pouring into her.”
Ending rant NOW!

By: Susie

Susie — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:13:59 +0000

Sounds more like colic than growth spurts. I sympathize - my oldest had colic until he was a year old.

By: Snarki, child of Loki

Snarki, child of Loki — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:16:36 +0000

works great for some, not so great for others. Wife & I have been (ahem) blessed with two kids both of whom were bottomless pits for the first 6 months. We’re talking > 1qt/day, most days, growth spurts on top of growth spurts.

A very rough time for all (kid hungry and screaming, mom frazzled and self-esteem in the crapper, dad going nuts) until things settled down on formula.

By: votermom

votermom — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:25:12 +0000

Oh, that’s good news!