Childbirth in My Life:
I had the opportunity to participate to witness the birth of my granddaughter. Labor was around 101/2 hours. My daughter was in so much pain and had to get something for it. Once it was time, she pushed for another hour and a half. It seemed like every time we would see the top of the babies head, it would go back in. This went on for almost 2hrs. The doctor could not figure out why the baby was not coming out. Finally, my daughter said, "It seems like something is tugging on me on the inside". They finally figured out that the baby was holding on to the umbilical cord. Well, the doctor decided to give my daughter a little snip. And with one push, out popped Sydney, with the most started look on her face as if to say, "Hey how did I get here?". And when I held her for the first time, she grab and took hold of my clothes, it was amazing!
Childbirth in Ghana
After reading about how women in other countries give birth, I can really appreciate what we have in the United States.
When in labor, women in Ghana lay on the floor and endure the pain in silence. (There was no silence when my daughter was in pain.)
Once it is time for the baby to come, the mother sit into a sqatting position. The midwife is there to assist while supporting her back and to catch the baby. It is said to be a gentle birth. (My daughter was laying on her back, and pushed with the assistance of the doctor, the nurses and I. We were all there to support, just in case there were complications.) [Hiller,2003 p.3]
Thank you for sharing your daughter's birthing experience with us. I believe having close family around during this special time is really important. I did not have this advantage, and I know how the effects on the mother and the child later on can be.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine giving birth in silence. At one point in my second birth, before I the anesthesiologist arrived, I told my husband to get a hammer and hit me over the head. I was NOT silent.
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