My birth experience...if you can call it that

I’ve never really attended anyone’s birth and I’ve never given birth myself so I feel a little disconnected from this precious woman's rite of passage.  However, I have been associated with a few births and they all occurred in hospitals.  I am happy to report that I have a cousin scheduled to have a water birth in a few months.  I’m exited to see how it goes!

I chose to share my experience of my little brother's birth because it's the only one I really have any personal memories of.  It was very special and exciting because I knew my baby brother was coming but I was only six years old and didn't really understand what was going on.  I was at school (1st grade) during the actual birth, but I did get to come to the hospital later and see him.  They were even going to let me hold him but I was too scared.  My mother stayed in the hospital for a few days afer because she had had a cesarean section.  (I was also a c-section baby) I remember seeing pictures of her looking pretty medicated during the procedure but with a HUGE smile on her face.  Although I've never attended a live birth, I do hope to give birth to my own children one day.

I never really realized that birth was such a delicate process.  I think I assumed that once a child is being born, everything is pretty much all right.  Now that I understand that there are many factors present that can affect a child’s development at birth, I have more reverence for the whole process.

How they do it in the Netherlands...

Most women in the Netherlands give birth at home with a midwife referred by the family’s doctor.  A doctor is only really recommended if there are major complications or in high-risk situations.  It’s so common that there’s even a kit all expectant mothers get that has everything they’ll need for their home delivery! (it's called a "kraampakket", see picture)  Not only does a midwife help them with birth, they actually stay with the family for a week and help around the house and give parenting advice.  I thought this was pretty sweet.  It’d be nice to have someone who’s not your mother but is motherly and very experienced in the whole birth process to hang out with you during this time. 

As stressful as hospitals can be, I think home birth must be a nice way to deliver a child.  No machines and tubes and announcements over a loud speaker.  Although I’ve never actually witnessed a birth, I’ve seen pictures of my mom’s birth and there are always a million nurses and people in the background doing stuff.  I can’t imagine that being very serene.  Considering the effect a mother’s stress level can have on a child’s development, I think home birth might be slightly better than hospital birth because it’s more conducive to lower stress for both mother and baby; especially if you have a trustworthy expert to help you along with the process and you’re doing it in the comfort of your own living room.  How personal it must be as well.  Considering a child’s development, I think it would be good for a child to be born in its own home, not having to experience their first hours of life in the stressful environment of a hospital.   In my humble estimation, the less stress and medical intrusion, the better the birthing experience.   A good birth experience for mother and child can only add to the overall health of a child.

Here’s a link to the woman's site I used.  She gives several candid descriptions of birthing practices in different countries:

http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/vaginal/birth-customs-around-the-world/?page=1