It is time for a major change in this country. It is time to start a national campaign to educate people on a list of topics relating to childbirth, breastfeeding, circumcision, and infant care. It is no longer OK to just say ” not my kid, not my problem” or ” it’s none of my business.” This change needs to start in many places but especially in medical school. Doctors need to be taught about natural childbirth first and the medical side of birth last. Our entire maternal care system needs to change to the midwifery model of care. Only in an emergency or other medically necessary situation should things like c-sections even be allowed. We need to actually educate moms on why these things are just not OK. If women were told by a doctor about the real risks and shown that it is the worse option they would look else where. If women going in for an induction were sat down and told ” according to the manufacturer, pitocin is not indicated for use as a labor inducer. It caries many risks including but not limited to uterine rupture, fetal distress or death, and could possibly lead to a c-section. Here are the risks of c-sections… “
Mothers want to do what is best for their babies but when they are lied to they cannot make the right decisions. This problem extends past the actual birth. Once the baby is born we still immediately clamp the cord, take the baby away from it’s mother, ” dry” it vigorously to make it cry cause how else will we know it is breathing, then keep it from it’s mother to squeeze ointment in it’s eyes stick it with needless and make sure we do the most important thing, find out its weight. Just the thought of this makes me so sad. Once the baby is finally given back to Mom a pacifier is stuck in its mouth instead of a breast. When a baby with drugs in its system, still recovering from this traumatic experience fails to nurse at the ” right” time the mother is told she must give up on breastfeeding and give formula or she is putting her child at risk. If the mother insists that no formula be given even if her baby won’t nurse for a few days she risks being turned into cps. This is beyond backwards.
Yet the ridiculousness is not over if the baby is a boy. The first thing the new parents are asked is ” circumcision?” No information is usually given at all and if it is it is usually that it has no risks, may have benefits and its up to the parents. Lies again! Imagine if it went like this instead. ” do you plan to circumcise? You do. OK here is your information packet. (packet contains real facts about complications including death and notes that it is a cosmetic surgery that damages and removes healthy erogenous tissue and will cause problems such as erectile dysfunction later in life.) Once you’re finished reading your packet let a nurse know so that she can get the video for you. You have to watch a video of a circumcision first. And you should also know that this procedure will cause a lot of pain and may effect nursing, may make your baby more fussy, and may cause behavior problems. And before I forget, no medical organization in the world recommends this.
Now if you’re ready I will go set up a small table that looks like a nice gingerbread man which I will tie your son to so that he can’t move while I torture him as he screams in pain with no protection from his mother who is supposed to love him and never let anyone hurt him. I guess that can start after this!” What mother would still have that done!? Even better though, circumcision should be illegal for both sexes! Whether you have a boy or a girl you take your baby home and are told “it’s OK to give formula. Is just as good as breastmilk.” ” Don’t hold your baby so much. If you pick it up every time it cries it will control you and manipulate you on purpose.” ” If your child sleeps with you they will be emotionally and behaviorally stunted, they will have an inappropriate relationship with it’s mother, the father will have to move out, sex is no longer possible ever, and they will sleep with you until they go off to college. oh also you have to get that baby on a schedule that works best for you. If needed let her cry” Really!? This is absurd! All scientific research proves the above is damaging and the opposite is true.
Drugs used in labor do get to the baby, they do cause problems in labor, and tell women the damaging message of you can’t do this. Babies need to be given straight to Mom after it is born, and the cord should be left intact until the placenta delivers on its own. Breast is best! No exceptions no substitutions. If there is a true medical problem preventing nursing a donor or wet nurse should be used. Circumcision should never be performed and should be illegal! Gentle parenting should be the norm and the only style taught in parenting classes. I’m not saying this because I think that everyone should make the same choices I did. In fact I didn’t do all of that with my first. I am saying this because it is what is best for women and for our children. Know better, do better is something that I live by and so should everyone else because if we cannot learn from our mistakes and do better than the previous generation what is the point?
