Thread Drift

[Lise]

Great birth stories! I love the one about frantic flying down the road and screaming in the elevator and .... the baby wasn't born until hours later. I see a lot of my job as just calming every one down during labor and birth. The nurses know that I won't tolerate yelling during birth--no counting to 10 at the top of their lungs, etc. I was at a labor recently where 4 women (mom, mom-in-law, and two friends) were in the room and all fussing at each other. They all had to leave the room while my lady was getting an epidural, and when she was comfy, I said, "Who do you want to be in the room with you?" She was too afraid of pissing anyone off to tell me to kick anybody out. So I went out in the hall and held a confab. I said, "All of you are welcome to be at the birth if you can all be quiet, peaceful, and gentle." They agreed, and it went well.

When I was born, all babies were "held" (hostage?) in the nursery for 24 hr after birth, and kept "NPO" (nothing by mouth). I feel this seriously damaged my brain (going 24 hr without food when you're a newborn? I don't go more that 2 hr without food now! ) I'm planning to sue the hospital. It's now owned by the same health care conglomerate which employs me, so this may not be the best plan...but maybe evidence of brain damage...