Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Birthing in the US and Japan

When women in Japan have babies, they have to have their babies in hospitals and their husbands are not allowed in the delivery room for a vaginal birth unless the husband has taken prenatal classes with the mom to be. If a Japanese woman has to have a c section, the husband is not allowed in at all. It is also a custom that japenese women give birth with no painkillers. There is a belief among Japanese that labor pains act as a kind of test that a woman must endure in preparation for the challenging role of motherhood. This centuries-old belief endures despite the fact that a growing number of doctors in Japan are recommending epidurals for their patients, suggesting that they create a more peaceful birth experience. Although more women are beginning to exercise this option, centuries of tradition still keep many others from considering the procedure.
Also the hosiptal stay for giving birth is five days for a vaginal and 10 days for a c-section.
When the mom and baby leave the hospital after their stay, the mom and baby must stay at the mother's parents house for a month and must stay in the bed with the baby for 21 days.

In the US, birthing is very different. Woman have the right to decide if the baby will be born at home, hospital, or birthing center. Husband do not have to attend any prenatal classes although they are offered and they probably should take them!! The fathers are allowed in the room when a c-section is performed but only at the head of the mother. Painkillers are up to the mother's descretion. If a mother wants painkillers, she has has the right to receive them. The hospital stay for a vaginal birth is two days and up to four days for a c-section and that is with no complications. When leaving the hospital, the mother may return to any home that she feels comfortable going to.
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5 comments:

  1. s.bocanegraJanuary 7, 2012 at 1:55 PM

    Shavonne,
    I was very touched by your story, and the experience you experienced with your son. Having had the experience of delivering a premature baby myself, I can truly sympathize with your pain and suffering. I know I was very lucky, and truly blessed to have my son here today. But 28yrs. ago my mother went into early labor at 6 months with my younger brother and he did not survive also. His lungs were not developed enough, and he had other complications, that at the time could not be repaired. He weighed two pounds, and only lived for a one day. I was only 13yrs. old at the time and It was very difficult for me to truly understand what my parents went through. And I don't think it was until I experienced my own son's birth, that I truly was able to understood their pain. And I truly agree with you that as women it's very important to know our bodies, and to know when something isn't right, and never hesitate if you feel somethings wrong. But for me personally I had no problems up until my seventh month of pregnancy, and I immediately went to the Emergency room, and yet I still had my son early, the next morning. And If you read my Blog you can also see that seven years later with the impending birth of my daughter, I once started to go into early labor. And this was even after taking the precautions that my doctor offered me since now I was considered a high risk for early labor, But I guess nothing is ever 100% guaranteed. But in reflecting on the birth and passing of my younger brother I do think we have come a long way medically speaking and I'm truly grateful to modern science and technology today. And I truly believe that's why I am blessed and I have both my children here today healthy and happy. Thank-you so much for sharing your personal story I'm sure it wasn't easy for you and I do believe there is a beautiful baby boy guardian angel watching over you and your family.

    Sylvia

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  2. Laura RandlemanJanuary 7, 2012 at 2:23 PM

    Shavonne,
    I am at a loss of what to say, other than "Thank you" for sharing your story.I know I often complain about my children being over-due, but I know there are so many women whose experiences are similar to yours both with successful and unsuccessful outcomes and I just don't know what to say. I see that you have a lovely family and I'm sure that the love you have for your son is lavished on them as well.

    As for the birthing information that you wrote about, my mother often tells of being in the hospital for several days after the births of my sisters and me (50 years ago) and how it doesn't seem right that hospitals release new mothers so quickly! For me, my insurance would only pay for a 24 hour stay past the time of delivery so at 11:56 PM the night after my daughter's arrival I was booted out! Who checks out of the hospital at midnight?! I think Asia has more compassion for new moms, but I'm not sure about lying around for 3 weeks. I think I'd go nuts!

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  3. Rosemary DanielsJanuary 7, 2012 at 8:23 PM

    Shovonne,
    What atouching story. I can not even imagine going throught waht you went through. I read yor story a couple of days ago and shortly after I read your story my daughter caalled me and informed me that the baby she was carrying had died. All I could think about is what you had gone through. Last night the doctors gave my daughter medecine to help her pass the fetus. She was in so much pain. This is her second miscariage. She has been married for ten years. I know the hurt gets better but does it every truly go away. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  4. ShavonneJanuary 8, 2012 at 7:53 AM

    Thank you so much ladies for your kind words and thoughts. I really appreciate it and I really need them now more than ever.
    What I havent revealed is that I am 14wks pregnanct at this time. Due to my diagnoses of incompetant cervix, I will be going in for my cervical cerclage(stitch) this Wednesday.
    Your kindness and support is encouraging. I hope I can be as encouraging and inspiring to you as you ladies are to me!!!

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  5. Rosemary DanielsFebruary 25, 2012 at 11:38 PM

    Shavonne,
    Thank you for all the encouragement that you have give me this semester. I have enjoyed reading your discussions and I have enjoyed reading your responses to me. I wish you the best and look forward to discussion in our next class.

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The Birth of my first son!

Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers
I chose to write about the birth of my first son, who was born preterm at 19 wks and passed away. I chose this birth to write about because it was the most tramautic and most memorable. I also chose this birth because after reading the chapters and sections I think it is important to be knowledgable about your body and to keep up with appointments and take proper test and procedures to ensure that your baby is born full term and healthy. Five days before going into labor, I felt really bad and had an inkling that something was wrong. The physician that I was using at the time had an office in my town but was only there on Thursdays for appt. This was a Friday afternoon and if I wanted to see her I would have to drive over sixty miles to her next office. So, i gnored the signs and went on thinking that I was ok. On Wednesday morning, I woke up with slight stomach cramps. Took a shower, got dressed for work, and daughter off to daycare. Stopped by my Mother in laws house and when I got inside I had to sit down, the pain had gotten progressively worse. Still I continued on to work and and worked through the morning with the pain getting getting worse. Then I went to the restroom and noticed a bloody show. I had a coworker take me to the local er where I had to got through an hour long ultrasound of the baby and my cervix. My baby looked great and I found out I was having a boy!!!! How exciting, that is just what me and hubby wanted since we already had a daughter togther and he has an older daughter from a previous relationship. This was perfect. Now, all they had to do was stop these cramps so I could get home to inform my husband of the picture perfect family we were going to have! Well after waiting hours for a dr, to come in and see my I was delivered the horrible news!! His words exactly was "you are going to lose this baby". He said it with no sympathy at all. I immediately started crying and askign why. He stated that I had developed an infection. My cervix had already dialted to 5 cm, the blood I saw earlier was my mucus plug and when he checked me, the water bag was coming through my cervix. I pleaded with him to do anything to help save my baby. He stated that if the bag would go up some, he could stitch my cervix closed but he couldn't do that with the bag protruding out of the cervix. So I waited nervously overnight, laying basically upside down in the hospital bed hoping that this would help the bag to go back up and at least give him a little room to stitch me up. The next day he came to check me again and told me that there was nothing else he could do. I had developed an infection from having my cervix opened for so long and that if I didnt deliver the baby I would die. I felt like dying right there. This just couldnt be. I was 19 wks pregnant, certainly I could hang in there three more wks. But he said no. I called my normal dr's office and they called a major medical university located near their office who has one of the best neonatal hospitals in the world. However, they wouldnt even accept me since I wasnt at least 21 wks and due to the fact that I had the infection. So I had to accept that I was going to lose my baby boy. The nurse came into to give me something to break my water and everything just seemed like a blur. I was told that I didnt need an epidural since the baby was less than a pound. However, after hollering and screaming in pain from the emotional and physical stress, they gave me an epidural. Even with the epidural, this was the most painful and emotional births of my three births. Even with the epidural I could feel every single thing, I was in a lot of pain but dont know if it was really physical pain or the emotional and mental pain that was causing me to be in pain. Jackson Reed Hemingway was born on July 23, 2008 at 12:18pm. I decided that I didnt want to see him but having to be sedated after the birth, when I calmed down, I wanted to see my baby. I was able to see him and hold him. The hospital provided me with pics and foot prints. Me and my husband decided not to have a memorial for him. Instead, we mourned privately. Although Jackson did not live, I know that if he had, he would have had tremendous health issues to battle. Pre-term babies literally have to fight for their lifes. I would have wanted him to live. However, when I think of all the pain and issues that would have plagued him the first couple of months of his life, I would never want to see my child suffer. His development would have been slowed but learning from this weeks resources on growth and development it is not to say that he wouldnt have grown up to be a healthy baby boy.