So you're pregnant! Congratulations! Now comes all these harrowing decisions on diet, exercise, weight gain, etc... A big decision (for some) is; do I go to a midwife or an OBGYN? The "safe"choice has been the doctor who delivers in the hospital and women will choose one usually based on a recommendation or interviews. However, what if she chooses a midwife? Will her choice be a hospital midwife or an out of hospital midwife? Will she choose a birth center or home birth?
Big decisions, right? So, let's say she chooses to do a home birth with a finely selected midwife. Awesome! Now, let's look at how her partner/husband reacts... interesting. What if s/he isn't agreeable to "all of this" and wants her experience to be in a hospital where "it's safe - just in case something happens" with a doctor who has gone to medical school and has training and a staff prepared to intervene. And drugs, let's not forget the drugs - because we all know partners can't stand to see their women in pain:)
So, not considering parenting styles and methods (a whole other subject) let's discuss the whole birth topic and whose decision it really should be. I know a lot of women will say it's mutual, but, some women relinquish their dream birth experience to appease their mate - is that acceptable?
Thoughts, anyone?
Birth experience should be ENTIRELY up to the woman and she should do exactly what she would like to do. Pregnancy and childbirth is an incredible process that happens between a Mother and her child. Caring, loving partners and family can respectfully weigh in while ultimately supporting fully the birth plan that the Mother has created for herself. Relinquishing your dream birth experience to appease your mate or anyone else is completely unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteI appeased my partner for 2 hospital births before him realizing how much better a home birth would be for us.I wish I could say its totally the woman's choice but in a relationship with someone you respect you have to consider their feelings also.I will say that this time his feelings wouldn't have stopped me lol
ReplyDelete