Birthing Experience

 I have three children, but I think the last birth was the hardest for me.  My son was born Feb. 26, 2002. The doctor decided to induce me one day before my due date. I had been telling the doctor for the last 2 months of my pregnancy that I was having trouble breathing and wanted to know if the baby was too big. He assured me that my son would weigh about 7 pounds according to my ultrasound.   On the day I went to be induced  I got the epidural and  begin pushing. It seemed like I had been pushing forever,  the doctor called more nurses into my room. My husband was standing beside my bed and when the nurses came in they made him move to the head of the bed. The doctor raised  my bed and one nurse got on one side and another on the other side of the bed.   The doctor asked for the epidural to be cut off. When I would have a contraction  I would push and the two nurses would also push on my stomach. I finally gave birth to my son who weighed 10 pounds 2 ounces  and was 22 inches long. They thought that his shoulders were dislocated but thank God they were not. My son was a grayish color with purple lips. I did not get to see Toby till about 2 hours later because they wanted to give him oxygen and check his shoulders.
 I chose to look at the Netherlands and their birthing practices.  Many of the women do not see an obstetrician , however they do see a midwife. The obstetrician and doctors only intervene with high risk pregnancy. Most women deliver at home and those who do go to the hospital may not get an epidural. This determines if the anesthesiologist schedule. If he is not at the hospital, the woman does not receive an epidural.  If a mother chooses to have her baby at home she is required to get a kraampakket which has the medical supplies needed for the birth. If the mom gives birth at the hospital and delivers early in the morning without complications, she and the baby may go home in as little as two hours. Then when the parents and baby are home they will have a nurse for seven days to cook, clean and manage the visitors.

 I could not image having a baby at home, too many things could go wrong.  I feel that a doctor should deliver a baby, I have never dealt with a midwife.  I think a complicated  birth  could have some influence on a child's development. For example if the  baby is born and brain trauma happens or a premature baby could have some development issues.