You know I was thinking that it would be all scary and medical from the movies I watched up until then, but in the end, I was freaking glad I was in the hospital. You see, I was going to go all-natural at a birth center, but the handy midwives there told me my baby was too big (9 pounder!) for my small frame, so it was a higher risk. So, I ended up taking my huge self and my midwife to the hospital with me, and it was the best of both worlds. I was crazy weak afterwards and all the nurses like brought me food afterwards, water, anything and I could just chill with my munchkin. Plus, he got the infant jaundice thing and we probably would have been back at the hospital anyhow. Now, that was like 7 months ago & looking back and in raising him, I think all of life is balance. I do breastfeeding and cloth diapering, but damn, if I didn't immunize him, think about the miracle of the life saving properties of the polio vaccine, or how many have died if they didn't have the influenza poke. I just think balance is key.... Thoughts? What is everyone else doing with their munchkins? I just started giving him cod liver oil too (the ped said it was cool) and I've really noticed a change in his awareness since. Fats are so important for his developing brain. Peace, Mommies (& Daddies)
I can agree about life being a balance. We eat healthy most of the time, but there are occasions where a good burger seems like the ticket. But I'll respectfully disagree about hospital births and immunizations. For every good hospital birth story, I can probably think of three nightmares. Plus, if your attending isn't a midwife (and even sometimes, when she is a midwife), the focus in a hospital tends to be about making sure things go according to "schedule", and most parents know that babies piss on schedules and throw them out the window...lol As far as vaccinations (because they don't immunize most of the time...), it's more about balancing a child's immune system naturally. And especially with things like the flu shot, where it's *not* effective and causes more problems than it cures, it's too big a risk to take, at least for our family. An example: My little girl contracted chicken pox....from a vaccinated child. Her chicken pox were mild, exhibiting barely a fever and less than 20 pox. The child she caught them from was miserable. His fever was pretty high for a couple of days, and he was covered in pustules...
My ped told me that they removed all the mercury out of their vaccines in the 90s, so I am pretty cool with them on a case to case basis. I think the flu one is important, especially for babies of age, because when they catch the flu, they can get a fever and fevers can lead to brain damage that may affect his entire life. So, if there's any way I can prevent that, I am for it. I don't know, I just personally felt better in the hospital after being so weak and having like no family to care for me afterward. So, I think too many people are down on hospitals, when in the last 100 years we have made so many medical advances & more & more people are living longer and longer (the pop. is growing), so I think there is some recognition that has to be had there. To each their own. And, just for the record, I am totally for natural birth, I would never be one sided. peace
just wondering...have you seen that movie: "the business of being born"? I'm 38 weeks and having the midwife over tomorrow for the home visit. Getting really excited! My forst was a home birth w/ transport, w/ augmentation. But the consequences of going to the hospital sucked. I guess what it really comes down to (for me) is the outcome. My neighbor next door has a daughter w/ CP because the nurse forced her cervix open (to stay on schedule!). We aren't vaccinated. I am grateful for my strong instincts not to as my son inherited ASD from his dad. Imagine if I had, how worse off he would be! As it is now, he's highly functioning and on a GF-CF diet, integrated into a kindergarten and so very happy. I've come close to selectively vaccinating, but then snap out of it.
I cannot stand the movie The Business of Being Born...talk about a bias!! I watched the whole thing and thought ok, this has lots of good information (although biased) until I got to the end. I was EXTREMELY offended by the comments about c-sections at the end of the movie. They actually say that a mother that has a c-section is not capable of loving their child properly simply because the baby didn't come out of their vagina!! That's a bunch of bullshit and if they would put such blatant bullshit and lies in this part of the movie, it discounted the entire movie for me...I don't like to be lied to. I gave birth to three children all via c-section and I dare anyone try to say they love their baby more than I do. I bonded instantly with them, had no problem nursing, raised them very attached, but yet they were born differently. I have many friends that gave birth at home and they had wonderful experiences. I have gave birth in the hospital 3 times. My first experience was HORRIBLE and I belive that places and experiences like this is where people get all crazy about how bad hospitals are. When I had my daughters, my experience was wonderful. Yes, they were c-sections BUT they never left my sight even once during my hospital stay. I also was able to nurse them in minutes after birth and they stayed in my arms as long as I wanted them to (which was nonstop for me). The nurses were all wonderful and my wishes were all granted. They never tried pushing formula or vaccinations on me. I think that even if you are planning a homebirth, you should check out your hospital and make a plan so that if in the event that you have to go there, everything will not be out of your control. You can also know what type of hospital it is and if they mesh with what you want for your birth. A hospital birth can be a beautiful experience too, I've had two beautiful experiences and also been with 2 women as they gave birth naturally with midwives in a hospital (both beautiful experiences as well). One was very happy that she did give birth naturally in the hospital as her baby stopped breathing right after birth and needed immediate attention (wasn't her first baby either!). Vaccinations are a very personal decision as well. I selectively and delayed vaccines, it is something I can feel good about but I would never push my ideas on anyone. The fact of the matter is that when you have kids there is no one way to do things and no one way that is better than any other. I personally do not believe that doctors and hospitals are horrible evil things and feel grateful that they were there for me, or I believe both myself and my son would have died during my first birth experience.
Yeah, I've seen that movie.... Woah, dude!...cervix forced open?? Never heard that one. Maybe she shouldn't have let them?? (Then again, I don't know her situation, tender topic. Poor girl.) Also, man...if your baby's heart rate drops down to nothing, you're GOING to want a C-section. Now, for a c-section to be an easier method, fashionable, etc. That's ridiculous. Safety of the child first, nature second (which death is a part of)....
Can a high fever cause brain damage? Can a high fever damage my toddler's brain? Expert Answers Jo Ann Rohyans, pediatrician Parents often worry about this, but brain damage from a fever is extremely unlikely. It's not unusual for a sick toddler to run a temperature of 104 or even 105 degrees F. Although fevers over 106 degrees are very unusual, unless a child is trapped in a hot place or overdressed, most children can tolerate a temperature of slightly greater than 107 degrees F without long-term effects from the fever itself. Keep in mind that a fever is not an illness — it's a way for the body to fight disease. A higher temperature enables the body to attack harmful bacteria or viruses, which prefer an environment of around 98.6 degrees F. A fever also tells the body to make more infection-fighting substances like white blood cells and antibodies. Of course, when your toddler starts to get a high fever (103 degrees F or higher), you'll want to take steps to bring it down. Ask the doctor what her guidelines are for phoning. She may suggest calling whenever your toddler's fever reaches 103 degrees F (39.4 degrees C) or higher. The most important thing is how ill your child looks and acts. Tell the doctor about other symptoms when you call. She may have you bring him into the office to be checked, or she may give you instructions for bringing the fever down. Some children between 6 months and 5 years of age have brief seizures when they're running a high fever, but even these febrile seizures don't cause brain damage.
I really just wanted a kynd discussion on personal experiences, not nitpicking. Ok, cool, fevers do not cause brain damage, thanks for the people that told me. Twice. Freakin' LAME. peace
I wasn't nitpicking love, I was trying to help educate you on the facts about fever - a big misconception and knowing the truth about fevers can change the course of action you take with your child/ren during illness when your course of action matters most
I have had 3 hospital births and will be having another hospital birth with this baby I'm expecting. I'm high risk, having had 3 preemies and 2 placental abruptions.. so I'm grateful for being in a hospital. I was lucky though that I've had great experiences and my wishes have always been respected. We however do not vaccinate.. I don't believe that the supposed "benefits" outweigh the risks of injecting neuro toxins into the body of a developing infant or young child. I'd rather my children develop lasting natural immunity anyways.
FYI, what your ped told you about mercury is not true at all. Thimerisol (the form of mercury in vaccinations) is being phased out of MOST of them, but they're not being recalled or anything, so if they're not expired, they're still being used till they run out. And ALL flu shots have thimerisol in them. I think flu shots are one of the most dangerous vaxes because of this, because they're developed on a yearly basis and so have very little safety testing, plus have been proven to be pretty much useless in preventing the flu, especially since they're developed by guessing what strain they think is probably going to be the most common the next flu season. We haven't vaxed since my son was 2 months old. My future children will not be vaxed at all. I do not feel the dubious benefits are worth the proven risks.
If I ever have kids in the future, I am definately going to vaccinate. I understand why many people are against it but I think the benefits outway the risks. When my uncle was little my grandma skipped vaccinating and regular doctor visits because "god would take care of him" and he almost died. As for natural childbirth, I think it's wonderful for people who are strong enough but I am not tolerant enough of pain to go through with it.
Not vaccinating =/= not getting medical care for a sick kid. One has nothing to do with the other. We don't vax, but you can be damn sure if my kid's really sick, we're going to the doctor. Just because your grandma didn't vax AND didn't get any medical care whatsoever doesn't mean that not vaxing always means not taking a sick kid to the doctor. Do your research before making any decisions. Don't just say, "Oh, crazy grandma wouldn't get my sick uncle care and he died, so I'm not doing anything she ever did." That's certainly not informed decision-making.
