Jul 12

“I’ve Been Watching Natural Births On YouTube…”

“I’ve been watching natural births on YouTube. Just amazing.” – OB to doula, who commented that she sees the real thing all the time.

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There are 37 comments to this post.

Jade S had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 6:47 pm (Quote)

This is so stupid I couldn’t help but laugh.

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Stephanie had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 6:47 pm (Quote)

This just makes me sad. But at least the OB was interested enough to look?

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Rainne Reply:
August 9th, 2011 at 4:40 pm Rainne(Quote)

I agree!!! At least it is a start!

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Jessica had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 6:48 pm (Quote)

and….just walk away.

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Allie had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 6:49 pm (Quote)

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…………bwahahahahahahahahaha. Well at least they acknowlege that it’s amazing

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Jessers Reply:
July 12th, 2011 at 7:05 pm Jessers(Quote)

Yeah, and that they need to go on YouTube in order to see them!! Now, that’s saying something, isn’t it?

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Melinda Reply:
July 12th, 2011 at 7:26 pm Melinda(Quote)

Seriously, huh?? Has s/he never seen one before?? What a telling statement on maternity care! The scary part is now that will be his/her entire picture of what a natural birth is like and when s/he actually gets around to “letting” a patient have one, s/he’ll think it should only take 10 mins :/

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katecake had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 6:50 pm (Quote)

It’s a sad state that an OB has to do this to get the experience, but it’s as much about the mothers choice. Glad the doc is getting some education. We laugh but good things start this way!

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Mama Wrench Reply:
July 12th, 2011 at 7:10 pm Mama Wrench(Quote)

My thoughts exactly… yes, the women who frequent this site know all about interventions and natural birth, but I think sometimes we forget that there are a lot of women who believe that if something was bad or counterproductive for them, their doctors would know and tell them. It ends up creating a vicious cycle of doctors believing they’re acting in the mother’s best interest and with her full consent and appreciation, and women believing that any valid alternative would have been brought up long before labor.

So I’m not terribly surprised that a doctor would have to look up natural births online to see one. But my answer to him would have been to put aside the YouTube and look up ACOG standards of procedures and birth recommendations. Fan that spark into a flame!

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Mama Wrench had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 6:51 pm (Quote)

This one… I don’t see too much wrong with it. (Which is a nice pallet cleanser after the last few.) I guess it depends on tone… did the OB mean “amazing” as in impressive, or novel, or scary…?

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Mama Wrench Reply:
July 12th, 2011 at 6:55 pm Mama Wrench(Quote)

*palate — damned Autospell

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Rachel Reply:
July 13th, 2011 at 5:47 am Rachel(Quote)

I think it’s the fact that the only time she’s ever seen a natural birth in her whole career was by looking it up on YouTube.

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Bonnie B Matheson had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 6:57 pm (Quote)

Well, actually if enough doctors watched they might learn something.Watch me tell it like it is in this little video.
http://bit.ly/oKY3Fb

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Angela had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 6:58 pm (Quote)

The million dollar question, though, is will it actually change the way this OB approaches birth? If so, kudos. If not, there is no hope.

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Kristin had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 7:05 pm (Quote)

To me it sounds like she’s watching one of those nature shows. You know, the ones where crazy journalists sneak in to the wild and film dangerous animals up close for us to enjoy in our living rooms without any RISKS or DANGER.
Like, Amazing, you never see natural births here in civilization…

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Debbie had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 7:07 pm (Quote)

So *that’s* where OBs need to go to find out about natural birth.

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shannon had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 7:10 pm (Quote)

Okay. This is just funny!

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Kat had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 7:18 pm (Quote)

When I birthed my second child, there were quite a few heads poking in around the doorway. I vaguely remember someone commenting that I created a sensation because they hardly ever see any natural births. Having birthed twice in that hospital, I believe it. NOT natural-birth friendly at all.

It’s sad that a doctor would have never seen a natural birth before, but it’s encouraging they were at least interested to watch and learn, and interested enough to talk to the doula about it. Hopefully not in a completely dismissive way. Who knows? after learning more, maybe this doctor could be inspired to become more supportive and encouraging about natural birth to their patients.

And then maybe they won’t have to go to YouTube to see what a natural birth is actually like.

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Julie Reply:
July 12th, 2011 at 9:42 pm Julie(Quote)

This sounds like my second birth, also. My nurse was awesome, nut the newer, younger nurses who hadn’t seen a natural birth before kept coming in to see if everything was alright. My nurse caught every single one of the at the door and gently shooed them away before I knew what was going on.

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brige had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 8:21 pm (Quote)

Don’t yall remember the panel of OB residents on the TBOBB? none of them had ever witnessed a natural birth, I wonder if the OB was being sarcastic… but at least they were interested?

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Rachel Foster had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 8:33 pm (Quote)

Ah the age of internet. Hell, I look up directions and instructions on this thing all the time. Lol. Natural childbirth? Google it.

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Paula Reply:
July 12th, 2011 at 9:23 pm Paula(Quote)

“Honey, our 7yo and I fixed the toilet today all by ourselves.”
“Oh yeah, where did you learn that?”
“YouTube.”

“OB, I birthed my baby all by myself.”
“Oh yeah, where did you learn that?”
“YouTube.”

Hey, that’s where I got my start on this natural birth kick!

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C.Pratt had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 8:55 pm (Quote)

Yeah, he/she’s seen it on video. But if he/she hasn’t seen it in person that means they haven’t DONE it. Which means watching the videos is not changing their practice methods at all. Research has proven that doctors statistically have the overwhelming bulk of influence on what management style is being used. So they may be expressing some supposed interest, but I really don’t buy it. I think it was an attempt at retention of the client until mom is late term enough no one else will take her for care, and nothing more… Unless this is their first week on the job, whick is unlikely.

I’m sorry OP, I hope you caught on and got the heck out of there while you could. Tell me you did?

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Debra had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 9:01 pm (Quote)

Give the OB credit. He could’ve said “I’ve watched natural births and you tube and I think those people are nuts.” I hope the doula invited the OB to observe some of her natural births (with mom’s permission of course).

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C.Pratt Reply:
July 12th, 2011 at 10:15 pm C.Pratt(Quote)

Yeah, I guess I’m sounding pretty jaded today, sorry. I have a nasty earache going on day 3 now and getting kinda frazzly.

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amanda had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 10:31 pm (Quote)

i must be niave, but i have a hard time believing that OBs may have NEVER seen a natural birth?? i know many moms in my area that birth without drugs – at least half of them not by choice but b/c they weren’t deemed as ‘needing’ an epidural (myself included for my first birth! i would have given my left eye for one!). i am going to try and find out what the % is at our hospital – does anyone have any stats on the averages for epidurals at their hospital?

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jaed Reply:
July 13th, 2011 at 12:48 am jaed(Quote)

Normal childbirth is more than just not using an epidural, though. Perhaps this OB has seen many births with no epidural… but with the mother in lithotomy, with her feet in stirrups, nurses hovering around rhythmically screaming “PUSH!!! PUSH!!! PUSH!!!”, which begins when the doctor’s repeated vaginal exams show the cervix has dilated to precisely ten centimeters, after a labor in which the mother was required to lie immobile on her back so as not to disturb the monitors, with a pitocin drip in her arm to “augment” labor… you get the picture. There’s a lot more to it than whether the mom has an epidural.

(Side note: you’re serious? You were *refused* pain relief during labor because someone other than you thought you didn’t “need” it? Yikes. I’m so sorry that happened to you.)

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amanda Reply:
July 13th, 2011 at 12:00 pm amanda(Quote)

you’re right, there is more to it. i know there is a birthing pool and moms are encouraged to walk around at our hospital, but still lots of monitoring and coached pushing. and yes i was denied the epidural – but in fairness there was staffing issues for me so it wasn’t all out of spite (though it felt like it) – though i have heard lots of stories where the moms were told they just didn’t need it. it’s that kind of stuff that upsets me so much – not so much how women birth but that they just have so friggin little CHOICE in the matter.

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Melissa Reply:
July 13th, 2011 at 12:27 pm Melissa(Quote)

That’s horrible. If a mom says she needs it, she needs it. By all means, remind her of her previous plans and wishes, urge her to try other pain-relief/coping measures first, validate her feelings but let her know how far she’s come and encourage her that you think she can go the rest of the way without it (you’re in transition, hon! Almost there!), but unless there’s a hard contraindication for it, GIVE HER THE DAMN EPIDURAL. Apologize and explain if you actually can’t or shouldn’t (i.e. anesthesiologist is busy with an emergency in the OR, mom’s complete and about ready to push, etc.).

Nobody else but mom gets to decide if an epidural is what she needs to help deal with the pain. Only in very rare instances should health concerns lead a doctor to deny her request. Otherwise, once she’s decided and knows her options, that’s it, folks.

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Jena had this to say, Jul 12, 2011 @ 10:59 pm (Quote)

Well, doc, props for seeking it out! Good on you, you’re beginning to understand. Now what can you do to make sure you see it live? Invite that doula to lunch a few times and see what you can learn!

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Jane had this to say, Jul 13, 2011 @ 3:47 am (Quote)

I do really think it’s good that the doctor is curious about natural birth. I also think it’s sad that the doctor needed to go to youtube to find examples of it. I hope this conversation ended with the doctor asking to shadow a midwife through a few home births.

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Heather Reply:
July 13th, 2011 at 12:19 pm Heather(Quote)

Precisely what I was thinking.

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brige had this to say, Jul 13, 2011 @ 7:46 am (Quote)

Our hosp. Is somewhere near 90% epi rate, 50% c/s… And they have 3 cnms on staff… When I think natural, I think mama up and moving, free to eat drink walk move,no iv etc…. I doubt many obs have seen that (esp because in hosp. Where that does happen there are probably midwives who attend)

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Laura had this to say, Jul 13, 2011 @ 8:33 am (Quote)

Okay, this is just laughable. At least the OB is showing an interest in natural birth, right? Seeing comes before doing, you know!

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Lindsey had this to say, Jul 13, 2011 @ 8:50 am (Quote)

Our rates are around 40% c section and I was told by 3 nurses who were present at my sons delivery that the only women who went without an epidural were those who got there pushing. They said it had been “months and months” before mine that they recalled a spontaneous delivery with no intervention or medicinal pain relief.

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