During this second pregnancy, I've come to some conclusions about myself. One of which being that if I were a gazelle in the wild, I would be the lame one that the lions look for and pounce on first.
Without the help of modern medicine, I would have totally croaked a couple times over. I don't know if I would go so far as to call myself "sickly," but perhaps more like healthily challenged? I have hard, difficult pregnancies that need more than just a good leaching. (reference historical medicinal practices) I don't think a lack of Zofran would have been anything short of a death sentence for me in either pregnancy.
The whole notion of "only the fittest survive" is lost on me. I am not, and never have been the "fittest." Without some of the finest medical testing I would have baffled any sort of witchdoctor on several occasions and probably would have withered away to nothing. I'm sure a good chant and some crazy herbs would have helped "chase the demons" out of me, but I probably still would have ended up six feet under well before reaching any sort of life expectancy.
So that's why all this hippie talk of natural medicine and doom-gloom on the medical profession at large has me scoffing. I have never had the need to go through a "natural childbirth." I am pretty sure I wouldn't make it out alive anyway! There's a lot that can go wrong without constant fetal monitoring, being crammed through the equivalent of a ferret tunnel, and shy of a good hearty c-section! I am well aware that billions of women have done it through the ages, but a good chunk of those women and babies didn't make it through so well! That's why I say Huzzah! for western medicine! I know it's not a cure-all, but it's a heck of a better shot than doing nothing!
Agreed! Why not take advantage of medical advances? That's my take! :)
ReplyDeleteAMEN!!
ReplyDeleteFrom the mom of two hospital birthed kids & two home birthed, having had the best & worst of both worlds, I really believe there's a time & place for hospitals & c-sections & doctors. Thankfully, I had two amazing births after my not so amazing, medically unnecessary c-section.
ReplyDeleteYou have to birth where ever you feel most comfortable. For most women in the U.S., that's the hospital.
As for the Zofran, I would be totally lying if I said I wouldn't be banging down my dr's down for a script should I need it. I've heard it can be a life saver for the mom (& probably everyone around her, too! :P).
I prefer a nice balance between the two worlds of medicine. :)