Megumi,
Thank you for your comment. I too found this experience helpful and interesting. One thing that I advise you to do in your future comments, or even your own work if it applies is to be more elaborate. When you said “I find a relief in a way” I wonder what kind of relief you felt and why. I appreciate your comment, thanks.
Leticia,
Thanks for your comment. I feel like you actually spent time reading and thinking about my blog and I appreciate this. I like that also like your initial comedic tone that was expressed in your curiosity, which made me more interested in what you had to say. One thing that you can do to improve your comments in the future is include constructive criticism. Thanks again for your comment, it was fun to read.
Amhara,
Thanks for your comment. I like that you read my blog despite not hearing my elevator speech and being that I am unfamiliar with your writing, I was more interested to see it. Including constructive criticism would make your comments better. Thanks for your comment.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
HW 44 - Comments on Other People's Projects
To Jay,
In my blog I wrote short summaries of the interviews rather than the actual dialogue. Both methods can have pros and cons however I think the dialogue makes it easier and more fun for the reader. I did not even think of that. The most insightful thing in your blog had to be the last nurses’ comment, “N: In my country, most babies were born in homebirths, but it is a different culture. Personally, I would feel more safe in a hospital, knowing there is medical equipment on site and rooms for surgery. It's more appealing.” This makes me question the education that doctors receive, even with all that schooling. One thing that you should have done to make this blog better is include some sort of response that you had after each interview. This would have given the reader something potentially more interesting to think about. I’m sure that you had interesting reactions to some of the things that were said.
To Larche,
I though your blog was very interesting and I enjoyed reading it because it was not very long while being informal. I particularly liked that it was a topic that I suspect many people did not research. In my opinion, the most insightful thing in your blog was, “That having them around them is somehow going to negatively affect them. This makes those who suffer from infertility question why they deserved this. Why do they deserve to be treated differently from other women because of their inability to reproduce. This leads them to having feelings of “there’s something wrong with me.” This made me realize how there can be many imperfections in life and some are more significant to certain people than others. One thing that you could have done to make your blog better was simply to proofread it. There were some careless errors that could have easily been avoided. I recommend typing in word then copying and pasting to limit them if you know your not going to proofread.
To Michelle,
I thought your blog was very good. Of the blogs that I have read, your by far educated me the most. I could tell that you really put a lot of effort into your work and it reflects that effort. The most insightful aspect to me was, “After all this research, I still cannot make a generalization of how all Indian men are not being present during the woman’s childbirth. Although there was certainly a correlation between the men and women who were more traditional and religious who did not allow father to be present during delivery while those who weren’t had the male/father there. Just like in the U.S. we see TV and how father is always there in delivery room, how can we be so sure that during most of these births that the father is present? We cannot generalize because of the different views one country can have, especially in the US “the melting pot” with so many ideas, cultures and religions how can one infer that the father is always present, and even if he is there the extent of his ability to comfort her will differ.” This really gave me the feeling that you put thought into your writing and were not very judgmental or critical on the males. One thing that you should try not to do as much is use the word “so” because it can sometimes degrade take the formal tone of your work. Also, first paragraph may not have been necessary or very relevant to your actual topic. However if you are including this information, you should try to make a smoother transition as you change topics. Despite this, I thought it was an interesting addition to your work and a good hook. Your blog was overall one of the best I read.
From Megumi,
For this project, you had the experience of being able to interview three women at a hospital about their opinion on midwifery, obsterics, and the rise in c-section. I really enjoyed reading this post in addition to listening to your elevator speech. The three women you interviewed had different reactions and opinions which was very interesting. This matters to me because its always nice to listen to the opinion of the people who actually work in hospitals. I found it suprising that one of the interviewed women was open about her opinions about midwifery, and I find a relief in a way.
From Leticia (“Lp”),
Hi Rossi, I don’t know you and I don’t think you are in my grade?..I’m in 12th you?. Well I was snooping around and I saw your name and I said Why not!. MY name is leticia. I really liked your blog because I never heard a prospective from a nurse. I liked the questions you asked because; it gets into details with what the nurse thinks. For person #1 ... I like the line when she mentioned "used “judiciously” and to a doctor or patients liking. She claimed that patients may have a cesarean on a certain day just so that they would not be in the hospital on another" I think that explains, the point of doctors ability to do what they please and get the mothers out as soon as possible. For person # 2 I liked how she backed up the hospital, it explains she is either against it or with it but she is scared, she could lose her job "When asked about C-section rates, she said that Roosevelt hospital has the lowest C-section rates in the city. “Do you think if you interview outside the hospital it would have been different. For person #3 I liked how she was honest and straight forward. I liked she compared Jamaica and US she was not saying one is better than other. I also liked when she mentioned “it’s not that the doctors are not properly trained, they just are not fully educated.” In saying this she agreed that they handle situations as if they are in emergency and said that the trainings for doctors should be different. During her training she was trained like a midwife and working in the field that she does, surrounded by doctors and many unnatural births she said that they are just accustomed to the emergency situations" Which made ask do doctors want to know how to do natural birth? or are they force to not be educated about it.?. Overall I think you did a good job, Its nice to hear from people who work in the hospital,. This made me feel that doctors of a sense of people views.
From Amhara,
I believe the most effective way to learn is through experiences so it was smart of you to go out of your way and converse with these nurses for a real honest outlook on this medical system. The voices of the nurses are very un-sung so it was nice to see their perspective. Based on these answers it seems that a nurse's main objective is to be protective; either of the women and newborns, the doctors, or the hospitals. These nurses seemed to be very informed about their area of interest and are definitely aware of what goes on behind the scenes. I'm glad that they are there and hopefully they keep the obstetricians they work with very grounded.
From Dad,
With the birth of my second child just two months ago, I can most certainly say I am all for modern technology and medicine. My greatest fear was the thought of losing my wife or child during childbirth. Not having done any actual research on this subject, but I'm pretty sure deaths from complications to mother and/or child is a lot less common these days, and I truly believe it is due to modern medicine. Not that complications still will not arise today, but to me the utilization of modern technology and medicine minimizes a tragic outcome. As for C-sections, the fact that the cost is rising is disturbing. I do feel that doctors use this method only if it is necessary and in the best interest healthwise for mother and child. Hopefully the rising cost of this procedure does not affect a woman's decision as they do still have to give consent, and may lean towards vaginal birth, although it may not be the best for the baby. This may hold especially true when it comes to mothers w/out medical insurance. In the case of epidural; it was the only thing that gave my wife comfort, so I'm all for it. To me, the more comfortable a mother is during birth, it will result in a much less stressful experience for mom and baby.
In my blog I wrote short summaries of the interviews rather than the actual dialogue. Both methods can have pros and cons however I think the dialogue makes it easier and more fun for the reader. I did not even think of that. The most insightful thing in your blog had to be the last nurses’ comment, “N: In my country, most babies were born in homebirths, but it is a different culture. Personally, I would feel more safe in a hospital, knowing there is medical equipment on site and rooms for surgery. It's more appealing.” This makes me question the education that doctors receive, even with all that schooling. One thing that you should have done to make this blog better is include some sort of response that you had after each interview. This would have given the reader something potentially more interesting to think about. I’m sure that you had interesting reactions to some of the things that were said.
To Larche,
I though your blog was very interesting and I enjoyed reading it because it was not very long while being informal. I particularly liked that it was a topic that I suspect many people did not research. In my opinion, the most insightful thing in your blog was, “That having them around them is somehow going to negatively affect them. This makes those who suffer from infertility question why they deserved this. Why do they deserve to be treated differently from other women because of their inability to reproduce. This leads them to having feelings of “there’s something wrong with me.” This made me realize how there can be many imperfections in life and some are more significant to certain people than others. One thing that you could have done to make your blog better was simply to proofread it. There were some careless errors that could have easily been avoided. I recommend typing in word then copying and pasting to limit them if you know your not going to proofread.
To Michelle,
I thought your blog was very good. Of the blogs that I have read, your by far educated me the most. I could tell that you really put a lot of effort into your work and it reflects that effort. The most insightful aspect to me was, “After all this research, I still cannot make a generalization of how all Indian men are not being present during the woman’s childbirth. Although there was certainly a correlation between the men and women who were more traditional and religious who did not allow father to be present during delivery while those who weren’t had the male/father there. Just like in the U.S. we see TV and how father is always there in delivery room, how can we be so sure that during most of these births that the father is present? We cannot generalize because of the different views one country can have, especially in the US “the melting pot” with so many ideas, cultures and religions how can one infer that the father is always present, and even if he is there the extent of his ability to comfort her will differ.” This really gave me the feeling that you put thought into your writing and were not very judgmental or critical on the males. One thing that you should try not to do as much is use the word “so” because it can sometimes degrade take the formal tone of your work. Also, first paragraph may not have been necessary or very relevant to your actual topic. However if you are including this information, you should try to make a smoother transition as you change topics. Despite this, I thought it was an interesting addition to your work and a good hook. Your blog was overall one of the best I read.
From Megumi,
For this project, you had the experience of being able to interview three women at a hospital about their opinion on midwifery, obsterics, and the rise in c-section. I really enjoyed reading this post in addition to listening to your elevator speech. The three women you interviewed had different reactions and opinions which was very interesting. This matters to me because its always nice to listen to the opinion of the people who actually work in hospitals. I found it suprising that one of the interviewed women was open about her opinions about midwifery, and I find a relief in a way.
From Leticia (“Lp”),
Hi Rossi, I don’t know you and I don’t think you are in my grade?..I’m in 12th you?. Well I was snooping around and I saw your name and I said Why not!. MY name is leticia. I really liked your blog because I never heard a prospective from a nurse. I liked the questions you asked because; it gets into details with what the nurse thinks. For person #1 ... I like the line when she mentioned "used “judiciously” and to a doctor or patients liking. She claimed that patients may have a cesarean on a certain day just so that they would not be in the hospital on another" I think that explains, the point of doctors ability to do what they please and get the mothers out as soon as possible. For person # 2 I liked how she backed up the hospital, it explains she is either against it or with it but she is scared, she could lose her job "When asked about C-section rates, she said that Roosevelt hospital has the lowest C-section rates in the city. “Do you think if you interview outside the hospital it would have been different. For person #3 I liked how she was honest and straight forward. I liked she compared Jamaica and US she was not saying one is better than other. I also liked when she mentioned “it’s not that the doctors are not properly trained, they just are not fully educated.” In saying this she agreed that they handle situations as if they are in emergency and said that the trainings for doctors should be different. During her training she was trained like a midwife and working in the field that she does, surrounded by doctors and many unnatural births she said that they are just accustomed to the emergency situations" Which made ask do doctors want to know how to do natural birth? or are they force to not be educated about it.?. Overall I think you did a good job, Its nice to hear from people who work in the hospital,. This made me feel that doctors of a sense of people views.
From Amhara,
I believe the most effective way to learn is through experiences so it was smart of you to go out of your way and converse with these nurses for a real honest outlook on this medical system. The voices of the nurses are very un-sung so it was nice to see their perspective. Based on these answers it seems that a nurse's main objective is to be protective; either of the women and newborns, the doctors, or the hospitals. These nurses seemed to be very informed about their area of interest and are definitely aware of what goes on behind the scenes. I'm glad that they are there and hopefully they keep the obstetricians they work with very grounded.
From Dad,
With the birth of my second child just two months ago, I can most certainly say I am all for modern technology and medicine. My greatest fear was the thought of losing my wife or child during childbirth. Not having done any actual research on this subject, but I'm pretty sure deaths from complications to mother and/or child is a lot less common these days, and I truly believe it is due to modern medicine. Not that complications still will not arise today, but to me the utilization of modern technology and medicine minimizes a tragic outcome. As for C-sections, the fact that the cost is rising is disturbing. I do feel that doctors use this method only if it is necessary and in the best interest healthwise for mother and child. Hopefully the rising cost of this procedure does not affect a woman's decision as they do still have to give consent, and may lean towards vaginal birth, although it may not be the best for the baby. This may hold especially true when it comes to mothers w/out medical insurance. In the case of epidural; it was the only thing that gave my wife comfort, so I'm all for it. To me, the more comfortable a mother is during birth, it will result in a much less stressful experience for mom and baby.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
HW#42
My peers Anthony Vargas, Jay McCarthy and I decided to have a personal experience for the assignment. We went to St. Luke's Roosevelt hospital on 59th street, 10th av and spoke with three nurses about their views concerning birth and the practices surrounding it. Here are the core questions that were asked (some improvising was done during the process):
-What inspired you to choose this occupation and/or what do you enjoy most about it?
-How do you feel about the rising rates of cesarean sections?
-Do you think the use of epidural and pitocin is more beneficial to the mothers and their child or to the doctors? Why/why not?
-How do you feel about midwifery and homebirths?
-Do you think that it’s right that doctors are generally trained as if every birth was an emergency situation? Why/why not?
Person #1:
This nurse was very honest and straightforward with her answers as she seemed to be fine with our asking the questions. She enjoys the occupation because she genuinely cares about helping women and children. This woman was interesting, because she seemed to lean towards midwives rather than obstetricians despite her occupation. She mentioned that she did not support the rise in Cesareans, stating that they were used “judiciously” and to a doctor or patients liking. She claimed that patients may have a cesarean on a certain day just so that they would not be in the hospital on another. I agree with her because a c-section should not be some kind of luxury to someone, it should only be used in cases where it is vital. This woman also disputed the use of epidural and pitocin. She felt that it is a bad decision to use it and in cases where it is used it should be the minimum, “so rather than using six shots use two.” In her talk of midwifery she mentioned “The Business of Being Born” and spoke of how it was a great movie, stating that she felt midwives are able to handle births just as well and any doctor would. In fact, she gave birth via midwife to both of her kids and, surprisingly enough, without the use of any drugs. When it came to the training of the doctors, she felt that at the end of the day the most important thing with the birth is that the baby gets out okay, regardless of the process. Despite expressing that, “birth is one of the most natural processes and it should go back to being that way” she still felt that the most important thing all in all, is that the baby gets out safely. When asked about the training of the doctors, she felt that at the end of the day the most important thing with the birth is that the baby gets out okay, regardless of the process. Despite expressing that, “birth is one of the most natural processes and it should go back to being that way” she still felt that the most important thing all in all, is that the baby gets out safely. This makes me wonder what life she would choose if given an ultimatum: the mother or the child?
Person #2:
This woman was by far the vaguest of all the interviewees. The seemed uncomfortable, possibly because of the room we were in (a slightly smaller room than the last, about a forth of Andy’s) or because she may have felt pressured by us. Her job title was the director of parent and family education and she chose this occupation because she feels that it is very important for patients to be knowledgeable on the subject. I wonder if the information provided by her is biased towards the obstetricians, her responses give reason to question how impartial her ‘education’ may be. She was consistently evasive in her responses and avoided saying anything that may undermine obstetricians. When asked about C-section rates, she said that Roosevelt hospital has the lowest C-section rates in the city. This is an interesting statistic and I wonder if this is true (although I could not find any recent and reliable sources to verify, that does not mean that she is a liar, I am simply a poor researcher). When asked about midwifery, she simply said that “it is great” and elected not to elaborate. She came off almost defensive when asked about the doctors training and said that doctors are trained to handle every situation they are given. She claimed that they are prepared to handle both normal and high risk situations.
Person #3:
This woman was arguably the most helpful of the three. She chose the profession out of a childhood desire to learn about birth and how it all worked, which has lead her to being the manager of the nurses department. She was honest and by far the most elaborate with all of her answers. She only supports cesareans in situations of necessity. With homebirths, she said that they are “prevalent” in her country (Jamaica) and that she still supports them. When it came to speaking about the training of the obstetricians, she said that “it’s not that the doctors are not properly trained, they just are not fully educated.” In saying this she agreed that they handle situations as if they are in emergency and said that the trainings for doctors should be different. During her training she was trained like a midwife and working in the field that she does, surrounded by doctors and many unnatural births she said that they are just accustomed to the emergency situations. This made me wonder what the point of so much schooling to be a doctor is if the majority of them are not able to handle a ‘normal’ birth situation. This also makes me wonder about the recent birth of my almost two month old baby brother. I was at the hospital with my family post-delivery and was told that everything went smoothly. I then learned that the birth was via a cesarean and wondered why, although I never got around to having that conversation. My stepmother and her doctor are just another example of how cesareans are abused in this generation of mothers and doctors are not as knowledgeable as they should be and do not appreciate the ‘birthing experience.’
-What inspired you to choose this occupation and/or what do you enjoy most about it?
-How do you feel about the rising rates of cesarean sections?
-Do you think the use of epidural and pitocin is more beneficial to the mothers and their child or to the doctors? Why/why not?
-How do you feel about midwifery and homebirths?
-Do you think that it’s right that doctors are generally trained as if every birth was an emergency situation? Why/why not?
Person #1:
This nurse was very honest and straightforward with her answers as she seemed to be fine with our asking the questions. She enjoys the occupation because she genuinely cares about helping women and children. This woman was interesting, because she seemed to lean towards midwives rather than obstetricians despite her occupation. She mentioned that she did not support the rise in Cesareans, stating that they were used “judiciously” and to a doctor or patients liking. She claimed that patients may have a cesarean on a certain day just so that they would not be in the hospital on another. I agree with her because a c-section should not be some kind of luxury to someone, it should only be used in cases where it is vital. This woman also disputed the use of epidural and pitocin. She felt that it is a bad decision to use it and in cases where it is used it should be the minimum, “so rather than using six shots use two.” In her talk of midwifery she mentioned “The Business of Being Born” and spoke of how it was a great movie, stating that she felt midwives are able to handle births just as well and any doctor would. In fact, she gave birth via midwife to both of her kids and, surprisingly enough, without the use of any drugs. When it came to the training of the doctors, she felt that at the end of the day the most important thing with the birth is that the baby gets out okay, regardless of the process. Despite expressing that, “birth is one of the most natural processes and it should go back to being that way” she still felt that the most important thing all in all, is that the baby gets out safely. When asked about the training of the doctors, she felt that at the end of the day the most important thing with the birth is that the baby gets out okay, regardless of the process. Despite expressing that, “birth is one of the most natural processes and it should go back to being that way” she still felt that the most important thing all in all, is that the baby gets out safely. This makes me wonder what life she would choose if given an ultimatum: the mother or the child?
Person #2:
This woman was by far the vaguest of all the interviewees. The seemed uncomfortable, possibly because of the room we were in (a slightly smaller room than the last, about a forth of Andy’s) or because she may have felt pressured by us. Her job title was the director of parent and family education and she chose this occupation because she feels that it is very important for patients to be knowledgeable on the subject. I wonder if the information provided by her is biased towards the obstetricians, her responses give reason to question how impartial her ‘education’ may be. She was consistently evasive in her responses and avoided saying anything that may undermine obstetricians. When asked about C-section rates, she said that Roosevelt hospital has the lowest C-section rates in the city. This is an interesting statistic and I wonder if this is true (although I could not find any recent and reliable sources to verify, that does not mean that she is a liar, I am simply a poor researcher). When asked about midwifery, she simply said that “it is great” and elected not to elaborate. She came off almost defensive when asked about the doctors training and said that doctors are trained to handle every situation they are given. She claimed that they are prepared to handle both normal and high risk situations.
Person #3:
This woman was arguably the most helpful of the three. She chose the profession out of a childhood desire to learn about birth and how it all worked, which has lead her to being the manager of the nurses department. She was honest and by far the most elaborate with all of her answers. She only supports cesareans in situations of necessity. With homebirths, she said that they are “prevalent” in her country (Jamaica) and that she still supports them. When it came to speaking about the training of the obstetricians, she said that “it’s not that the doctors are not properly trained, they just are not fully educated.” In saying this she agreed that they handle situations as if they are in emergency and said that the trainings for doctors should be different. During her training she was trained like a midwife and working in the field that she does, surrounded by doctors and many unnatural births she said that they are just accustomed to the emergency situations. This made me wonder what the point of so much schooling to be a doctor is if the majority of them are not able to handle a ‘normal’ birth situation. This also makes me wonder about the recent birth of my almost two month old baby brother. I was at the hospital with my family post-delivery and was told that everything went smoothly. I then learned that the birth was via a cesarean and wondered why, although I never got around to having that conversation. My stepmother and her doctor are just another example of how cesareans are abused in this generation of mothers and doctors are not as knowledgeable as they should be and do not appreciate the ‘birthing experience.’
Friday, April 1, 2011
HW #40
"Hey Tina Cassidy thanks for writing Birth. Your reflection on the history of birth with unique connections from several different perspectives really got me to rethink my ideas on birth and how it is usually handled in contrast to if that is actually the best way.”
"Really, which parts were most effective or important for you?"
"Well, in the last third of the book you focused on the father's role in birth and what they go through physically, mentally, and emotionally in the months while their partner is pregnant and the moments of delivery”
Specifically,
1. Studies show that when the father is there to comfort the mother, she actually tends to be significantly more relaxed throughout the process (Cassidy, 198)
2. The father’s role in birth is now a necessity rather than an option. I feel that to some extent their role was always a necessity, people just never realized. Children without a male role model in their life are more likely to have childhood struggles than those who do. (Cassidy, 207)
3. How breast - feeding impacts the mother and/or the child (Cassidy, 236)
"But what could I have done to make this a better book - that would more effectively fulfill its mission?"
"Well, let's be clear - your text sought to provide narratives from the perspective of a mother just having given birth for the book-reading-public to better understand pregnancy & birth in our culture. In a second edition I feel that it would be a good improvement to try not to linger on one thing for too long. Generally you did a good job at this, however there were some things parts where you did. However I don't want you to feel like I'm criticizing. I appreciate the immense amount of labor you dedicated to this important issue and particularly for making me think about the history of birth & the way that society generally approaches birth, as most people do not even consider midwives. In fact, I'm likely to approach birth differently and more open minded as a result of your book."
"Thanks! Talking to you gives me hope about our future as a society!"
"Really, which parts were most effective or important for you?"
"Well, in the last third of the book you focused on the father's role in birth and what they go through physically, mentally, and emotionally in the months while their partner is pregnant and the moments of delivery”
Specifically,
1. Studies show that when the father is there to comfort the mother, she actually tends to be significantly more relaxed throughout the process (Cassidy, 198)
2. The father’s role in birth is now a necessity rather than an option. I feel that to some extent their role was always a necessity, people just never realized. Children without a male role model in their life are more likely to have childhood struggles than those who do. (Cassidy, 207)
3. How breast - feeding impacts the mother and/or the child (Cassidy, 236)
"But what could I have done to make this a better book - that would more effectively fulfill its mission?"
"Well, let's be clear - your text sought to provide narratives from the perspective of a mother just having given birth for the book-reading-public to better understand pregnancy & birth in our culture. In a second edition I feel that it would be a good improvement to try not to linger on one thing for too long. Generally you did a good job at this, however there were some things parts where you did. However I don't want you to feel like I'm criticizing. I appreciate the immense amount of labor you dedicated to this important issue and particularly for making me think about the history of birth & the way that society generally approaches birth, as most people do not even consider midwives. In fact, I'm likely to approach birth differently and more open minded as a result of your book."
"Thanks! Talking to you gives me hope about our future as a society!"
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
HW 39 - Insights from Book - Part 2
Cassidy, Tina. Birth. NY,NY: Grove Press,
2006. Print.
1. I do not recall the movie, “Business of Being Born” making any references to symphyseotomies. Basically what happens here in a symphyseotomy is when the doctor cuts through the woman’s pubic bone, them through her clitoris and labia, and then finally through her urethra. The cartilage in the bone is then divided spreading the pelvis somewhere between two and three inches. Despite referring to several ways of giving birth, “Business of Being Born” neglected to mention or talk about symphyseotomies.
2. The insight of this part of the book was very similar to that of the first part. The author is comparing and contrasting styles and methods of giving birth. The thing that is different now, however, is that the author is focusing more on the evolution of birth throughout time. She compares methods that were popular and were proven successful at one point and then shows their popularity decline as she identifies their flaws. I enjoy the writing of the author because she allows the reader to think for themselves to some extent. The way that she writes, showing the flaws towards the end of the analysis reveals her bias, however, just showing both pros and cons gives the reader a good understanding of how the method works.
3. There are so many different ways to go about birth, which is more beneficial for the baby and the mother? Where can the balance be found? (General)
1.) Doctors emerge as the primary recourse for birth and essentially replace midwives. (pg 131)
2.) Father’s roles in birth often go unnoticed, the birth process affects them just as much as the mother, just in a more emotional manner as opposed to physical (pg 154)
3.) Celebrities seem to think that C-sections are a way to keep your body while having kids and desire them rather than refer to them (pg 123-124)
4.) The cons of c-sections seem to outweigh the pros yet they are referred to so often. Are people neglecting these cons? Are there really all of these “emergencies?” Are people just ignorant? (pg 107)
5.) Midwifery vs medical, Natural vs Technological, people likely feel safer with technology by there side and therefore generally prefer doctors. (pg 183)
4. I researched the symphyseotomy. The author seemed to be very accurate with her information concerning it and how it occurred with Jean-René Sigault and Madame Souchot. There were no errors in her research, verification is sited below.
Bibliography:
Dumont, M. "The long and difficult birth of symphysiotomy or from Severin Pineau to Jean-Rene Sigault." U.S. National Library of Medicine . N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar 2011..
2006. Print.
1. I do not recall the movie, “Business of Being Born” making any references to symphyseotomies. Basically what happens here in a symphyseotomy is when the doctor cuts through the woman’s pubic bone, them through her clitoris and labia, and then finally through her urethra. The cartilage in the bone is then divided spreading the pelvis somewhere between two and three inches. Despite referring to several ways of giving birth, “Business of Being Born” neglected to mention or talk about symphyseotomies.
2. The insight of this part of the book was very similar to that of the first part. The author is comparing and contrasting styles and methods of giving birth. The thing that is different now, however, is that the author is focusing more on the evolution of birth throughout time. She compares methods that were popular and were proven successful at one point and then shows their popularity decline as she identifies their flaws. I enjoy the writing of the author because she allows the reader to think for themselves to some extent. The way that she writes, showing the flaws towards the end of the analysis reveals her bias, however, just showing both pros and cons gives the reader a good understanding of how the method works.
3. There are so many different ways to go about birth, which is more beneficial for the baby and the mother? Where can the balance be found? (General)
1.) Doctors emerge as the primary recourse for birth and essentially replace midwives. (pg 131)
2.) Father’s roles in birth often go unnoticed, the birth process affects them just as much as the mother, just in a more emotional manner as opposed to physical (pg 154)
3.) Celebrities seem to think that C-sections are a way to keep your body while having kids and desire them rather than refer to them (pg 123-124)
4.) The cons of c-sections seem to outweigh the pros yet they are referred to so often. Are people neglecting these cons? Are there really all of these “emergencies?” Are people just ignorant? (pg 107)
5.) Midwifery vs medical, Natural vs Technological, people likely feel safer with technology by there side and therefore generally prefer doctors. (pg 183)
4. I researched the symphyseotomy. The author seemed to be very accurate with her information concerning it and how it occurred with Jean-René Sigault and Madame Souchot. There were no errors in her research, verification is sited below.
Bibliography:
Dumont, M. "The long and difficult birth of symphysiotomy or from Severin Pineau to Jean-Rene Sigault." U.S. National Library of Medicine . N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar 2011.
Monday, March 14, 2011
HW #38
Birth,
By Tina Cassidy
The book is very well organized. It consists of a smooth flow of personal stories as well as factual information that is relevant to the stories. The author supports her ideas with both stories and factual information.
How has birth evolved from the past to today? Are these changes good or bad for birth? I feel that this is a very interesting argument. There are aspects that support that modern day technology is both good and bad. Cesarean sections, although controversial, seem to be a helpful thing in my eyes. They keep babies alive in several cases. Looking at the movie “Business of Being Born” there are cases where the doctor actually puts the baby in unnecessary danger while midwifes may avoid this danger in some cases. Midwives are generally seen as old ways to handle birth while doctors are generally seen as new.
Different cultures handle birth differently. Old fashioned people refer to midwives, often with the desire of a more natural birth. Doctors very seldom perform these births. This is interesting because it is still unsure to me which is actually better, in a neutral situation. Can a baby survive a natural birth while experiencing difficulties during birth?
1. “Babies born late at night have a 16 percent greater chance of dying than babies born between 7:00a.m. and 7:00p.m” (Cassidy, 14)
2. “A 1992 study looked at seventeen hundred women attended by midwifes… home births were found to be ‘as safe as’ the hospital ones”
3. Birth is a major part of life and the majority of us plan to participate in it in some way, so we should be well informed about it
4. It is wise to be knowledgeable of other ways to approach the birth process, maybe ways of other cultures. This will further help us be certain that we are handling it the way we want to and are not forced into a certain type of birth
5. Having family, or some type of assistance is always helpful, even with cultures (like the Igbo tribe, page 11) who prefer the mother to have somewhat solitude.
The author uses evidence in both stories and facts/statistics. I find the blend very interesting and a good writing style. This style keeps the reader more interested than other books than consist of mostly facts. This may sometimes cause the book to be a bit of a drag and allow the reader to lose interest slowly. Having stories mixed in with the facts will likely, for most readers
By Tina Cassidy
The book is very well organized. It consists of a smooth flow of personal stories as well as factual information that is relevant to the stories. The author supports her ideas with both stories and factual information.
How has birth evolved from the past to today? Are these changes good or bad for birth? I feel that this is a very interesting argument. There are aspects that support that modern day technology is both good and bad. Cesarean sections, although controversial, seem to be a helpful thing in my eyes. They keep babies alive in several cases. Looking at the movie “Business of Being Born” there are cases where the doctor actually puts the baby in unnecessary danger while midwifes may avoid this danger in some cases. Midwives are generally seen as old ways to handle birth while doctors are generally seen as new.
Different cultures handle birth differently. Old fashioned people refer to midwives, often with the desire of a more natural birth. Doctors very seldom perform these births. This is interesting because it is still unsure to me which is actually better, in a neutral situation. Can a baby survive a natural birth while experiencing difficulties during birth?
1. “Babies born late at night have a 16 percent greater chance of dying than babies born between 7:00a.m. and 7:00p.m” (Cassidy, 14)
2. “A 1992 study looked at seventeen hundred women attended by midwifes… home births were found to be ‘as safe as’ the hospital ones”
3. Birth is a major part of life and the majority of us plan to participate in it in some way, so we should be well informed about it
4. It is wise to be knowledgeable of other ways to approach the birth process, maybe ways of other cultures. This will further help us be certain that we are handling it the way we want to and are not forced into a certain type of birth
5. Having family, or some type of assistance is always helpful, even with cultures (like the Igbo tribe, page 11) who prefer the mother to have somewhat solitude.
The author uses evidence in both stories and facts/statistics. I find the blend very interesting and a good writing style. This style keeps the reader more interested than other books than consist of mostly facts. This may sometimes cause the book to be a bit of a drag and allow the reader to lose interest slowly. Having stories mixed in with the facts will likely, for most readers
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
HW 37 Birth Stories Comments
To Max-
I think your post illustrated decent effort, being that I was kept interested since it was very personal. It is nice that you did not mind saying who you interviewed, making it easier for me to make connections since they were relatives of yours. To me the most insightful part was " It was scary for her because there was a problem with the birth process that she preferred i did not talk about but she did say I could say it was a life or death situation. In these type of situations i think that sometimes it might not be worth if if you go through that whole process and in the process your most prized thing in life dies. It is not worth going through all the painful memories." I wonder why your aunt did not want to discuss the matter if all ended well, which leads me to inquire further about whether it did end well or not. I also agree with your doubt in questioning if the whole thing is worth it, however, I believe it is because if you don't give it a try you will never know how it could have been. This is especially true if it is "your most prized thing in life" since you will be missing out on the possibility of having this thing.
Something that you can improve is to dig deeper in your other stories as you did with your last. Your reaction made that story much more interesting. Also it would be helpful to type in word and copy and paste into the blog to avoid any grammatical errors that could easily be avoided.
To Larche-
Your style of writting was graceful, particularly in the way that you began each chunk. Begining with one word to sum up your interviewee's feelings gave me a sense that you were truly interested in what they had to say and made me interested in what other things the person may have to say. The most insightful part to me was "She also had a lot of doubt through out the pregnancy , wondering if she would be a good mother or if the baby would be healthy." To me, this is not a feeling that would dominate my thought if I was in that situation, i may be fearful of the future however I would be optimistic. I would look forward to the future and try to find ways to make the whole process easier, rather than adding stress that can be avoided.
To Jay-
Your post was very well written. I like the way you began with the first person, summing up her feelings right away. This was a vague yet elegant introduction into the rest of the blog. The most insightful part to me was "
A father's place in birth is often undermined and their emotions aren't often taken into consideration. It may be possible that the father is more scared than the mother, because he thinks more solidly because he doesn't have the physicality of the birth to affect his feelings." I feel like this is a very true statement because all of the attention is on the mother. While this is appropriate, it seems as if fathers are not always given enough credit for there roles in the entire process from dealing with the mother and their mood swings and "cravings" to holding their hand in the delivery room in most cases. Mothers tend to be very dependent on their husbands and their role is significant to both the mother and the child, therefor i think they deserve more credit.
I think one way that you can improve your posts would be to try to make the later summaries of the interviewees as interesting as the first. Your engaging style of writing was not consistent in the last story and maintaining that consistency will make your blogs much more interesting altogether.
From Jay-
Your post was very detailed and actually interested me, when you actually do your posts they're really good. Quality work, Medium. A part i liked was; "Generally women, especially pregnant women, tend to be moody. Had her husband not been there to satisfy her needs when possible, then she would have likely been more angry and more often." While comedic, this was also interesting it brings up questions about the reliability that the mother has on the father and who single mothers have to lean on.
From Rali200 (Dad)-
Having just gone through a pregnancy and birth with my wife, my feelings and memories of it are still very fresh. Our son is now just over one week old, and after witnessing what my wife endured from day one to birth, I have a new found respect for what women go through during this period. Not that I didn't before, but there's nothing like witnessing it first hand. I guess I wouldn't use the word "easier" to describe the process for a pregnant woman when having the support of her husband and/or family, but more comforting to know she has someone there to help and depend on. As for this line, "It seems to just be an excuse to spoil the woman, and of course she takes advantage"; when and if you have a child in the future and see the woman you love in that much discomfort, knowing that one chocolate covered pickle will put a smile on her face...I'm sure you'll be out there at 2am with the rest of them :-).
From Larche-
It seems that you really tried to make sense of the feelings and actions of your interviewees during their pregnancy experience that gave you an understanding of their situation and sparked some thought.When referring to a pregnant woman's cravings I liked the line "It seems to just be an excuse to spoil the woman, and of course she takes advantage." Which goes back to the idea of treating women as sacred and precious by attending to their needs and spoiling them due to the pregnancy.
From Max-
Your post was very interesting to me. I really felt like you understood the struggles that your interviewees were going through and like you actually wanted to interview them. I think your most insightful lines were, "It made me gain weight, obviously, and I became depressed. I have always been someone that cares a lot about my appearance and with this weight and appearance I had very low self esteem, even though I knew it was baby weight."
I think your post illustrated decent effort, being that I was kept interested since it was very personal. It is nice that you did not mind saying who you interviewed, making it easier for me to make connections since they were relatives of yours. To me the most insightful part was " It was scary for her because there was a problem with the birth process that she preferred i did not talk about but she did say I could say it was a life or death situation. In these type of situations i think that sometimes it might not be worth if if you go through that whole process and in the process your most prized thing in life dies. It is not worth going through all the painful memories." I wonder why your aunt did not want to discuss the matter if all ended well, which leads me to inquire further about whether it did end well or not. I also agree with your doubt in questioning if the whole thing is worth it, however, I believe it is because if you don't give it a try you will never know how it could have been. This is especially true if it is "your most prized thing in life" since you will be missing out on the possibility of having this thing.
Something that you can improve is to dig deeper in your other stories as you did with your last. Your reaction made that story much more interesting. Also it would be helpful to type in word and copy and paste into the blog to avoid any grammatical errors that could easily be avoided.
To Larche-
Your style of writting was graceful, particularly in the way that you began each chunk. Begining with one word to sum up your interviewee's feelings gave me a sense that you were truly interested in what they had to say and made me interested in what other things the person may have to say. The most insightful part to me was "She also had a lot of doubt through out the pregnancy , wondering if she would be a good mother or if the baby would be healthy." To me, this is not a feeling that would dominate my thought if I was in that situation, i may be fearful of the future however I would be optimistic. I would look forward to the future and try to find ways to make the whole process easier, rather than adding stress that can be avoided.
To Jay-
Your post was very well written. I like the way you began with the first person, summing up her feelings right away. This was a vague yet elegant introduction into the rest of the blog. The most insightful part to me was "
A father's place in birth is often undermined and their emotions aren't often taken into consideration. It may be possible that the father is more scared than the mother, because he thinks more solidly because he doesn't have the physicality of the birth to affect his feelings." I feel like this is a very true statement because all of the attention is on the mother. While this is appropriate, it seems as if fathers are not always given enough credit for there roles in the entire process from dealing with the mother and their mood swings and "cravings" to holding their hand in the delivery room in most cases. Mothers tend to be very dependent on their husbands and their role is significant to both the mother and the child, therefor i think they deserve more credit.
I think one way that you can improve your posts would be to try to make the later summaries of the interviewees as interesting as the first. Your engaging style of writing was not consistent in the last story and maintaining that consistency will make your blogs much more interesting altogether.
From Jay-
Your post was very detailed and actually interested me, when you actually do your posts they're really good. Quality work, Medium. A part i liked was; "Generally women, especially pregnant women, tend to be moody. Had her husband not been there to satisfy her needs when possible, then she would have likely been more angry and more often." While comedic, this was also interesting it brings up questions about the reliability that the mother has on the father and who single mothers have to lean on.
From Rali200 (Dad)-
Having just gone through a pregnancy and birth with my wife, my feelings and memories of it are still very fresh. Our son is now just over one week old, and after witnessing what my wife endured from day one to birth, I have a new found respect for what women go through during this period. Not that I didn't before, but there's nothing like witnessing it first hand. I guess I wouldn't use the word "easier" to describe the process for a pregnant woman when having the support of her husband and/or family, but more comforting to know she has someone there to help and depend on. As for this line, "It seems to just be an excuse to spoil the woman, and of course she takes advantage"; when and if you have a child in the future and see the woman you love in that much discomfort, knowing that one chocolate covered pickle will put a smile on her face...I'm sure you'll be out there at 2am with the rest of them :-).
From Larche-
It seems that you really tried to make sense of the feelings and actions of your interviewees during their pregnancy experience that gave you an understanding of their situation and sparked some thought.When referring to a pregnant woman's cravings I liked the line "It seems to just be an excuse to spoil the woman, and of course she takes advantage." Which goes back to the idea of treating women as sacred and precious by attending to their needs and spoiling them due to the pregnancy.
From Max-
Your post was very interesting to me. I really felt like you understood the struggles that your interviewees were going through and like you actually wanted to interview them. I think your most insightful lines were, "It made me gain weight, obviously, and I became depressed. I have always been someone that cares a lot about my appearance and with this weight and appearance I had very low self esteem, even though I knew it was baby weight."
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