susan@vaxwaller.UUCP (Susan Finkelman) (09/18/85)
> :-( > > I've been reading about pregnancy and childbirth for several > months. I have a fair amount of book-knowledge now, but no > people-knowledge. I decided recently that I would like to get > into some kind of a childbirth class (or even beter, an > ongoing discussion group) where I could talk to experienced > people and ask questions. > I am skeptical of the notion that it is POSSIBLE to learn about life in a class. The best information I had about childbirth came from my grandmother who had 3 kids at home with the aid of other women (uncomplicated deliveries didn't require paying a doctor in those days & no one but the very ill went all the way to a neighboring town for a hospital) Ask your grandmother. Ask your mother. Ask your friends who are parents. Volunteer to be a labor coach for someone. (was it Paul who suggested contacting an anti-abortion group? Excellent suggestion. Those women need caring support) > > 2) I want to know how all of you feel about the way we > treat childbirth in America. Is it good that most of > us have never seen a woman go through labor? Is it > good that most of us have never touched a just-born I don't think so, but then I recruited 3 people to be with me in labor and a backup person on standby. I am much more secure when surrounded by my folk, and labor is no time to be anxious about anything but the business at hand. But then I think that our lack of exposure to death is pretty unhealthy, too. Susan Finkelman {zehntel,amd,fortune,resonex,rtech}!varian!susan