Letters to the Editor
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Ummmm....
News Flash: Childbirth is a natural process. It happened majillions of times prior to the advent of the modern US approach to a medically mismanaged childbirth. It will always remain a natural and safe process, no matter how badly we gum up the works with narcotics, sharp knives, and ill-informed people.
Next news flash: Statistics show that home birth is safer by far than a hospital birth as measured by infant mortality. Further the US is not even in the top 20 in the world in expected life span as applied to infants. (Meaning of course that for all our supposed technology we are falling behind third world nations in infant mortality.) I think it follows that if Costa Rica can manage to get more babies through childbirth with non-invasive techniques then perhaps we should at least listen to the alternatives??
Individual people infuse the idea of natural childbirth with the same fervor and intimidation that other individuals use to promote the fear of terrorists. Natural childbirth is not dangerous, in fact statistics show that it is by far the best, safest, and most NATURAL way for a person to enter into the world. Yet if you advocate for this approach in America you are promptly labeled as a risk taking loon.
Evaluating and criticising the implementation of a natural process like childbirth is like invading a sovereign nation for no reason other than that existent in your own head. (They tell me he is bad, thus he must be bad, thus I must accept whatever they are telling me because they say he is bad..)
We may well be the dumbest and most willfully ignorant society yet placed upon this planet, (American Idol for Pete's sake??) and our childbirth methodology is reflective of this fact in so many sad ways. Lest you stone me for being a tree-hugging midwife please know that I am male, conservative, and an otherwise observant person.
Cheers!
dce