I would like to talk about the birth of my daughter. On
November 16, 1998 I started having contractions about 12:00 pm. I didn’t go to the
hospital until 9:00 p.m. that night. My contractions were different at times
some where stronger then others. They started me on some fluids and put me in a
bed. My contractions started to come faster and faster after I got in the bed. I
was excited. It started hurting when the baby started to push down. After five hours
of labor I delivered a healthy baby girl.
My
doctor was great.
I have learned that our birthing experiences are completely
different. It
is customary for delivery to occur with the woman squatting on the ground
surrounded by sisters and female relatives, some of whom function as midwives.
Midwives get paid only if delivery is successful. A stool is also often used in
childbirth. The name given to a child in the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria has to
refer to the circumstances of the individual's birth. The contact with the earth
as in the squatting position has religious overtones it indicates the fecundity
of the earth, and the mother's contact with it. Infertility is considered the
greatest tragedy in traditional African society. The burial of the placenta and
umbilical cord is thought to restore the woman's fertility and help heal her
womb. This practice was even recorded in 19th century Sweden harkening back to
heathen times. After reading about other countries
and their birthing experience I have realized that I am a blessed individual.
Reference: (.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6558064)
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