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Kind of a bizarre story. I have never, ever, ever, ever heard of anyone being told to stay in bed for three days after delivering. This is what is so dangerous about these home birth/midwife situations. You don't know what they don't know and visa versa. My advice? Next time you decide to get pregnant, seek out a well regarded OBGYN. Buyer beware.
Additionally, in regards to the comment, "you don't know what they don't know:"
I know many regard doctors as some type of all-knowing, all-learned, unquestionable beings, but they are not. Doctors become doctors and then if they fail to keep up with any aspect of new findings in their field they might make a mistake, or maybe they forget a tiny detail from med school,or maybe they're just in it for the money and don't care about their patients. While that is, I believe, rarely the case, it is just as possible as a mechanic not caring if he correctly repairs a car's brakes, not caring that they might go out, causing a fatal car crash. doctors are not the only people who's care (or lack thereof) can directly affect the outcome of potential life and death situations.
I have a family practitioner, and I think he's a great guy. I know of many great doctors, but they are not perfect, and no one knows what they do and don't know, either, so that is not a legitimate buyer beware scenario. Midwives are licensed nurses - they have training to do what they do and they are overseen by a branch of government, the same way that doctors and nurses in hospitals are.
Not only is it offensive to bash them the way you did, your comments about "not ever having heard about the three day rule" (when doctors recommend two weeks), and "not knowing what they do and don't know", make it seem like you have little to know knowledge of the topic at hand, and have done little to no research or reading. So, the natural conclusion is that you are pre-disposed, for unknown reasons, to not trust anyone not wearing a lab coat. This pre-disposal should be examined and tested for veracity, not blindly accepted as truth. Believing something doesn't make it true.
Facts change constantly, truth will always remain the same.
Believe me, I (and all of my sisters and the hundreds of mothers I can think of) would have loved nothing more than for my doctor (or anyone else for that matter) to have told me I needed to stay in bed for three days after delivery. Especially if it wasn't my first baby and there were others to take care of. LOL!
The homebirth and birth center experience is not inherently dangerous. Not, at least, any more so than delivering a tiny baby, with absolutely NO immune system whatsoever, into a building filled with diseased and dying people is dangerous...while wearing a gown that someone died in the day before...washed though, of course. Theoretical in the last part, yes, but otherwise accurate and even the last part is very likely.
Most hospitals tell their new moms to stay in bed for two weeks, actually. Obviously they can go to the bathroom, but they are told to try to keep it to a bare minimum of activity.
It was a bizzare story, and I wonder why stuff like this happens to me. But I don't care about figuring that out...I care about warning other women to not let this or anything like it happen to them as well. It was truly terrifying...no one should have to deal with this ever again.
I am in no way discouraging home births or midwives. But, be careful, interview her and seek other referrals and recommendations. And obviously avoid this particular one. I had my second child with a midwife, Mereinda Fisher at Upstate Birth Center in Greenville SC, and she was just fantastic! She was not overbearing and demanding as both I and my husband felt Sandy was, and she accepted my medecaid without charging me anything, while Sandy required $400 before the due date. Homebirthing and birth centers are not for everyone. But, for an uncomplicated pregnancy, or any extreme circumstance, there's no reason why any woman couldn't pursue it as a healthy alternative. It's low stress, no IV lines placed immediately (no meds unless necessary)...a comfortable, warm environment in which you are encouraged to move, which helps the labor to progress. It's all about learning that your body will do what its supposed to (except for those extreme circumstances) and will do so safer and quicker than any medication can! You learn that labor and birth are not emergencies, so you don't rush to the birthing place and stall your labor with adrenaline! I highly recommend it!
What hospital would this be? I have two kids and they were born in 08 & 09 here in the Charlotte area. I was told not to drive for two weeks but never ever was I told to stay in bed for two weeks or even 3 days or at all. That is unrealistic to be honest.
I know many people that have had kids and never were they told to stay in bed for 3 days or 2 weeks. That's just crazy talk.
Right, Riley? I was up and at 'em within hours of delivering. I think we have ourselves a troll. Or someone who really, really doesn't like Sandy Glenn, whoever she is.
Right, Riley? I was up and at 'em within hours of delivering. I think we have ourselves a troll. Or someone who really, really doesn't like Sandy Glenn, whoever she is.
Yeah, two days after delivering my second child I had 3 overnight guests (they weren't there to help either). I think a troll or someone with wishful thinking.
For giggles I posted this to my mom's board to see if anyone else had the same experience as LisaCP2012 . I've received one response so far saying that's insanity.
The problem isn't that you think I'm a troll, the problem is that I pointed out your ignorance on this topic.
Again, you bashed midwifery because you"d never hear of such a recommendation. Impractical? They said to stay in bed as much as possible, not without exception. Obviously there are things that would need to be done. The issue is, it's not a "buyer-beware-of-midwives" scenario if others doctors or hospitals or organizations recommend the same general principle of rest (be it on a bed, on a couch, or in a chair...anyplace where resting takes place), for the same three day time frame that most midwives recommend, and they do. Some even state a week. Hospitals usually just recommend staying there, in the hospital bed, for the first two to four days, which is the same recommendation, except you"re paying for it.
And please don't try to discredit my story. I filed a DHEC report (DHEC oversees midwives in SC) within a week or two of all this happening, and I have witnesses. Women really do need to know what happened.
Here are just a few examples of the same type of three-seven day statement that I found in less than 15 minutes while holding a baby. Imagine how many someone could find if they spend more time looking and less time calling names.
This one"s my favorite: Physical Recovery After Giving Birth
If your pregnancy and delivery have been normal, you are likely to feel fine by the next day. How long you stay in bed depends on the wishes of your doctor and the policy of the hospital.
ParentFurther Anthem- FamilyEducation.com
For the first couple of days, if at all possible, stay in bed with your baby, nursing as often as possible and getting up only to use the bathroom and to do herbal sitz baths.
The problem isn't that you think I'm a troll, the problem is that I pointed out your ignorance on this topic.
Again, you bashed midwifery because you"d never hear of such a recommendation. Impractical? They said to stay in bed as much as possible, not without exception. Obviously there are things that would need to be done. The issue is, it's not a "buyer-beware-of-midwives" scenario if others doctors or hospitals or organizations recommend the same general principle of rest (be it on a bed, on a couch, or in a chair...anyplace where resting takes place), for the same three day time frame that most midwives recommend, and they do. Some even state a week. Hospitals usually just recommend staying there, in the hospital bed, for the first two to four days, which is the same recommendation, except you"re paying for it.
And please don't try to discredit my story. I filed a DHEC report (DHEC oversees midwives in SC) within a week or two of all this happening, and I have witnesses. Women really do need to know what happened.
Here are just a few examples of the same type of three-seven day statement that I found in less than 15 minutes while holding a baby. Imagine how many someone could find if they spend more time looking and less time calling names.
This one"s my favorite: Physical Recovery After Giving Birth
If your pregnancy and delivery have been normal, you are likely to feel fine by the next day. How long you stay in bed depends on the wishes of your doctor and the policy of the hospital.
ParentFurther Anthem- FamilyEducation.com
For the first couple of days, if at all possible, stay in bed with your baby, nursing as often as possible and getting up only to use the bathroom and to do herbal sitz baths.
This all I'm going to post about this - I went to your first link and I will copy and paste below the entire quote you posted above because you left a little out.
How long you stay in bed depends on the wishes of your doctor and the policy of the hospital. You may be up for a while the first day. Although you may be out of bed soon after delivery, it is best not to try to hurry your recovery at this point, even though you are naturally wondering about what is happening at home.
They actually mean in the quote above while you are at the hospital and not at home.
Oh, I should also add that I asked a board of about 120 moms this question to see if any of them were told to stay in bed for 3 days or 2weeks. So far out of 5 responses not one has said that they were told this. This a very diverse group of women. They have delivered in hospitals, birthing centers and some at home.
Kind of a bizarre story. I have never, ever, ever, ever heard of anyone being told to stay in bed for three days after delivering. This is what is so dangerous about these home birth/midwife situations. You don't know what they don't know and visa versa. My advice? Next time you decide to get pregnant, seek out a well regarded OBGYN. Buyer beware.
Lest we forget: You issued a buyer beware statement against midwifery in general because of a specific "two week/three day comment that Sandy made, claiming, "You don't know what they don't know". First, she is not a good example of midwifery and her poor behavior doesn't discredit other midwives, in general. Second, in regards to three days in bed, the comment was, as I clarified in my last post, to stay in bed as much as possible. Third, you ignored all my comments about the fallacies in saying, "You don't know what they don't know" as a warning against midwives since doctors are just as prone to error as anyone else and midwives are trained nurses overseen by DHEC.
So, all I have set about to prove is that your "buyer beware" was issued in ignorance of the facts. MANY healthcare facilities, organizations and doctors make the same "bed rest as much as possible" recommendation, phrased many different ways as seen in my previous post.
Now, I am finished. If you argue against fact, you only make yourself look silly. I replied to your accusations because I want other people to know that what they read, really happened, so they can make an informed decision for themselves.
"So, all I have set about to prove is that your "buyer beware" was issued in ignorance of the facts. MANY healthcare facilities, organizations and doctors make the same "bed rest as much as possible" recommendation, phrased many different ways as seen in my previous post."
No, bed rest for two weeks is not the same as rest as much as possible in the first weeks. In the 50s women were confined for that length of time, but not any more, at least since the 70s when I was in nursing school.
Also, if anyone is considering using the services of a midwife, it would be wise to check credentials for graduation from a CCNE accredited college of nursing and an accredited graduate program in nurse
midwifery and certification as such. You can google the American College of Nurse Midwives and get a great deal of info.
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