I was reading my news feed page on facebook just a minute ago, you know, just to see what's up with people and that. Then i read the status of an ex-coworker and what people had commented on it and i immediately felt outraged.
I don't tend to judge people minds or decisions, i actually consider myself pretty tolerant and respectful, but there's a situation happening right now in Mexico that just pisses me off. So this is not about individuals but a growing culture of stupidity and ignorance in my country.
My contact on facebook, which is a girl, listed a couple of private hospitals in Monterrey, Mexico, asking her friends which one they recommended for the delivery of her baby. There were a lot of comments, all made by women telling her their experiences and opinions. What really bugged me (and believe me, i knew what was coming because this situation has been going on for a little while now) was the fact that besides rating the doctors, nurses, rooms, service and neonatal care, almost every comment rated the operating room of every hospital. Does this already sound weird to you?
If not, maybe is because you're from Mexico as well and see this as normal as i used to see it (before i was "forced" by the canadian health system to have my baby the "natural way").
Right now, Mexico occupies one of the top spots of c-section rates in the world with 38% of the births. Monterrey, Mexico, the city where i went to college, was called on this
page, the c-section capital of the W-O-R-L-D, with 50% of the births being by c-sction. And in the private hospitals of the city, an astonishing 73% of the births are performed by this method.
No, women are not suffering from preeclampsia , or gestational diabetes, they are just choosing to have it that way.
I believe every woman who carries a baby on her womb for all those months, taking care of herself and her unborn child is a great mom, no matter the way she decided to bring that child into this world. And thank god we have the right to choose!
But when you make this decision because of lack of information, or because your shaddy doctor make you believe your baby was in danger and he "needed" to get you to the operating room immediately, or you were just too afraid (As i sure was too, terrified!), or nobody explained you what was exactly all this childbirth thing about (Oh believe me that case sure does happen in Mexico) or the private hospital just sold you the idea, or just because the doctor doesn't want to receive unexpected calls in the middle of the night and also wants to make more money out of it, hmm there's when i get a bit frustrated and just can't help myself but have an opinion out of it! .
I wish i could tell all the pregos in Mexico that they should take the time and interest to make their reseach and be informed before making this decision.
It is also sad and frustrating the way many, many women see childbirth. Like, in Mexico you have to have this baby at the most expensive hospital you can afford so people will see how prosperous you are. And if all you're friends are having the baby in X hospital because is the trend right now, how come you're not having baby there too? I called it the need to show and it's not cool. And unfortunately it's a freaking disease rooted deeply on the latinamerican mind.
Listen to me pregos! a baby is a precious thing, much more important than all that bullshit! It does not matter where you have him as long as the people helping you are well prepared, you and your partner are prepared and informed and ready to love this new human being unconditionally.
Your bodies are meant for this, you can do it. And be informed of what is going on inside you during the pregnancy, read a lot! take prenatal classes, check your options, and stand up for the right every woman has of being able to decide how does she wants to have her child, don't let that shaddy doctor put a date on you because he wants more money out of you and his perfect schedule to remain intact.
And please, please don't get me wrong here, it's awesome that c-section exist, how many lives have been saved thanks to this procedure? how many happy babies and moms are in this world that would have been lost or severely traumatized if not for a c-section? I see the importance of it and it's unquestionable. "But saying that, isn't it a shame that so many women are choosing not to experience the incredible process of giving birth the old fashioned way? Aside from the bond that is established between mother and child during this laborious process, there must be physiological, hormonal, and--excuse my metaphysics, but--energetic benefits to the entire process. To just bypass this most natural act, this integral part of our evolution, seems a bit detached to me." Quote from here. Just saying...
