I watched that program a few times too (one where the woman was in the tub
was quite good, actually, but quite different too from all the others).
After seeing horror stories like the one you describe below, I stopped
altogether.

We have a version of that show here in Québec, which I also stopped
watching. I would stare in total shock at those women laying on their back
and ask DH: why on earth doesn't she stand or squat? His answer: "She's
under epidural, she CAN'T stand"... Mmmm. There must be truth in that, as
all these births were happening at the hospital and we have a 74% rate of
epidural here.

I watched three episodes where the birth was occuring in a Birth Centre
(mine, once), and those were totally different. I saw women in the tub,
squatting, on an exercise balloon, on all four, etc. Whenever I watch now,
if they are not to give birth in a Birth Centre, I switch to something else!


"Pip" wrote in message
...
Hope this isn't a private conversation but I would quite like to offer my
questions/experiences.

I am in New Zealand and on the Discovery Channel I often watch a program
called "Maternity Ward" made in America. Now this program often leaves me
pondering because of the many many episodes I have watched of the program
I
have only every seen 1 women doing anything other than lying down whilst
trying to give birth.

It has often made me wonder, is this because lying down births are easier
to
film? or is it because the bulk of American women have an epidural during
labour so need to be on their back to be monitored? Or because that's
just
the way American women choose to give birth? (Not trying to label just to
understand)


The most frightening thing I saw was a women whose very large baby got
VERY
stuck in the birth canal. The doctor attending couldn't use forceps due
to
the baby being so wedged so used the ventous (sp?) this nearly gave me a
heart attack as I thought if the force of a women's contractions and her
pushing couldn't shift the baby how could the ventous!? In the end a
nurse
on the women's left side pushed down very hard on the women's leg and hip
to
force the pelvis apart (so they said) a little to allow the baby more
room.
The whole time I was almost screaming at the t.v because I couldn't
understand why they wouldn't put her into a squatting position to get
gravity to help!

From my own personal experience I was very annoyed at the birth of my only
child at 35 weeks, because once labour was fully established I was made to
lie flat out as they had to monitor the baby. I was told I couldn't even
labour on my side as it affected the monitor. I ignored them on this
point
and decided if I couldn't give birth squatting as I wanted then I would at
least do it on my side. So with the help of my DH and Mother moved myself
onto my side and re-arranged the foetal monitor) (This helped labour
greatly being on my side as my daughter was back to back which caused me a
great amount of pain)

About 10 minutes before my DD was delivered they manually shifted me to my
back (without asking) as they said it would aid in bearing down. My
daughter was born weighing 4lb 12oz and I tore pushing her out!!! God
help
me had my baby been of a normal gestational age and size as I'm sure I
would
have been in real trouble. My whole birth plan had been to stay very
active
during labour and let my body tell me the best way to help the baby out.
Shame it didn't turn out as I planned.

Thanks for letting me put in my input.

Pip