Childbirth in Your Life and Around the World

My Birth:
         Okay, since I have not been given the blessing of going through childbirth yet I will tell you the account of when I was born.  I was always asking my mother to tell me the story of how I was born.   My mother said that she had a great meal of steak, bake potatoes, and salad at a great local restaurant called Harvey's.  Later, she went to play Atari, and started not to feel well.  My mother felt little twinges of pain while playing the Atari.  My mother did not think much of this because she did not feel well most of the time while she was pregnant with me.  After playing the Atari with some of the younger family friends, my mother went home and got sick!  My mother told me she will never forgive me for making her lose such a perfect supper.  An hour later the pain became more intense.  She realized contractions were beginning.  Now, both my grandmothers happened to be at the house, so one grandmother drove to the hospital while the other played backseat driver.  My Mama Net almost ran over the Magnolia tree that my mother had just planted!  We they got to the hospital they had to break my mother's water.  Mom said when they did that things REALLY PROGRESSED!  I was breech, but not a breech where it was life threatening.  I was in fetal position on my back, and the doctor just had to flip me over before I came out at 1:45 am.  I guess I could not do things the easy way!

Births in France:
       Births in France are interesting!  First, each mother to be is required to examined by a OB/GYN.  They are also given a book that records each appointment.  This helps medical staff stay informed of the pregnancy, and it also provides documentation for adminstration.
       In France, women are encouraged to make reservations for their labor and delivery way in advance.  I also found it interesting that midwives deal with most of the child birth process in European countries.  Women are allow to stay 3 days in the hospital after the baby is born, where as, in the U.S women only get to stay two days.
      Finally, home births are not popular in France.  It is due to the legal implications that could happen.  If the mother does decide on a home birth the parents most sign a weaver to have the proper medical support there with them.
       Women in France get 16 weeks medical leave, and if they have three children they receive 26 weeks medical leave!  I found that interesting considering women in the US only get 6 weeks.

Reflection:
      I find that in European countries women are given more time to bond and get into the groove of motherhood.  I find if women in the U.S. were given this chance the demands of having a child would be a little easier, and postpartum depression would be easier to deal with.