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CHILDBIRTH ALTERNATIVES
The Choice
Should Be Yours
D
AVID
and Pam chose
natura l childbirth at
home for the delivery
of their second ch ild.
The
rate of
children delivered
outside of hospitals in America
has increased each year by 30
percent between 1975 and 1980
alone, according to the U .S.
National Center for Health Sta–
tistics.
Thc number of parents wanting
more control over how their babies
by
Shei la Graham
for the delivery of their child.
David learned with his wife the
husband-coached method of natu–
ral childbirth.
Pam spent the next six and a half
hours of her labor.
Pam was attended by Elaine, a
certified nurse-midwife, and her
aide, in David and Pam's Southern
Cal ifornia residence. A backup
physician was available.
Elaine, ciad in surgical greens,
herself the mother of a 6-year-old
and a 1-year-old, checked the
baby's heartbeat and Pam 's prog–
ress throughout the night, as con–
traclions intensified. David, whis–
pering encouragements to his wife,
cooling her face and arms with a
damp cloth, st raighten ing her pale
blue nightgown, rested with her in
the subdued light during respites
between contractions.
After Pam went into labor about
8 p.m., February 1O, the nurse–
midwife was called. $ince the cou–
ple's bedroom was small, a single
bed was set up in the famil y living
room.
At 2:26 a.m., February 11, with–
out forceps or drugs, the couplc's
second son, Ryan David, is born.
Jmmediately, an exhi larated Pam is
handed the fruit of her labor to
examine and admire.
After preliminary preparation of
the baby by E la ine, David is
handed the surgical scissors to e u
t
the infant's umbilical cord. The
baby begins to nurse at his moth–
er's breast. The couple's first son,
Aaron , a by-now wide-awake 2-
year-old, joins his father and moth–
er to greet his new brother.
After Aaron is returned to his
bed, David g ives his new son his first
bath , supporting litt le Ryan as he
t
floats contented ly in the warm
i
water, his eyes wide and alert. T he
~
baby is dried, diapered and wrapped
a
in a receiving blanket before being
"' returned to his mother to be nursed.
~
;s
Ajoyful conclusion toan unforgetta-
~
ble set of events experienced by this
Choosing na tural cbildbirtb allows David and Pam to spend tbe long hours of labor
togetber in tbe privacy of tbeir own borne.
family, and the author.
N ot every couple would, or
should, choose home delivery. Pam
had already had an uncomplicated
natural delivery with their first
child. H er second pregnancy was
also low risk. But home delivery is
an option expectant parents are tak-
will be born continues to grow in
spite of pressure from the medica!
community.
David and Pam, in their mid-20s
and college educated, prepared well
22
Pam lay or sat on the bed, with
her husband rubbing her back, or
arranging pillows as she changed
positions for comfort. Here, in her
own familiar home surroundings,
The PLAIN TRUTH