Why do people think that birth is an emergency?

Question

Is it because of the media? You know, water breaks, pant pant puff puff, rush to hospital, out pops baby?

Birth is not an emergency. Most of the time it takes a decent stretch of time for a healthy woman to labour and birth her baby. There really shouldn't be any need to rush or panic. Even in cases of precipitous (very fast) birth, I don't think it's an emergency. If it's going fast, it's usually going well, and it happens every day across the world to countless women, with or without medical assistance.

Is it all part of the huge mystery and scare tactics surrounding birth?

Opinions?

Yes, I have given birth.

Yes, I have had a preciptious birth.

No, I never said not to seek medical assistance. Merely that it is not an emergency-huge-rush-panic situation at the onset of labour.
(Accepting of course healthy full term pregnancy)

Answer 1

I don't think it is just the media and movies. I also think doctors have encouraged this as well.

If it was an emergency, why is there no OB around when there is a true emergency? Doctors groups argue that VBAC isn't safe because of the need for a doctor to be there, but think about it. If you need an emergency section, it will take 45 minutes minimum because there isn't even a doctor on the floor. Birth is not that much safer in a hospital than at home and docs are just lucky they have lots of technology and blood. I do not deny that some people have experienced a true emergency, but hey, a woman gave birth in a tree surrounded by flood waters.

Answer 2

I agree that birthing a baby can be an emergency......My first daughter was born at 33 weeks after my membranes ruptured, thankfully with the care of the ICU she was released from hospital 4 weeks later happy and healthy. My 2nd daughter was 4 days over due and was a very quick birth at 1 hour and 42 mins, we live half an hour from the hospital so by the time we arrived there i delivered within half and hour. She was only 5 pound born so yeah i agree that i was awfully glad i was at the hospital and not still in the car on my way!!!! I went into labour with my 3rd daughter at 30 weeks and was air lifted to the nearest special care hospital which was 600 km's away, again definatly an emergency. And now 33 weeks preg with my 4th the blood flow from the placenta through the cord to the baby is low and the Dr is thinking of inducing me next week if my scan on Monday has not improved. Birth is the most intense body altering thing a woman can go through, how do we know if something from the inside is all going according to plan. Yes the movies and T.V always show birth as a quick 3 push process but surely we are all bright enough to know that is not really true, after all most movies go for 2 hours, and t.v programs 1 hour so come on we are not stupid..........

Answer 3

Another issue is how far do you live from the hospital, or if you get stuck in traffic, it can progress quickly and better to be safe than sorry. Granted movies make it more dramatic but they do that about everything not just giving birth. And with my oldest her heart rate was fluctuating so much they had to keep a fetal monitor on her head the whole time I was in labor so they could take her at any time it dipped to low, you just never know. And my youngest had the cord wrapped around her neck 3 times that was something I needed to be at the hospital for so the with or without medical assistance is a poor example, of course medical assistance is the safest way to have a baby so if you rush there you are better off. Also if you wait to long they cannot give you epidurals etc. I for one advise it, I have had one natural and one with an epidural, I would rush just for that epidural LOL.

I also had Toxemia with both my pregnancies so it is for the benefit of the mothers health as well, not just to have the baby.

Answer 4

When you have an eight- pounder shoot out of your body, you are going to look at this question and laugh. It's an emergency! If it's your first time, it can be scary. There is lots of pressure, which causes pain. When your water breaks, it can feel like you are peeing yourself constantly, it's not just a drop of water. You have to remember that every pregnancy is different and you as an outsider don't have the prior or current complication involving the mother or the child. Sometimes doctors don't even know about a severe emergency like the cord being around the baby's neck until they actually get in there.
Child Birth is beautiful, people are very jealous on how well when went without drugs or medication; but they weren't jealous of me almost dying due to blood loss.

Answer 5

I partially believe that there are tactics by doctors but mostly it is fear of the unknown! Usually it isn't the woman panicking it is the man. They woman just simply knows it is time to go to the hospital and the man usually is ok right up until that moment then he panics. I was lucky... my hubby just followed my lead and stayed calm he knew there was no need to panic.

It is always urgent to get to the hospital (if you aren't having an at home planned birth) but for some women it IS an emergency. For me we were able to take our time but it was urgent that we got to the hospital right away because my water had broken and I had no contractions yet. With my second son there wasn't anything big because we were already at the dr's office when we found out that I was in labor.

However with many women it is imperitave that it be taken as an emergency because the baby or mom's or both's life are in danger!

Answer 6

Esspecially for first time moms, in todays world with all the stories of preclamsia and stuff that can seriously go wrong people do tend to panic, My sister was a stay at home mom who didnt live by any family, barely knew her neighbors and had a little girl at home when she was pregnant with number 2. Number one came an 1 1/2 after her water broke, and before her water broke she didnt feel any contrations, she really had no idea she was in labor until she was soaking wet. So she was very worried with her second one that her 4 year old would be catching the baby in the kitchen if she wasnt in the hospital.
In general I think people are so worried because this generation of new parents have heard from their parents about how everything was done in a hospital and how that is just the way to do it. They dont realize that for hundreds of years women would and could birth a child by themselves and that was ok.

Answer 7

Only some-one naive or a child would ask such a Question.
A lot of people have no choice, when you are told to get to hospital at the first sign of pain because you need a C-section, believe me YOU GO! Especially when there is a history of very quick deliveries in your family! Not all of us who can get pregnant are built to give birth without assistance. Birth can be frightening especially for first time parents and you can't predict which will be a quick birth. As there are many things, even now a days with all the pre-natal care that can go wrong, surely it's better to seek the help earlier. yes women can and do give birth every day and yes they do it without medical assistance but the percentage of live births drops and Mothers deaths rise in those communities that can't reach medical help! Not everyone believes the media portrayal of birth, most of us realise that the drama is created, especially when we see friends and family going through it!
Doctors and Nurses tend to work on the principle of 'saving' lives and they are happier to have a patient in too early than too late!
If you are one of the lucky ones who didn't have any problems then be thankful for it, all too many of us have had them!!!!!!

Answer 8

Because a birth CAN be an emergency!!

A birth can go wrong in only a few seconds! There are so many things that can go wrong! Baby can't take the stress, placenta starts to detach, mom can't take the stress, blood pressure goes up, ect!

Yes many women do it without medical assistance, but the problem is that PROBLEMS can STILL happen!!

Also the possiblity of AFTER the baby is born the uterus doens't contract and the mother can bleed to death!

Answer 9

I never listen to other women... the media.. the government (working the nhs from behind ) or anyone .. I live my life .. if other women wish to flap about that is up to them. Women have forgotten a baby will come anyway regardless... I would not even go to hospital ( you may birth at home regardless of anything UK law ...end of....I do not trust the lying cheating government and it's pathetic ways anyway ... where did women run off to before hospital's were invented ??

Answer 10

I think giving birth should always be considered an emergency, after all there are many complications that can occur.

You must remember that even in cases where labour seems to be progressing well complications can occur without a minutes warning.

For example, when my mother went into labour my heartbeat started decreasing rapidly and i nearly died in the womb, and this is not an at all uncommon complication.

For this reason i think all births should be considered emergencies.