For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for January 03, 2020

By “modern age” THEN, it was the the 1980s(?). (As my older brother and I were born in the approximate mid-80s, I think our mother — bless her soul — didn’t have this options as she delivered us in a hospital bed.)

Really, Connie? My boys were born in the early 1990s and I did not have any choices – I gave birth on the bed the traditional way. Hospitals have their liability issues and don’t allow women to choose how they want to give birth – the bed is the only safest place as far as they are concerned. The only choice I was given was whether I want natural childbirth or be given drugs. My husband was in the room with me which was not allowed in the earlier times. I took birth classes which were not offered in the earlier times either and my husband went with me. Now, if the women want choices in how to give birth, they need to go to the birthing centers where the midwives are or do it at home – both at their own risks because midwives are not certified to practice medicine – only in assisting births so I would say the birthing center is safer than at home because if something goes wrong, they can call an ambulance immediately and the mother can be moved to the hospital quicker than at home as these centers are usually in building annexes around the hospitals. And then there is the insurance… the majority of insurances don’t cover home or midwife births so the majority of women continue to give birth in hospitals on their backs in beds.

“They even have leeches now! Ellie? Ellie, where are you going?”"

I think she’s making stuff up now!

Adopt. It’s better for all concerned.

Lynn’s Comments:

I was treading some sensitive ground here when I wrote this. Midwifery was still a developing career, and home birth was still being discouraged. Expectant parents were, for the first time, taking control of how and where their babies were going to be born.

It was the mainstream births for my kids, Masha, Salia, and my son (who looks like Trayvon).

We can just beam the baby out of your womb and onto the cradle.

No problem, right Mr. O’Brien?

Wow. Sounds like so many choices make it a lot more complicated. Not complaining, just saying.

My first two were born at the hospital. Then for my third I asked the doctor about choices and he said if I had any questions, he could and would see to it that I had a caesarean! I said never again. I could have died because the hospital was so busy and the doctor wanted to leave early.

My last two were born at home. Not only did I get better care from the midwives, the process was about half what the doctor cost, not counting the cost for the hospital. The home births were faster, easier, and in one case completely painless and I wasn’t left alone afterward to possibly bleed to death with my feet strapped up in the air like I was in the hospital.

We had twins via LeBoyer-Lamaze with a midwife and a birthing pool. Quiet, gentle and the babies (twin ginger girls) did not cry. Did not stop them from being hellraisers later, but it was still a good thing according to my wife.

I didn’t have a choice even if there were some, in the 70’s. We live too far from the nearest hospital to take a chance.

Probably depends more on where you were. I had my daughter in 1997 in Florida, had a mid-wife and delivered at a hospital. The mid-wives’ office was not far from the hospital as well. It was the best experience!

I’m not gonna read all the replies and hope I don’t repeat anybody but midwives have been around a loooong time.

A middle-aged mid-wife from the middle-ages.

With Medicare For All, you get a tub of luke warm dish water and old towels.

Both my babies were in the hospital being delivered by a doctor who was also a family friend. I did have several friends who used birthing centers and their kids came out healthy.

Have you ever tried holding out your hands like in panel two? It’s very awkward and uncomfortable. But every FBOFW character does it! All the time!