HW 38 - Insights from pregnancy & birth book - part 1

First 100 Pages

Author of Born in the USA Marden Wagner, organizes the book in a strategic way to get his point across to an audience that isn’t that knowledgeable about the maternity care system. At the very beginning of the book he provides the readers with a preface, explaining his background, experiences and motives in the book. Than furthering it with birth stories that show exactly what point he is trying to give off. Marden Wagner tries to "blow" the caution whistle as he says to answer and show,

How an American Maternity Care System that is putting woman and babies, the most vulnerable members of society, at risk?

From the first pages of the text i found myself engaged, the author placing me the reader as an observer in maternity stories. He shows the injustices in the way nurses and doctors treat the patients when their giving birth. Not giving them the constitutional rights, by asserting and giving them what they ask for but instead inducing them with numerous medications that puts them at risk. A maternity care system that rushes a beautiful experience and makes it a painful and unjust one. when reading this i find myself nodding "yes", because i myself see the way doctors and nurses go about their jobs as if their working for the MTA. Doctors have the most important jobs, that is why their paid so much, but they follow a procedure for their patient who is giving birth as if it were their own. Giving unnecessary drugs and surgery’s such as Episiotomy, Vacuum to suck a baby out of the women. Rushing the birth and its contractions. Lastly giving C-sections that also have seen to me beneficial to the doctor more than the patient. The procedure statistically increasing over the years which statistically have been rising over the years.

Important issues that must be taken into consideration when two life’s are in jeopardy are an agreement before the whole process of childbearing occurs. The medication that is provided. Consent with their family members. Procedures that are agreed upon by patient and family but also one that isn’t induced with inappropriate medications and drugs. Also, how great is it to have a man tell you exactly how things are going to go? A woman who possesses knowledge and confidence in the filed should be talked about. Men can never be feminist and not know exactly what it takes to give birth to another human being.

I find the Marsden Wagner’s arguments very valid and reliable because there is no difficulty in me reading this. I mean that this isn’t a fictional book from an English class; it’s a book on birth. Birth comes with many matters, medication which includes drugs that he clearly explains why their used or shouldn’t be used. Clearly provides the reader with little notes that won’t have them left behind because of the lack of knowledge that he himself has gained because of years as a medical student, public health specialist and work in a hospital. To tackle something as controversial and complicated as birth, especially with a book, Marsden Wagner does a great job because of his previous work.

Book Idea

If i were to make my own book it would have a layout that is similar to Marsden Wagner’s Born In the USA. I would start the book off with a couple pages on why i chose to write this book and my background on the topic of birth. I would first bring about a story of a natural birth, than a non- organic birth process that occurs in the hospital. But i would put forward a birth story that occurred in the hospital that the mother felt was unpleasant and one that another felt satisfied.

EQ: What is the happiest, personal and independent way you would want to give birth in the United States?

“Generally speaking, most of us would prefer not to have a surgeon taking charge during a normal life event"(pg.21)

Thesis: A birth that is under the control of the individual giving birth rather than the doctor, who isn’t for being a nurturer but a professional "helper", is a birth that is much more independent and pleasant in the United States.

"Hospitals have their own brand of omerta"(pg.23)

“Although many women might be willing to take risks with their own bodies for pain relief, very few women are willing to put their babies at risk"(pg.55)

Points: Medical, natural, physical, psychological and laws that come with an organic or fixed birth process. These points would be explained through anecdotal, statistical and logical evidence. With doctors, nurses, patients and family’s members point of view. Also an alternative point of view coming from someone who gave birth out of the United States.