I think this would be
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Want to see a man experience childbirth?
Well, sort of - he gets hooked up to some electrical impulses that simulate something like contractions, and the end result is...interesting.
I think this would beexcellent mandatory torture a valuable experience for all men, don't you?
I think this would be
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
While I completely appreciate the empathy and the sincere attempt to understand, I don't believe that this is anything like labor contractions. If my abdominal muscles were stimulated in such a manner, I'd be whimpering on the floor after a short time, but I've easily and completely naturally birthed two children, 8 lbs and 8 lbs 11 oz respectively.
ReplyDeleteI have birthed 7babies completely naturally. The only difference I feel is we do it and have a prize at the end. He did it for nothing LOL.... Had a great laugh :)
ReplyDeleteAmusing and concerning at the same time. I would hate to think that this is what labor is like for women. Discomfort in childbirth has to do with many factors, including position of the baby and of the mother. The uterus is not the same as the abdominal muscles (my uterus wasn't sore the day after its workout; my abs ARE sore after a workout).
ReplyDeleteI Do think it's interesting to show folks how it's a little bit about endurance, but other than that...
I had a very intense labor with my second daughter. It was only 4 hours long, the first hour started with contractions about 10 minutes apart and 30 seconds long, and by the time that first hour was up, they were down to 5 minutes apart and about 40 seconds apart. I spent 30 minutes in the car on my way to the hospital with contractions about a minute long about 2 minutes apart, and once I got up to my room at the hospital they were almost on top of each other. I had a completely natural birth with a 9 pound 6.8 oz baby girl.
ReplyDeleteI was very dissapointed about how the complications from an epidural were glossed over and trivialized!!
ReplyDeleteIt is really interesting to see this and I am happy that he tested this out. But, I do agree with the other posters about real contractions in the uterus versus simulated ones in the abdominal muscles. Also, many women also experience "back labor"--labor that involves the placement of the baby's head on muscles in the lower back. This pain can be more intense and may also not fully subside when pain medication, including an epidural, is given. So, while this fine doctor did discover that we can take on a lot more pain then given credit for, I don't think he (or any other man) will ever be able to fully understand what we women go through to bring human life into the world.
ReplyDeleteThis may seem unrelated, but I was so happy to hear hynobirthing mentioned. I did hypnobirthing, and it was wonderful, I actually reached the point of cervical exhaustion, and because of hynobirthing, I was able to work through an extra long transition period. Had I been in a hospital, they would have definitely wanted to do a c section, but I was able to complete it naturally. I do think he had issues because he did not really try to employ any pain management techniques. I have to give him credit for attempting to understand lol
ReplyDeleteWell, I do say kudos to him for caring, but I wonder how he would have felt hearing that my contractions START at every 2-3 minutes and that for my first, I had prodromal labor (feels like "real" labor, but isn't, it's just the uterus getting stronger) for 4 weeks, lasting up to 5 hours one one day. However, it really wasn't that big of a deal. Uncomfortable, sure, but not painful unless I did nothing but think about it.
ReplyDeleteMy first labor, ignoring the 4 weeks of prodromal labor, was 22 1/2 hours, no pain meds (and they don't offer gas in the US). My second was 23 1/2 hours, with 7 hours of "transition" (which would more closely approximate what he was feeling, only adding in being out of your freaking mind), so I didn't make it natural :( (and yeah, I wanted to yell about the bonding issues that occur--paralysis? didn't really care so much about that as all the bonding and nursing problems I had thanks to the epidural that facilitated my VBAC.. I would not recommend it to anyone who didn't have an absolute pressing need and had gone through all the natural relief methods first).
I have two friends who've had 3-4 hour labors every time. I have the utmost jealousy of them, lol. Even without it really being pain, it really is tiring!
This is awesome that he did this and got a taste of it, but I agree that it can't be anthing like what we really go through. What about extreme pressure in your back, butt and crotch!!!? What about being nauseous, vomiting, being incredibly thirsty or getting the god-awful huge needle in your back? Blech... the contractions in the muscle are just part of it! :P Men can't ever really know the real deal - OR the reward in the end. I give big props for him taking the time to do it though!
ReplyDelete