I was watching an interesting show last night on Discovery Channel about women's issues/birthing in various countries. They taped the labor and delivery of women in a number of different countries, Ireland, UK, Africa, Russia, Middle East, India, etc.
I thought it was interesting to observe what I guess are the "cultural" differences in how the women and newborns were treated by the nursing staff and in post labor care. ie. in Russia the doctors and nurses are more like "coaches" and the spouse is rarely ever in the delivery room. In Africa it was just one nurse with the patient, no family etc. and the nurse was a little tough on the woman, "no crying, no playing around" etc. In Ireland the mother gets a quick glance and they take the child to be cleaned up and then the baby is presented to the mother again to be held.
Also, because it was Mother's Day weekend there was a whole weekend of "Maternity Ward" and I got to see how it works here in America. ( I don't have any children of my own yet.)
I guess I was wondering what do you do with the newborn immediately after the birth? Do you give the mother and father a quick glance and then get it cleaned up and swaddled and then present it to the mother? In Russia they immediately took the child after birth and even before cutting the cord, put it to the mothers breast and the staff called it the "American Method". But judging by the episodes of "Maternity Ward" it seems that in America the staff takes the child and assess, cleans up, etc. and then gives to the parents.
I was just wondering what it's like where you work if in the US there are regional differences or personal preferences of the staff.
Also, I couldn't help but feel how lucky women in America are with all of our "birthing centers" "Private Labor rooms" etc. Seeing the hospitals, etc. in other countries we truly are lucky to have the resources and technology that many other countries do not.
