The documentary that we watching in class was definitely an eye opener to say the least. Perhaps it's just because I'm a male or maybe it's because I've yet to experience the stress of a pregnancy on a couple, but I think it's astonishing that I would have never even considered an in-home birth until after watching the film. There aren't enough mediums through which the benefits of midwifery and in-home birthing are portrayed. I think that our country is so dependent on the medical system that we feel that it is the best way to seek advice and aid and often overlook other options due to ignorance and fear of the unknown.
I also believe that the argument that birthing has been turned into a business by hospitals could be made to almost any medical condition. The purpose of hospitals is to help the sick, but they rely on income to function. Salaries have to be paid and supplies bought and governmental funding can't cover it all. Just like any other factory, I'm sure that hospitals are focused on efficiency. They are also probably less inclined to think about quality of work because they know that the sick feel the need to rely on them and that their options among hospitals in a city, especially one like Buffalo, are slim.
-Ryan Chilelli
Ryan I agree your points about the business portion of hospitals. While it is an emotional and physical heavy moment for the mother, the unfortunate truth is that a hospital is full of other people in need. Mid-wives provide the individualized treatment that hospitals simply cannot afford. But since we live in a world of money and big business, insurance companies are reluctant to cover mid-wives over the hospital. (They are often very reluctant to cover many hospital procedures as it is.) Although hospitals tend to run as efficient as possible, let us not forget that are still a very safe place.
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