PREGNANCY AND BIRTH

Sections …..

• How to Survive the First Trimester of Pregnancy
• Birth Choices (Hospital, Home, or Birth Center?)
• Considerations for Hospital Birth
• Questions for Midwives (or other Birth Attendants)
• Supplies for Home Birth
• Labor Guide
• Emergency Childbirth
• Coping with “Back” Labor **Will be available soon**
• Induced Labors and Cesarean Births
• Postpartum Care (What to Expect After the Baby is Born)

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MATERNAL INSTINCTS in HUMAN MOTHERS

I recall a friend once stating that human mothers do not have maternal instincts the way animals do. I don’t agree with that, but it got me to thinking. Do any one of the following things to a mother animal and she will likely reject her young:

– While in labor, take her away to a place with unfamiliar surroundings.
– Force her to give birth in an uncomfortable and unnatural position.
– Anesthetize her while giving birth so that she cannot feel anything or is unaware of giving birth.
– Take her baby away from her so that she cannot see or hold it right away.
– Return the baby to her some time after giving birth, but all bundled up so that only its head is visible.
– Make sure the baby is washed and cleaned up after birth, thus depriving her of the baby’s natural scent.
– Injure the baby by damaging or amputating part of his/her body.
– Dry up the mother’s milk so she cannot lactate. Have the baby fed some other animal’s milk or other substance from a bottle.
– Require her baby to sleep in a separate bed, away from the mother.

Hmm? And we wonder why we think human mothers lack natural instincts. – R.R.