MY RIGHTS

I find myself the past week or so completely overwhelmed. we have dropped into double digits for her arrival. today marks 95 days to go. i still have moments where i can't believe that this is really happening. we have been so very blessed, not only with precious eden, but with the abundance of family and friends who are also so anxious for her arrival.

i feel the need to preface this with a statement:

these are my true and honest thoughts and feelings.

we are in our last week of childbirth classes. on thursday we have our last class and a "baby jeopardy" game with the grand prize of a baby basket! while i am excited (and secretly want to kick some serious tail to win!) i am also bombarded with all of the information we have gotten over the past six weeks... (has it really been just six weeks!?)

so many decisions to make... what if we make the wrong choice? what is best for eden? (not everyone else's baby)

last week, we had a lady come into the class for the newborn care and our normal nurse wasn't there. to say i was irritated with this woman, would have been a DRASTIC understatement. call it hormones, but i was livid. I am all open to hearing all sides of issues, but the purpose of this class is to inform... of all the options. NOT just your opinion. while i welcome opinions, make sure you also give the information. our regular nurse/instructor is very good at this and probably why i like her so very much!

one example was when we were going over what happens within the first hour of delivery... she states,"eye prophylaxis is given to the baby. it's a medicated ointment to protect from std's that can be transferred to the baby. its government standard and there's no drawback to it." and moves on to the next thing.. vitamin k shot. WAIT. hold up. your telling me that your going to place an ANTIBIOTIC INTO my newborns eye and that there is NO drawback... sorry, but im not that stupid. while i am sure most babies are fine, you are teaching a class of WHAT TO EXPECT and NEWBORN CARE... so what happens when you give this anti-biotic into a newborn's eyes and the eyes get red and swollen (common SIDE-EFFECT)... and the mom you taught in the class FREAKS out because you didn't even mention that, all you said was "there is no drawback to it"? i am getting more frustrated that people are not given all the information, just what the government "thinks" is necessary. while i am on the fence about vaccines, spacing out, not spacing out, not giving them.... i DO know that i do not have an std, so why should i just hand my child to you to give them "routine" treatment? where are my rights as a mother??

anyways... when the class was near the end, i asked the question, "does the hospital allow you to opt to have your baby in the room with you at all times?"

remember, she is an instructor for this topic, works at the hospital in L&D and nursery, and has just made the statement "how we encourage the parents to be involved as possible."

she responds, "uh... well. i really don't know. you mean like not going to the nursery at all?"

me, "Yes."

her, "well, i guess you could request it. but your going to probably want to send the baby to the nursery so that you can sleep and relax. they will also have to give the baby its bath in the nursery. can i ask is there a reason you want the baby in the room at all times?"

me, "yes. she's my baby and i want her with me at all times."

she looks at me like, oh. and doesn't really know where to go from there. i said, "thank you" and started gathering my stuff.

first, you WORK here and TEACH this class... how in the WORLD do you NOT know if the baby can stay in the room at all times?

all i can tell you is... Eden WILL be in the room with us at ALL times. I know that this is my first child and there are people who are saying to themselves, "oh she just doesn't know yet." no. i am sorry, i want her with me and ryan. period. she is my child and i am told again and again by different hospital staff, doctors, nurses, friends and family that i have rights and to use them.


while i mentioned earlier... vaccines. i feel like i get only one side of the story depending on who i talk to. I just want the facts so we can make the right decision for us. things are different than they were 20 years ago. there are more vaccines out there and more frequently given, not to mention some of the studies coming out regarding vaccines. (and im not just talking about autism.) i find myself researching for the facts and all i get are heavily opinionated sites, forms, and information. please be in prayer for us while we pray and discuss what WE CHOOSE.