I've been in OB now for 6 weeks, and ...

I was pretty appalled by the births I've had a chance to witness at Antelope Valley Hospital. I don't know enough to criticize, but ... well, I will anyway, because I was so disappointed with what I saw.

What ever happened to natural childbirth? Or at least a semblance of it? Maybe it's just the AV, I don't know. I was really surprised that babies were kept laying in warmers for no discernible reason for half an hour after birth with no attempt to let their moms hold them; one mom was sent off for a c-section after the nurse was not helpful at all during her labor, when a little support could have meant a vaginal birth for her; pitocin and epidurals are practically universal unless the mom REALLY insists she doesn't want them.

It was a happy relief to watch the documentary "The Business of Being Born," which contrary to how the title makes it sound is all about the benefits of a natural, often at-home, birth. I highly recommend it.

I am now even more grateful than before for the great birth experiences I had back in the '80's, and am sad for these new moms today who have no idea what they're missing.

A little cap nostalgia

Doing a little research on the history of nurses' caps and I came across this very nice Canadian site on the topic: "Symbol of a Profession: One Hundred Years of Nurses' Caps."

I know not too many people agree with me, but I miss the caps. I'll never even get to wear one, but I miss them, and wish I'd gotten to. They and the old uniform are symbols of how nursing used to be, and that's changed a lot. Nurses have more autonomy now, and more power, and hopefully are more help to their patients.

But I think that old uniform gave patients a good feeling. Like, ah, here's someone who knows what they're doing! This person will help me feel better. And now nurses come into a patient's room, and what is the patient thinking? Probably something like Oh, another person in scrubs. I wonder who they are and what they know and what they're gonna do?

To my mind scrubs just don't give that feeling of capability and authority that the old nursing uniform and cap did. Okay, if you're thinking about Nurse Ratched, maybe that's a good thing. :\