It is a pretty well known fact that throughout history and in many parts of the world today, the standard way to give birth to a child is to do so standing up, holding on to something for balance. This way, gravity helps bring the baby out and it is easier on baby and mom. The only reason that Western hospitals have the women lay down is so that the doctor can get a good view and because it allows for the immediate possibility to use forceps or conduct a C-section if neccessary.
I would have expected any doctor to have known this, and instructed Charlie to tell Kate to tell Claire to stand up. It really doesn't make sense not to.
Lastly, and totally unrelated, I though Charlie was a really cute proud papa, even though I normally don't like him at all.
Because
A) She was not instructed to by Jack who is not an obgyn and besides she was having trouble standing.
B) This was the first time for her having a baby and Kate delivering one. Much like the majority of the lostaways not knowing their own blood type is the lack of that type of information dispersed among the general population. People are very influenced by the media hence Charlie knowing he should have water and towels though he may not have a clue what exactly they are used for ,yet not many television programs or films portray women giving birth in that fashion. I WANT MY EPIDURAL
C) The best position is the one you ( the woman giving birth) is comfortable in. The squat is most natural but it might also be squicky for a girl like Claire who finds herself not only giving birth in the middle of a jungle with plenty of creepy crawlers in the grass but also in a panic and filled with self doubts
She did stand for a good bit of her labor. And we have to understand they had two uninitiated women (Kate and Claire) doing this. Somehow, I don't think Jin and Charlie were much help either. Jack was focused on Boone and after Kate left he probably thought of lots of things he should of told her. I find it hard to believe that there wasn't another experienced woman among the redshirts that could have helped. I guess it worked better for the plot for Kate to deliver him. *
I thought it was funny when Claire decided she was going to hold her breath and hold him in.
1. Jack is not an OB/GYN.
2. He had a lot on his mind, and he was giving blood at the time. It's kind of hard to think clearly about common sense during those times.
3. Like the typical doctor he is, he seems to only think of the "standard" Western medical ways. That was evidenced tonight by him making snide comments to Sun's natural remidies. (even something basic as a stick to bite down on)
4. No one else seemed to really know what they were doing. I was just glad the baby wasn't breech or made a tear or anything else that can go wrong.
BTW, I loved the Jin/Charlie waiting room scenes too. That was great.
ETA: Drat, by the time I decided to respond everyone else did too.
Withay-
Why do you assume Kate is unexperienced? *Remember the whole toy place incident? *That very well could have been a son on her part too.
But--you do offer up an interesting point that I had not really considered. *What's up with all the survivors we know of being so young? *Locke and that elderly black lady we've only seen in 2 epidodes(forgetting her name at the moment) are the only two older people we've ever seen. *What's up with that? *The island let all the old people die I suppose. *But it does seem that on a random flight to anywhere, you would have at least a handful of women with childbirth experience. *
I still think she should have delivered standing up, holding on to that stick they kept showing her by....
and one more thing...she was up and walking (without any apparent problems) through the jungle just a few hours (at most, lets say, 12 hours) after giving a natural birth without epidurals? *Yikes. *Strong woman.
Lastly, lactation doesn't usually begin right away. *It can take up to three days, even. *What's the baby going to eat/drink in the meantime?
Last edited by goodol80sgirl; 04-07-2005 at 01:53 AM.
chloe, the mommy usually has a "pre-milk". It even leaks from the breast during pregnancy. It contains vitamins and immunities from the mother. Highly nutritious, it could easily sustain the newborn for the first few days.
Chloe, I was assuming... I realized that after I had posted but did not want to go back.
Rose is the name of the woman you are referring to. The actress who plays her is in a play on Broadway right now though we have been told she will be back.
As for her being up and walking, they say women used to sqaut in the fields and give birth and then go right back to their work?!?! I think it was a little dramatic license to have her walking so easily.
Babies survived for thousands of years without formula so *I'm sure he will be okay until her milk comes in. Isn't it colustrum that the mother puts out the first few days? I think it has antibodies and other stuff that's needed though it's not milk.
I know that when I had my daughter that there was *no* way that I could have been standing. My legs would have given out on me, especially after 16 hours of pure hell and major pain.
Probably one of the reasons that Western mothers might have problems squating while giving birth is because our leg muscles aren't prepared for it. We tend to lounge on toilet seats rather than squat in the bushes 3 to 10 times a day.
When Claires water broke, she said, "What is that?", and Kate told her??
Why would Kate know more about any of this, than Claire?
I could see Claire not paying much attention to info at her doctors appointments (if she went), because she was giving the baby away and didn't want to bond with it~~~~but come on!!
Why did Jack trust Kate over Sun, whose shown an aptitude for medicine??
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