When I got pregnant with my first son the whole experience was very weird to me. Not that I’m a very shy person by nature, but all the doctor visits and constant testing where people were asking me personal questions just felt like a breach of privacy, to me.
It all changed on Sep. 21, 2004 when I arrived at the hospital after my water broke in the early morning hours. I was barely admitted and hooked up to all the machines when my son’s heart rate dropped. Within seconds the room was full of medical staff who were moving and rolling me around, trying to calm me down as though they were dealing with a crazy person. My husband, who was totally freaked out, was trying to use his absolutely inappropriate sense of humor. Meanwhile in my head all I could think about was “I am naked and everyone is seeing me naked”.
After the heart rate stabilized, came the C-section preparations, which I still consider the most embarrassing thing that can happen to a grown woman (because I know we have some pregnant women reading I won’t go into much detail). However, my embarrassment didn’t end with the surgery; throughout my three day stay at the hospital I felt like everyone including the nursing staff, lactation specialist, doctors and residents got a full view of me and what I still consider my private parts.
That experience completely prepared me for my new role as a mom; I don’t think there is a thing in this world that can embarrass me any further. Why am I bringing this up? Well, according to the New York Times article “Lights, Camera, Contraction” (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/fashion/11BIRTHS.html?_r=4&adxnnl=1&hpw=&adxnnlx=1245249910-OQYZJuye3vhAlNtwbWL7CQ) there are tons of women who are videotape the delivery process and then post it on YouTube for the world to see.
As much as I would probably not participate in this activity, no matter how immune I am to embarrassment now, I do commend those women for sharing a private moment with the rest of the world (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dgvC9WW3Bk).
After all what’s a couple of thousands internet viewers (whom you’ll probably never meet) when you were just checked by few hundreds medical students and staff face to face?
One thing I promise to all the new moms out there is that after your delivery, you’ll have no problem breastfeeding your kid in public or cleaning up your kid’s throw up at a fancy restaurant.
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