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Why are so many babies born around 8:00 AM? (2017)

blogs.scientificamerican.com

81–90 of 138 posts

Re: Why are so many babies born around 8:00 AM? (2017)

#81

The answer is scheduled C-sections and if you haven't read it, Atul Gawande's 2006 New Yorker article on why they've become so common is good read: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2006/10/09/the-score After watching The Business of Being Born , Gawande's article was really helpful in understanding why things are done the way they are.

> Atul Gawande

In retrospect, this guy is practically the prototype of villain in healthcare. He's Eric Lander levels of villainy.

He shouldn't be considered a credible voice just out of corruption. There are many doctors who can write.

Consider his role at Partners (now "Mass General Brigham"): overseeing the growth of a notoriously money grubbing institution, run anticompetitively, despite the excellence of its providers. He has parlayed... saucy New Yorker writing into becoming the very hospital administrator who is responsible for all the fuckups he shits on.

Trust me, if he has something to say about, I don't know, fucking childbirth, it has been known to everyone for years. The difference is his presence in The Magazine New Yorkers Care About lets him omit anything shitty to say about himself and his Partners.

Re: Why are so many babies born around 8:00 AM? (2017)

#82
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Surgeons usually prefer to start operating before 8AM. They are awake, the OR is clean, the staff is fresh, and they have all day afterward to monitor for complications (and jet out early if everything goes well). The worst surgery times are probably starting around 7PM and going until 6AM. Those are usually emergencies, the OR has been in use all day, the surgeon probably has less experience as they are earlier in t…

In my experience with surgery for family members, surgeons want scheduled surgeries early because they have a shit ton to do. The brain surgeon was rallying the troops at 5:30am and was pissed they were already behind on the first surgery. He needed to do the scheduled surgeries early because he needed to have a certain amount of time for emergency surgeries. If those occurred early, then he could push the scheduled…

Perhaps while playing rock music, designing land-speed record-breakers or saving the world from extra-dimensional alien invasion.

Sorry, couldn't resist the Buckaroo Banzai call-out.

Re: Why are so many babies born around 8:00 AM? (2017)

#83
post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The practice of routinely scheduling a c-section is basically a confession that birth medicine doesn't serve the patient. Any reasonable medical system would allow natural birth to progress until medical intervention became necessary.

Absolutely incorrect take. Also, irresponsible to spread this kind of nonsense when you are a public defender, and not remotely close to being a medical professional.

Can you express why someone is wrong instead of just telling them they're wrong and unqualified to have an opinion?

Re: Why are so many babies born around 8:00 AM? (2017)

#84
post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lots of women don’t want them.

Is there data on this? Specifically I wonder if women who refused it for a first birth still refuse them for subsequent births (or maybe they change their mind?).

I don't have any good data and would also be interested. Anecdotally, I do know women who didn't use them at first and started using them later for multiple reasons: aging, advice of medical team changing, unexpectedly low pain tolerance, and in a couple of cases, just wanting to experience an epidural with the last kid. :)

I also know some who stopped using epidurals, but fewer and most of them simply had become interested in more natural births between children.

Re: Why are so many babies born around 8:00 AM? (2017)

#85
post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why should this decision not be left up to the mother? Why is this unethical?

What leads to many Caesareans is the "cascade of interventions" which might include unnecessary induced labor (e.g. if a mother is not dilating "quickly enough"), an early epidural, or continuous EFM. Many of these interventions, including the ones I listed, increase the likelihood of having a Caesarean. In such a highly emotional situation, many mothers will feel pressured to do what their medical provider recommend…

Personal experience with the mother telling the nurse emphatically not to use an intervention, to have it ignored and done anyway at the behest of a doctor that isn't even on site. It was convenient for the doctor and had nothing to do with the health of the mother.

Also a personal experience of a nurse yelling at the mother to stop pushing when the baby is already partially out because the doctor is not there yet. Some babies just don't care to wait for the doctor if he is late.

Unfortunately, in my personal experience, the mothers desires are not generally held in high regard inside of a hospital.

Re: Why are so many babies born around 8:00 AM? (2017)

#86
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my experience with surgery for family members, surgeons want scheduled surgeries early because they have a shit ton to do. The brain surgeon was rallying the troops at 5:30am and was pissed they were already behind on the first surgery. He needed to do the scheduled surgeries early because he needed to have a certain amount of time for emergency surgeries. If those occurred early, then he could push the scheduled…

Perhaps while playing rock music, designing land-speed record-breakers or saving the world from extra-dimensional alien invasion. Sorry, couldn't resist the Buckaroo Banzai call-out.

Next time try harder.

Re: Why are so many babies born around 8:00 AM? (2017)

#87
post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Absolutely incorrect take. Also, irresponsible to spread this kind of nonsense when you are a public defender, and not remotely close to being a medical professional.

Can you express why someone is wrong instead of just telling them they're wrong and unqualified to have an opinion?

It’s important for purposes of integrity that other commenters know why the person is not a credible source, most especially for important medical information.

* Not the person you replied to, just my two cents.

Re: Why are so many babies born around 8:00 AM? (2017)

#88
post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The practice of routinely scheduling a c-section is basically a confession that birth medicine doesn't serve the patient. Any reasonable medical system would allow natural birth to progress until medical intervention became necessary.

Absolutely incorrect take. Also, irresponsible to spread this kind of nonsense when you are a public defender, and not remotely close to being a medical professional.

You can only have an opinion on the ridiculous prevalence of c-section deliveries if you’re a medical processional?

Re: Why are so many babies born around 8:00 AM? (2017)

#89
My son's due date was May 1 but in France basically no kids are born on that date; they'll induce a day or so before.

Allegedly this is because so many people are on vacation it's not really a safe day to have an emergency. I am not convinced by that "explanation".

Re: Why are so many babies born around 8:00 AM? (2017)

#90
My daughter was born around 8am.

The midwife attended from around 7pm the night before. She suggested getting a good nights sleep.

Natural births aren’t random. They are the result of lots of pushing and a little pulling.

Getting a good nights sleep is a good idea.

I can’t believe this is even a question.

Edit: My wife corrected me on this. She claims she didn’t sleep the night before, but I’m about 70% certain she nodded off quite a bit.

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