Differences between USA and UK???

Question

Just been reading a thread about where baby will sleep when born. Lots of people saying they will put baby straight into their own room from the start/very early on. I'm assuming these people are from USA as they're referring to a bassinet (we have moses baskets and cribs here in the UK!). Just curious, are there safe sleep guidelines in the USA that you are advised to follow by your midwife (or equivalent)? In the UK we are strongly advised to have baby in our room with us for the first 6 months to help prevent against SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).

Also, lots of posts with people referring to what their doctor has said during pregnancy. Do you have doctors instead of midwives? And if so are they general doctors or do they specialise in pregnancy/childbirth.

Another thing I've noticed is lots of people saying about being induced pre-40 weeks which is basically not an option in the UK (unless on serious medical grounds).

Just really curious about the differences!

Answer

I live in the US, I wish more people knew of midwives instead of thinking you just have one option. Not that seeing a doctor is bad or anything! My midwife center is covered by my insurance and from what I've heard they usually are, from what I've read midwives can be up to half of what you pay if you have a normal pregnancy/birth at a hospital. If you're healthy and normal pregnancy (you still get ultrasounds when seeing a midwife) and if baby is healthy why not go with the midwife. A lot of women (watching tv and movies) see labor portrayed as screaming, horrible, painful, etc.  I feel like if they learned more on labor and ways to relieve pain, drugs used (issues that can affect labor itself, long term effects - chronic back pain after epidurals), I feel even in big name books I've been reading what to expect which only covers hospital birth, nothing about all natural or midwife. C section births are at about 32% of all births in the US, other countries you are looking around only 10%. I think people scheduling for a birth is odd. If a baby wants to stay in and grow great! If not, so be it. The effect of pitocin (contraction medication) it stresses baby out because the contractions get really strong and fast. Then they become too much for mom so mom gets epidural and then that counteracts with the dilation of the cervix and slows the labor. Doctor freaks out because no change, so off to get a c section. Or doctor schedules c section so they can have a 45 minutes surgery compared to a day of waiting around for the baby to come. You lay on your back for a good view for the doctor but not for your help. If you squat, lay on your side, other positions to push you give your pelvis another 1-2 cm of room! So all that straining your just tiring yourself out for doctor comfort. I just wish women would read up on other ways of labor and read about your options! It's your baby, body and labor/birth, you are pushing that kid out they should be helping you more!

Answer

A bassinet is probably equal to a Moses basket. It's a small version of a crib that usually stays in the parents room until around 6 months. We also have cribs, usually placed in the babies own room for when they outgrow the bassinet. The sleep advice we get for babies is to lay them on their backs, which helps prevent SIDS.

We do have midwives here, but the majority of people go to actual doctors since they are covered more by insurance. They doctors we see during pregnancy and for our regular, non-pregnant, lady checkups are special doctors called obstetrician/ Gynecologist, better known as an OB/GYN.

Hope this helps :)

Answer

A lot of people don't keep baby in their room.  I still have my 3 year old in our room.  The US sucks pretty much.  Everyone thinks babies should sleep alone in their rooms all night right off the bat.

I did way too much research and see how much better parenting styles are in other countries.

The lady above said most people let them in for 6 months umm no most people are putting their babies in their cribs alone around 1-3 months if they don't start them
Out right away in their own room.  The US grows their babies up far too quickly and uses things like sleep training and cry it out sleep methods.  I believe instead of ahead the US is extremely behind.

Thanks for your comment!

Answer

I guess I must be in a more advanced area of the U.S. as far as childbirth is concerned. Yes, I gave birth in a hospital, but not once did I see an OB/Gyn and not once was I pushed to be induced or expected to have any type of pain medication. We made birth plans with the midwives and as long as we were healthy and the baby was healthy we could choose to birth however we wanted. The hospital I delivered at only has a 15% c-section rate and they won't advise for a c-section unless absolutely necessary.

I was choosing natural birth so I was able to take advantage of a tub, massage, rocking chair, walking, squat bar- you name it, I used it. My midwife delivered my baby boy and it was amazing! It's sad that the U.S. has such bad statistics when it comes to c-sections and other interventions, but I understand why.

As far as the bassinet, I guess I didn't realize people were putting their newborn right into his/her nursery right off. Ours sleeps in his bassinet right next to me so I can reach over and pick him up at night. He will be in our room until I'm comfortable enough with him in his own crib. I had not heard of doing it any other way.

Answer

I live in the USA.my doctor won't induce unless there is a medical reason and only at 39 weeks.i am being induced at 39 because I have a seizure disorder and this way they can try and control everything.and I have a ob which is a doctor who specializes in childbirth and pregnancy.

Answer

Same in canada baby's in your room for the first 6 months hardly any midwives here and no inductions unless its absolutely necessary, my obyn wont give me a membrane sweep until 40 weeks, And you really only get one ultra sound unless its there's something wrong. .

Answer

In Canada midwives are extremely hard to get, you basically have to book one the minute you get pregnant .. Well in my province anyways so most people here see doctors.

Answer

32% end in cesarean?! Bloody hell!! That's a third of all births! Seems a lot! If you go with midwife and there's issues during the birth are there doctors on hand to intervene? In the UK it is decided based on your pregnancy whether you will have midwife led care or whether it will be consultant led  (doctors). However, if on the day you need doctor intervention you will get it.

Answer

The US is certainly trying to make improvements but it's a long road. In the last few years the "39 week initiative" started which encourages MDs to only induce before 39 weeks with a medical reason. Hospitals (not the MDs) have to report to Joint Commission how many early elective inductions are performed so hospitals are trying to limit them. With that being said, in the L&D I work at, if a MD schedules a 37 week induction for PIH he/she does not have to provide documentation of that diagnosis. He just says the magic word and we have to do it. 
Some facilities require documentation, maybe we will get there one day. Hopefully.

Differences between USA and UK???

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