TESTIMONY
Colette gave birth to her first child in 1973. A difficult birth, which nearly cost her child his life due to a medical error. After she lost her water, Colette was given treatment to delay childbirth as she was three weeks away. Despite everything, she gave birth, although labor was prevented by the treatment she had received. Traumatized by this event, Colette defends the right to give birth at home, at the microphone of “La Libre antenna”, on Europe 1.
“Now there is pressure to stop births at home. I gave birth in 1973. I had complete confidence in the hospital when I gave birth to my baby. first child. I have horrible memories of this childbirth. It almost cost the life of my child. I understand very well that it is much safer to give birth in the hospital. If it goes wrong or if it There is a problem, there is everything you need to solve it, but it should not be said that all childbirth at home is dangerous.
“ He was born cyanotic “
When I was in the hospital, my child almost died. He was born cyanotic. It had come to this because I had lost my waters, but the intern who examined me said the child was small and that I was three weeks ahead of term. He decided to give me treatment so that the child could still benefit for eight days and gain weight. I was given the treatment in the morning, but had pain in the evening. It accelerated, so the evening intern said we had to give birth.
The work was not being done. The child stumbled, twisted, but did not come out, because the work had been prevented by the treatment. In trying so hard to get out he must have stirred and the cord was in a knot. When the child was born, he still weighed 3.5 kilograms. So the intern who had made this diagnosis had made a mistake. If I had been allowed to give birth naturally, without being treated to prevent the birth, it would have been better for the child and for me.
“ Giving birth at home, it’s a choice we must leave “
It is true that the hospital provides security and a variety of care and surveillance. This is also why I registered at the hospital. At the time, I was a scientist, I was a researcher. So, I was all for the hospital. With hindsight, I find that we should not systematize everything. In some cases, if everything is going really well and you are not far from a hospital, you may need to be free to give birth at home. There is no such thing as 100% safety, but we should not decide for everyone that it is dangerous to give birth at home.
Childbirth is not a disease, it’s natural. There is psychological comfort in being with the family. If all the preliminary examinations have been done and the midwife is experienced, why not. Giving birth at home is a choice that must be left. I imagine there is a dialogue with the midwife who is alone with you, who takes good care of you. At the hospital, there were three women giving birth at the same time. I think there is a comfort in being with a midwife who is there for you alone.
At the hospital, we’re a number, we don’t explain how things are going, we don’t ask your opinion. Me, when I was told to wait eight days for the child to benefit the most and be a little stronger, I was not asked if I was okay. I could not discuss, while I felt that he was not that small. There are women who don’t gain much weight and who have perfectly normal children. It was my case, he weighed 3.5 kilos. He was a beautiful child.
A lot of things have changed. At the time, dads were not allowed to attend childbirth. In 1973, we did not take the children as we wanted, they were behind glass. We were not allowed to take them, except during feeding times. Fortunately, it has evolved. I remember, I was like, ‘I can’t wait to go home.’ It was in a Parisian hospital which was supposedly a very good maternity hospital. “
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