Micronesia

 

A woman at my work told me that in Micronesia, where she's from, when a woman has a new baby relatives and friends come over and help.

        I thought that was interesting.  And since the Lindsay Clancy case and trial have been in the news lately, I have recalled that conversation a couple of times.

Underneath a video on You Tube, the following Comment was kind of similar:

------------------------ "This is so tragic.  I have Indian roots and in our culture a woman who has given birth is taken care of by the women of the house, mother, sisters, aunts etc. so she gets the rest she needs.  

This is what is lacking in our western society.  She was struggling and yet after 4 days in hospital she was thrown back into the lions den.  

        We as a society need to do better.  Giving birth is so overwhelming and we all need to do better.  Medication is not enough." ------------------------------

Two more from the same Comment Section.

||    Thank you for highlighting this important issue, as someone who suffered severe postpartum depression, it's so clear to me that Lindsay suffered from psychosis.  

Many mothers don't realize they have the depression until it's so bad that they either can't cope or we can't hide it anymore.  

        Here in Denmark postpartum depression can be diagnosed within the first year of the birth.  We also have a lot more time off and check ups from professionals every month after the birth, in our own house, which makes a difference, imo.

        [Isn't that something?!  "House calls."]

||    I'm American but many years ago I lived in Denmark for a time.  My second child was born there.  My prenatal care, my labor, and delivery and my postnatal care were far superior to what I received with my first child in the United States.  

        There was true concern for every person in the family, especially Mom and newborn.  

        At that time, all moms were kept in the hospital for a minimum of one week....The US healthcare system could take a page out of many other countries' healthcare book, and learn a few things.  

It breaks my heart that this family and many others like it have had to suffer such tragedy in large part due to the inadequacies of our healthcare system.  As a retired nurse with a 40+ year career, I saw this every day.

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A lobbyist told me once, the three most powerful lobbying groups in Washington D.C. are drugs, guns, and insurance.

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