What's The Rush? On Having Baby and Caring For Him

Disclaimer: I am only a mohel. I am not in the "birthing business." I leave that to the OBs and the Midwives. I am also not a doctor - though I do specialize in circumcision and care for the post-op circumcision spot.

Many years ago, I wrote this in response to a recall on Children's Tylenol, addressing (in layman's terms) whether Tylenol for a cranky post-bris baby was a good idea.

I've also given a few tidbits that I've picked up over the years, which I wrote about here. There's a link there to another article I wrote on this topic as well. It's mostly "parenting suggestions" for parents to get the most out of the experience of caring for the baby post-bris, and even longer term, such as how to avoid diaper rashes, misshaped heads, the question of feeding baby on a schedule... etc

To the medicating question, however, I'll add... WHAT'S the rush to medicate? Is the bandage too tight? Is there a bandage at all? Has the baby been fed? Is he able to urinate? Does he have a clean diaper? See that he is comfortable! Most babies ARE consolable after the bris. Most babies are FINE after the bris, when clean, fed, held, etc. 

EVERY medical intervention has potential, unanticipated side effects.  EVERY ONE. Tread with much caution. Read labels. Never make hasty decisions. Research. Don’t take one person’s word or advice without seeking information from other sources. 

Here I'd like to offer another anecdotal piece of advice, and that is to choose your health provider very carefully. 

In the last six months I have heard the following story close to 10 times, and this is usually after the fact, so I get all the details. 

Rabbi, did you hear? I had a planned INDUCEMENT. Things were going slowly, but well. But after 24 hours of nothing, they (insert what they did - slightly different each time), and then the baby's heart rate went up, and then finally, after 36 hours, emergency c-section. 

And the post-experience reflections are always all over the place: "I almost died" "Thank God he's here" "It was the worst experience of my life" "I am so grateful for them" "I'm never inducing again" "I'm never having a child again"

In other words, the after-words are a mix of regret and gratitude. Though, honestly, since it's usually around a week since it happened, and the woman hasn't had a real chance to process what she went through, and to see that with the exception of a woman who is waaaaaay overdue, what's the rush to get the baby out? 

Maybe there are some rare cases where inducing is medically necessary. But most cases are either for the doctor's convenience or the doctor says "I don't want you to be pregnant that long" - which may or may not be for the doctor's convenience, but it is not always thinking of what is in the best interest of the baby. Which, along with the mother's health, should always be the top two priorities in all decision making.

Inducing causes distress to mother and to baby. The stress leads to more meds. More meds is more distress to the baby. And it's a never-ending cycle of whack-a-mole until the baby is out.

And this is the reality of ALL Medical Interventions, as noted above re Tylenol, etc. Everything put into the body has side effects. Some more obvious, some less obvious. For the sake of your own health and the health and wellbeing of your child, please consider reading every label, every warning, every side effect, and consider whether the short term hope for resolution is better than waiting a little longer and allowing nature to take its course. 

May we all be blessed with healthy babies, healthy mothers, and a reasoned schedule for everything we do in the care of our children.