My thoughts on the Palin rumors
Since there’s no proof that Bristol Palin had Trig and her mother covered up, I’m pretty focused on her mother’s incredibly poor decision to fly home while in labor and then drive another hour to get to the hospital. I think that’s a poor choice in a low-risk birth but she knew Trig had issues that might need immediate medical care. And whatever she says about knowing labor, the women I’ve met who’ve had a lot of kids have told me that every labor is different. Brett’s cousin (she of the seven — so far — babies) has had labors that took two days and labors that took two hours. Palin made a dumb decision. I’d say the same thing about any liberal politician foolish enough to do the same.
I’ll quote some of what Tanya – a practicing homebirth midwife here in Columbus who attended two of Kristen’s births and is a rational, thoughtful practitioner — has to say about it:
And while I’m talking about questioning judgement/decision-making ability, let’s talk about the fact that she chose to make a speech and then take the 8 hr. flight back to AK with her amniotic membranes ruptured and leaking fluid…at 8 months…with a baby with a known birth defect. Now, I’m not the alarmist that most OBs around here are about ruptured membranes and infection, mainly because my clients are at home where they’ve developed an immunity to the germs, they’ve been educated to avoid introducing anything into the birth canal and they’ve often chosen to supplement their diets with probiotics, garlic and Vitamin C. Most importantly, their babies are full-term. But I do think about Group B Strep, esp. when I see premature rupture of membranes. I also know that the Center for Disease Control recommends that the test for determining if a mom is colonized with GBS be performed from 35-37 weeks, which I believe is after the time the baby was born.
To me, that’s the most convincing part of the rumors (not the pictures, not even the mono) because that is so damn stupid and selfish that I just can’t believe it of anyone. And this is a pro-life candidate so I can’t get how she’d justify risking Trig’s life just so he could be born in Alaska. (Tanya’s conjectures about why she might have done this — click to her site to see — aren’t mine but I found them interesting.)
Like I said, that’s the most convincing part of it to me.
I also think it’s ridiculous to go back to work three days after the birth — work from home for cryin’ out loud if you have the hankering! I think the same thing of men who have the choice and don’t exercise it. I just don’t get not wanting to settle in and meet the new member of your family. Still, I wouldn’t base a vote on it — those politicians are pretty crazy workaholics. The getting on a plane to fly from Texas to Alaska while in labor with a baby who will be born with disabilities? Yeah, that’s some pretty poor judgment.
Edited to add: This link puts forth the rumor that Bristol is pregnant NOW. And those pics look more convincing. Man, remind me never to run for public office. Who’d want to do that to their kids???
I work from home and I didn’t go back to work until LB was about two weeks old. And we needed the money.
Anyway, I agree that this is the more compelling argument. Some people are saying that it wasn’t even Bristol, just a straight up adoption. Okay, fine. But why cover it? Why lie?
Whatever the case, she’s still not for me. But if any of this is true? Well, I’ll be very angry.
DailyKos now has a dairy up with a photo showing a very pregnant Sara Palin taken shortly before the baby was born. I’m prepared to assume Sara was the mother.
And not getting medical attention for a premature birth of a special needs baby as soon as possible is what bothers me. A lot. It bothers me ESPECIALLY because she is being heralded as a pro-life candidate who made a pro-life decision.
And it so fits in with how I think about the pro-life movement: it really is only anti-abortion. It isn’t about taking care of pregnant women, babies or children.
http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/8/31/234157/516/1017/581734
I’m pretty disgusted that so many people were so willing to believe this about this woman and her poor daughter based on the rumors of a VERY leftist blogger
I feel so bad for Bristol in this whole thing. They pointed to a very typical healthy teenagers belly pooch and called it a baby bump. Every teenage girl I know, even really well adjusted healthy ones, have some body image issues. So based on the hate people looking hard to make Sarah Palin an evil woman, they could have destroyed a young girl. I’m betting that Sarah Palin is spending a lot of time comforting her teenager right now, and trying to reassure her that she is beautiful.
Now I agree that she was reckless in flying back from TX to AK, and I can’t imagine returning to work with a 3 day old, even taking the baby with me like she did, but this whole thing just makes me really sad
I hadn’t heard any of this but geez. This Palin thing just gets weirder and weirder.
And yes…I think I would feel better about Sara Palin if it were her daughter’s child. It would mean that she had different values than I did (thinking her daughter’s pregnancy was shameful), but she would have been acting in ways that she could reasonably believe were in the best interests of her children, not risking their lives and calling herself pro-life.
I admit I was relieved when Daily Kos finally posted that picture of Palin pregnant. My sister is only 3 months pg and looks more pg than most of the other Palin pictures and I just couldn’t figure it out at all. I am hopeful there is no weird conspiracy beyond the bad judgment of flying while in labor.
apparently, bristol really is pregnant now, so if that’s true, she can’t be trig’s mother. perhaps she’s been spending all that time in public holding him so that she would have something covering her own body?
it’s so impossible for me to fathom the perspective that a person like bristol would have at this point in her life, so I will just say that I hope things work out happily for her. and I hope her mother does not become vice president.
A 17 year old with a child with T21 is possible, but rather unlikely. A 44 year old? 1/30-1/40. And my mother didn’t look pregnant at all at 7 months and everyone was asking her why she was leaving work.
That said, I didn’t budge 50 miles from my hospital with a level III NICU during my third trimester, and I was 33, and didn’t expect a special needs child who might need immediate attention. So yeah, v v dumb, if true.
Nobody knows the whole story on someone else’s pregnancy unless they’re her doctor–I’m pretty uncomfortable judging her decisions. It seems to me to open the door for all of us to be judged for our decisions–how to give birth, when to work, breastfeeding (hate to go there, but it seems germane), etc. Of course, if she’s lying, it’s a different ballgame…
The only way I can understand the decision to get on that plane is to imagine that she’s truly in the “it’s all in God’s hands” camp.
I am all for strapping the baby on your back and keep pushin’ but to take on being POTUS (cause McCain is ancient) with an infant and your teen daughter is pregnant? At some point, for the good of the family you have to make sacrifices.
I have issue with putting your teen daughter up for scrutiny for the entire country. She knew going into this that her daughter was pregnant, she’s 5 months along for Pete’s sake. She is going to need all the support she can get, and the stress of the attention would be difficult in small town Alaska, let alone the entire US looking at ya. Sheesh man…
On another note, if it was Obama’s teen daughter pregnant - she’d be called every name in the book. They would do the old “It’s a private family matter and we won’t discuss Obama’s lack of parenting or judgment, she’s going to have to live with being a poor example for teens everywhere. I blame the media and the senator’s poor decisions to pursue power rather than raise his child, but we’re not going to raise the issue…” thing they like to do…
i dont understand why it is ok to stand in judgment of a pregnant palin, and yet not ok for someone who has abortion.
where along the pregnancy does a womans dominion over her body stop.
isnt it palins body, just like its any womans body to do with as she wants, no matter how along a pregnancy is.
im sorry, but i cant help but think the above comments were politically motivated. i think if palin were a democrat, this would be a totally different post.