Just when I thought I'd truly heard it all, I read a story about a woman in China who went into labor nine days before she was due, and ultimately wound up giving birth to her baby girl after insisting on making a stop to use the bathroom on her way to the hospital. You know -- because she probably thought she was feeling pressure "down there" because she had to poop, not push the baby out! OMG.
This definitely isn't the first time a baby has been born in a restroom, but it is the first time I've heard about a baby being born in a public toilet pit. Yes -- a toilet pit, which is basically a small hole on the bathroom floor that you -- well, kind of squat and "hover" over in order to do your business.
If you still aren't getting a good visual of what I mean, then you'll get a much clearer picture after checking out the photo of the actual toilet pit where the little girl was born. It's not entirely primitive, but it's definitely not what we're used to here in the States. I did have the pleasure of using something similar in Paris once, and trust me -- it was no picnic. I can't imagine actually being hovered over that thing and pushing out a baby -- especially when I expected to be going #2!
After the woman gave birth, her husband called for help, and rescuers came and could see the baby lying in the pit and could hear the poor little thing crying too. They wound up ripping out the other pits nearby so that they could get the baby out. She was in there for about 30 minutes, and rescuers reported her as "a little pale and stiff."
Miraculously, the baby survived and is being monitored by doctors in the hospital for a little while longer just to make sure she is ok. Her aunt says that the family will bring her home as soon as the doctor says she's ready to go.
If nothing else, this story really makes you appreciate living somewhere with modern facilities, and up-to-date toilets, doesn't it? I think I'll be a little more appreciative and less whiny the next time I complain about having to put down toilet paper on a public seat before using it. Doing that sure beats giving birth (or pooping) into a hole.
What is the strangest place you've ever heard a baby being born in?
Image via Micheal Melchiorre/Flickr
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Comments 38
Using those stupid pits are tricky and disgusting because of course no one gets in the toilet.The toilets we have though I read are bad for us,the angle makes it harder to use the restroom.Their toilets are better for your bodies naturally.It built up my leg strength thats for sure,houses had regular toilets but public places had pits.(mainland China).
I had to stop on the way to the hospital,still had a 30 min drive.luckily I forced my mom to pull into a fire station at 7:12..had my 8 lb boy at 7:17!! FF was washing firetruck when we pulled in,I layed on the ground while he wiped soap suds off his hands & he pretty much caught my son before I even got my other pant leg off!! so embarassing!!! got one heck of a baby announcement on the front page of the newspaper!!
Ok, when I was in labor and I felt like I wanted to push, I never once thought that it was me trying to poop AT ALL! I knew that it was a baby coming!! Thank goodness everything seems to have turned out ok, but seriously lady, just crap in the car next time, ok?
I'm glad the baby and mom are okay! But, I have to say, if I had a toilet like that I bet my hubby would spend a lot less time "reading the paper"! LOL
Actually, it's more natural to use the restroom while squatting rather than sitting, it's easier on your body. It's also more natural and supposedly easier to give birth that way too. Toilets like that aren't exactly unheard of.
I was scared I was going to poop in labor so I kind of undertstand wanting to stop but I don't know if I actually would. Glad the baby and mom are okay, how scary to have your newborn trapped in a poop hole for 30 minutes!