Re: Birthing Stool Policy

[Mary-Clare Switz]

This isn't about birthing stools, but about attitude ...   While I was in good hard labour with my 3rd child in Lorne Hospital I was taking full advantage of the bath.  The bath was very effective in relaxing me and supporting my body and my BP remained at a reasonable level.  If I stood up my BP would soar and I would lose my rythym totally.   Lorne is a small hospital and the DON who had not long taken over from the previous DON who had recently retired decided to exercise her perceived authority and assigned herself as me as hospital midwife.  She was insulted and uncomfortable that my support person (other than hubby) was a practicing independant midwife.  This set the tone.  Co-incidently the former DON had been rostered onto the shift as an extra body (I was happy as she had been present at my 1st 2 births and was lovely).  My assigned 'midwife' decided she wanted to palpate by belly to assess where the baby was.  I didn't mind this as I wanted to know anyway, however, she announced that I was to get out of the bath so that she could examine me.  I said NO, I was not going anywhere.  The tone in the room plummeted.  I started to get agitated and distressed.   The former DON read the situation, rolled up her sleeves, said to me "I've never done one on a women in the bath before, its about time I learned how, would you mind if I examined you?"  My reply was that I would be delighted.    It is all about attitude .........   Mary-Clare ----- Original Message ----- From: Jackie Kitschke To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2001 4:11 PM Subject: Birthing Stool Policy Dear Julie-Anne, How did the need for a birthing stool policy eventuate? It seems that any birth not done in the stranded beetle position requires a policy with corresponding research to prove "safeness" and yet the stranded beetle requires none of this scruitiny! Good luck Jackie