Yikes?? Slaughterhouse! I gather the first time around must have been a shocker!
But in defence of hospitals (which I know at times do the indefensible), I have had two babies in hospital with minimal intervention, excellent support from midwives and GP, and absolutely no stranded beetles either. And I know that it was right for me and the family. Some women have nightmare experiences - Yes; but it should be pointed out that some of those 'nightmares' are genuine emergencies. I can think of one lady in the area, that if she saw me again would probably turn and run! Her memories of me in labour ward wouldn't be great, but as she had a severe shoulder dystocia and one very flat baby, the partner was distressed and ran out of the room in tears - and that left the midwives and doctor with jobs to do but very little emotional support in those first mins of her baby's life. thankfully that doesn't occur every night. >From: "Jayne" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Re: sanctimonious pretensiousness >Date: Sun, 16 Dec 2001 15:40:08 +1100 > >Dear Vaal, > >I'm sorry you find it sanctimonious pretentiousness that a woman may find >trust in herself to birth her baby by herself. I honestly doubt the >balance will ever eventuate. > >You know what - my homebirths did/do have that perennial rosy glow painted >around them :-) My 1st child's hospital birth was the pits and I feel >terrible sadness for those pregnant women heading towards the slaughter >house with such faith in their obstetricians. > >Working in a hospital I'm sure you see the horror again and again. > >Jayne > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Thrupps > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Sunday, December 16, 2001 12:15 AM > Subject: sanctimonious pretensiousness > > > Dear All > You know there are times when I get tired of hearing all this >sanctimonious pretensiousness about women trusting their bodies to birth >etc etc. For generations our bodies have been letting us down. If they >didn't there would be no need for Catherine Hamlins Fistula Hospital in >Addis Abbaba, or for those women of our great grandmothers era where they >had many pregnancies and few living children to show for them. Sure we have >come a long way with sanitation and clean water etc, but our bodies do go >off the rails sometimes, and it is through no fault of our own, so let's >keep some sanity going. > The medicalisation of birth is of plague proportions, but let's be >fair there is a role. It's just getting the balance / getting the roles >right! > And, yes I am a midwife who practices in a hospital, and I admire >you independent practitioners, but I get very frustrated with the >imbalances. The negativity around the obstetric model of birth and the >perennial rosey glow painted around the homebirth. Where is the truth? > Somewhere in between where there is mutual respect for the skills of >both methinks? > There, I've stuck my head out of the closet ... it's all this >Christmas madness that's getting to me! > Regards ... Vaal _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
