Re VBAC and manual checking of the uterine scar immediately after a vaginal birth
Most of you who have commented on this have been horrified - rightly so I believe. I would like to add my personal experience of manual exploration of my (unscarred) uterus after ordinary vaginal births in 1973 and 75 in Michigan USA. The doctors attending these births proceeded to do a bi-manual exploration of my uterus as soon as the placenta had been delivered. Left hand grips the fundus abdominally, and right hand goes all the way in. I don't remember this as a traumatic or specially painful manoeuvre and it was all over in a flash. I remember asking what he was doing, and he said it was important to make sure the uterus was empty. Next time I didn't ask cos I already knew! I won't go into why I allowed such a thing to be done. The power gap between me, as a 23 year old 'resident alien' (that's what I was called, as I had a green card) in that country, and the 'system' was immense, but w ould have been pretty much the same if I had stayed in Australia. I had completed midwifery training at the Royal Women's in Melbourne earlier the same year. I was submissive to all authority, and particularly in the medical field. The spark of independent thinking was dormant, and waiting to be ignited. My experience reminds me that there have been, and still are, many practices that have been imposed on women in the name of scientific medical (and midwifery) care. It's less than 30 years since I was shaved, enema'd, put in a white gown with a split all the way down the back, IV drip'd, VE'd every hour to assess progress, confined, stirrup'd, episiotimy'd, "take a deep breath and push, push, push", and the rest. My baby was sucked out, wrapped tightly, separated from me, 'allowed' to suckle for brief periods, and taken to a nursery for observation. I was given something to 'help' me rest, and my baby was given cows milk formula in the nursery, even though I had said I didn't want this to happen. Yet we survive to tell the story, and much of what happened 30 years ago still happens today. Women still submit, and midwives still support ritualistic practices that do not benefit the woman or baby. My heart longs for the day when I see real improvements in maternity services here in Victoria, and in the rest of Australia. Joy Johnston -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
