I think sometimes it is hard for women to understand and make sence
of what is happening - they have doctors saying - "Hmm - Need to do a c/s"
and midwives saying , "Hmm - maybe not"
Then they hear stories like what I heard just before being forced to
have a c/s by doctors I did not trust - 'When they did my c/s they cut my
bladder and I had a catheter in for 10 days and couldn't get out of
bed."
And then - "they made me labour even though they knew she was breach
for 8 hours and push and push and then i tore so badly that it tore my
anus and couldn't use my bowels for weeks without pain."
The stories and fear all get rolled into one and there has to be
someone to blame - there has to be someone who is wrong!
Sometimes it is just fear and confusion that you become the brunt of so
don't let it get you down.
Just my thoughts as I know all too well the confusion that
conflicting advice brings with it - a c/s that everyone agrees is needed
is sometimes easier to come to terms with than trying and failing or not
trying but wishing you had. Once a woman has already been broken it
is hard to change her thoughts. Once they have convinced her that
she is not going to deliver it is so much harder to change that - this is
why i feel that more education is needed at the beginning of the pregnancy
and not at the end - nobody prepares you for the what if's and the
confusion and the when to decide etc... Nothing prepares you to have
one person saying - we wil need to cut you up and another saying No we
don't and all you want is this thing out coz you are tired and heavy and
vague and confused. (Hope that makes sence!)
I know you meant well and she probably will to in time but you need
to work out when a woman is needing support in deciding what is right for
her and to get the facts in before it is too late.
Rhonda.
Mary,
I totally agree with you but today I am wondering just why we try with
some.
She was having her second baby, prostin induction for term plus 8 on
the start day of the induction, no action after 4 doses over 2 days so the
doctors were talking about an elective CS. I spoke to the woman and
normally tact, diplomacy and caring are something I am good at but
obviously not good enough. I find out today that she doesn't like me
because I told her "that she doesn't need a CS". Obviously I was wrong as
she got to 5cm (started to labour the night before) and stayed there for 6
hours then had an abdominal delivery of a 4.7 kg baby.
I know my focus was not that she doesn't need the CS but "you don't
know if you can birth normally if you don't try" and at the time she
seemed interested in the concept. She had been a client of the Birth
Centre till they had to hand her over for being post term. Have not spoken
to her yet as I have been too busy in Birth Suite. Will see her tomorrow
night.
I feel very disappointed and let down. I guess I should focus instead
on the two photos from different appreciative families that have been
given to me this week. They will be scanned and added to my album of mums
I have worked with.
Judy
From: "Mary Murphy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
CC: "ACMI" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Presenting a united front
Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2002 19:35:46 +0800
As a Fellow of the Australian College of midwifes and a member
and worker
for 20 yrs, I must also say that I am disappointed in the
deafening silence
of the ACMI Executive about the overall state of maternity
services. As a
midwife in private practice, I see that the insurance issue and
my own
conditions of employment are up to me to fight for. I don't
expect that the
ACMI should do that. However, when the majority midwives are
(for all kinds
of personal reasons) colluding in the medicalisation of births
of the the
women of Australia, I feel like a raging lioness, wanting to
protect my
young. Medicalisation causes the majority of babies in
Australia to be
born imprinted in a drug filled haze. In todays West Australian
newspaper
it stated that W.A. had the 2nd highest illegal drug problem in
Australia.
Is it any wonder! Women who wish to birth naturally without
drugs and the
midwives who support them are seen to be deviates. After
attending the
births of 4 women in the last 2 weeks, a 3rd baby , 5.2kgs, no
tears, no
drugs, who was told to have a C/S because she wouldn't be able
to birth the
baby; a primip who birthed a 3.6kgs baby in 7 hrs, no tears, no
drugs; a
primip who birthed a 3.8kg baby in 6 hrs, labial tears, no
drugs and a
primip who birthed a 4.4kgs baby in 12hrs, no tears or drugs-
all
waterbirths. Waterbirths are not allowed in our hospitals or
our birth
centre because they are "dangerous", yet it is O.K to fill them
up with
epidurals or drugs by another route, or even to indoctrinate
women to the
idea that planned caesareans are "risk free", then blame them
for choosing
that option... or even giving them that option. Some of the
women above had
personal histories which may have caused a planned casarean, or
an
instrumental delivery if they had stuck with the medical model
and their
midwives had gone for the epidural, hospital birth scenario.
Patience and
encouragement allowed them to triumph and experience real
healing in their
births. What is happening out there? Where is our professional
body
upholding what is right, not just what is politic? I would like
to see so
much more public comment from the Executive of the ACMI about
the state of
maternity care (or lack of true care). It truly is a toothless
tigeress.
MM
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