It's also similar when women say "I've always had to have my waters broken - the doctors tell me they are so tough they would never break on their own". Funny - I thought membranes had to be tough - they have to last the whole pregnancy! And what a job they do! ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robin Moon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 5:35 AM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Rape by stealth (longish)
> It's all very scary isnt it? > the majority of women will accept such practices because of their belief in > the infallibility of the doctor to do what is right. Aside from the issue > where some people feel raped by such procedures, many accept it because it > is seen as the doctor 'doing' something. He 'had' to induce, or he 'had' to > find the cervix. I just find it so sad. A cervix that is not ready is the > clearest indicator that ---- it's not ready! Not that it requires pummelling > into submission. I once cared for a woman who remained 4cm for a number of > hours despite good contractions. Her obstetrician came and within minutes > had manipulated the cervix into being fully dilated - plenty of blood in > that procedure. I was appalled- imagine how sore she would have been next > day. > > Mary Chiarella talks about theses issues in her book ' Silence in the > Courts'. She suggests nurses live in a professional 'shadowland' when it > comes to an ability to intervene in unsavoury medical practices. Or, more > realistically, be heard. > http://www.nmh.uts.edu.au/whatsnew/2000/silence.html > > Robin > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Lynne Staff" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Sunday, October 20, 2002 9:13 PM > Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Rape by stealth (longish) > > > > You know Denise, you have touched on something I have discussed with Vicki > > many times - love. What we (aspire to) do as midwives means loving women. > > And I have also experienced anger and hate for speaking about this > > (situations where women suffer at the hands of professionals who are > > supposed to care but cannot, or else why would they not stop when a woman > > asks them to, when she feels she is hurting, or being injured or worse, > > violated). > > > > So I say again, as I did in a recent posting, there is a Health Rights > > Commission there to be utilised in instances just such as these. If the > > woman cannot find the strength (or does not wish, for whatever reason) to > > take the issue further, then we as midwives can (we can in QLD - > anonymously > > too, because midwives also are threatened for rocking the boat). Partners > > often feel intense anger at what occurs, but when the babe is born, there > is > > the "well, thank goodness my partner and the baby are OK" thoughts which > are > > reinforced by professionals when they say "a good outcome, eh?" There is > an > > increasing body of evidence which points to the trauma partners also > > experience when they are witness to these ATROCITIES (and one has to call > > them that, for that is what they are). This is so connected to the > couple's > > most intimate, personal and sexual selves - but where are the avenues for > > them to say "No DON'T!" Or when they do say, shout....plead, who hears, > and > > moreso, who listens? > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Denise Hynd" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Sunday, October 20, 2002 11:11 AM > > Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Rape by stealth (longish) > > > > > > > Dear Megan and others > > > I wish this was an aberation but as some one who has taken students for > > > maternity expereince in different hospitals and done agency work in even > > > more I have seen too much acceptance of this insensitivity to the > physical > > > and emotional feelings of women. > > > Look at this particualr situation and multiply it be even a smal > > proportion > > > of the ARMs out there! > > > > > > There would have been hospital staff present when this was happening did > > > they say anything were they even looking to see how this woman was > > reacting, > > > let alone her partner?? > > > > > > Why did they not say anything to him let alone intercede? > > > > > > Too many of us do not question let alone act to stop these situations. > > > > > > Rather midwives help set the women up for these procedures and maintain > > that > > > this is necessary that really sadenes me!! > > > And I have expereinced the anger and hate when I say these things > > > > > > For me we need the change of implementing NMAP not only to improve the > > > experinces of the birthing women but to bring the attendants back to > what > > it > > > is to be a woman to feel her real pains, to be "with Woman" and act to > > stop > > > the cause, to show them they can and should act in love not fear around > > > birth. > > > > > > Denise > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: Larry & Megan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > To: ozmidwifery <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Sent: Saturday, October 19, 2002 10:30 PM > > > Subject: [ozmidwifery] Rape by stealth (longish) > > > > > > > > > > Can I burrow some wisdom from the list? > > > > I have just visited my friend and her new baby in hospital. Her doctor > > > > suggested she be induced a week early because her baby was looking > like > > > > being a good 9lb plus?(her first was 9lb). She trusted his wisdom and > > went > > > > ahead, having gels late evening and the following morning, nothing > > > > happening. At 1pm he broke her waters. This bit I am appaled at. He > has > > > very > > > > large hands, and the agony it caused her was awful, even to the point > of > > > > screaming at him to stop. He didn't. Eventually labour started and > late > > > that > > > > evening with the aid of an epidural she birthed a lovely little boy, > > > > weighing only 8lb5oz. Mum and baby doing well. > > > > I asked her if he commented on the weight , of course he hasn't and > they > > > > don't want to say anything. She was induced for no good reason. She > > > > described the ARM as what she imagines being raped would feel like, (I > > > guess > > > > physically and emotionally) this will also not be passed on to him. > > > > I feel that she was raped and there is nothing I can do about it. I > > can't > > > > force her to acknowledge what happened, her and hubby are relatively > > happy > > > > and she has a beautiful baby that neeeds her. It is safer for them to > > > think > > > > of it as a medical procedure because if you acknowledge it as rape, > who > > is > > > > going to help them deal with it all. How many women and men experience > > > this? > > > > This doctor will never know how he made her feel and can continue to > > > > practice like this because the silence says it is OK. I am so > frustrated > > > and > > > > sad that she had to experience it at all. > > > > > > > > It reinforces my belief in NMAP and the need for women to have the > very > > > best > > > > of care. > > > > > > > > thanks, I just needed to vent off, my husbands ears are tired, > > > > Megan. > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > > > > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > > > > > > -- > > > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > > > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > > > > -- > > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
