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I have just read the transcript from the ABC (thanx
Tania) and I am just going to say that there is one point that needs to be
made. It says "JENNY GAMBLE: We have 24 per cent caesarean
section rates.
Let's face it. Things aren't going all along swimmingly. SHELLY HORTON: Maternity staff defend themselves saying they don't have time to counsel women, especially if there's an emergency during the birth. JENNY GAMBLE: There's nothing to stop one midwife speaking quietly, calmly, clearly to the woman. So even in the midst of a rush to get a baby delivered quickly in a dire emergency -- that the woman still has some sort of emotional support to get her through that. According to the SA pregnancy outcomes unit; the
most common reason for emergency cs is failure to progress. Now really,
can anyone tell me that in this situation there is no time to talk calmly to a
woman about what is going on? To give her reassurance and kindness?
If there is no time or no staff to do it then I call for the arguments against
doulas to address this issue. If a doctor is too busy and the midwife is
run off her feet or being stressed by ob staff or what ever, i can guarantee you
the woman's partner is no real fit state to reassure his wife/partner...he has
just heard the words 'emergency' and he has begun to panic too. WHO ELSE
IS LEFT other than the woman who is exhausted, confused, worried for her child,
scared for herself, sick of labouring as she has been told she has 'failed' so
why bother to continue trying.....
You have all read Rhonda's email today and shed a
silent tear for her pain. I know her pain. I live it every day too.
How do I explain to my first born that their birth was the worse experience I
have ever been through? The reasons is because there is no on there who
cared for me...my fears, my concerns. Women don't usually vocalise it too
well as it is hard to put into words and the mother instinct has kicked in and
you are concerned for the baby too; you shut off how you feelings cause it is
too darn scary to go there ALONE. People who have shoved their hands up
your vagina and hurt you repeatedly for the last 12 hours, those people who
barge into the room and stand there tutting under their breath and saying things
like "if the mother isn't X by X o'clock call for a cs", they are the ones who
are there to make you feel better? Nah, no thanks, they didn't care about
how it felt before so I am not going to tell them I am scared! It is the
run of mill day for them... done this emg cs thing a billion times, no trouble,
no sweat, have this baby out soon, WHAT THE HELL DO THEY KNOW ABOUT HOW I
FEEL???!!!!
I think the wisest thing any woman should do in the
current system, is to have their own trusted birth support (be it a private
midwife or a doula). the sad fact is that not everyone is going to get
treated with respect and dignity, until these things become available (through
initiatives like NMAP) then birth will be a terrifying thing. I am not
scared of birth; I am scared of how I would be treated. I am glad that my
last Childs birth was with a known and trusted, admired mw and so his birth has
been able to fill the blanks of the first. Just for interest, the elements
that gave me the most humiliation and sadness in my first baby was the midwives
postnatal overnight. I call them vampires. If anyone wants to know
why, check out the CARES SA web site http://homepages.picknowl.com.au/caressa
and look up birth stories.
god, now my head really hurts. I am not sure
how much I can take of the ozmid list these days.........no offence, but my
heart breaking is a too familiar sound at the moment.
Jo Bainbridge
founding member CARES SA email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] phone: 08 8388 6918 birth with trust, faith & love... |
