[ozmidwifery] empowerment

[Julie Clarke]

Dear Sally Your description of your care with women with regard to guiding them to be aware of their baby’s position was certainly part of my experience with Maggie Lecky-Thompson as my homebirth midwife, she would ask me first and then feel my belly. It is such a simple respectful gesture and yet potentially so very empowering for women.  Without touching women I pass this same attitude / gesture onto the women in my classes and they grow with confidence, as you described. hug Julie Clarke Childbirth and Parenting Educator Transition into Parenthood 9 Withybrook Pl Sylvania  NSW  2224 T. (02) 9544 6441 F (02) 9544 9257 M. 0401 265 530 email [EMAIL PROTECTED]   -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Sally Westbury Sent: Wednesday, 22 January 2003 10:00 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [ozmidwifery] Pinnards v's dopplar   Cas,   You point is intereting. I also don’t offer for women to hear the baby. .. It is that process of allowing or teaching women to know their own baby, for them to be the expert. I also ask the women what position the baby is in and how the baby is.. whether the baby has dropped etc etc.. before I feel.. Probably is why at the end of the pregnancy I have women who can be very overdue (I am waiting with 2 overdue women presently) who are utterly confident that the baby is fine and they can wait for the baby to be ready to come out!   Sally Westbury Homebirth Midwife   "You are a midwife, assisting at someone else's birth. Do good without  show or fuss. Facilitate what is happening rather than what you think ought to be happening. If you must take the lead, lead so that the mother is helped, yet still free and in charge. When the baby is born, the mother will rightly say: "We did it ourselves!"  from The Tao Te Ching