Re: [ozmidwifery] crystal therapy

[pjwant]

Dear Denise,   EM in Queensland means endorsed midwife.   Perhaps I did not explain myself properly. I believe many of us see pathological pain states in labour more often than we care to admit. I believe this occurs because most of us in Australia work in pathological birth environments where there is a lack of endorphins between midwives and midwives; midwives and mothers; doctors and midwives; doctors and mothers. Particularly where the woman feels intimidated, frightened, where there is no trust, no continuity of care; no informed consent; no love in the medicine......   Odent helps me to understand this fully when he says "women can undilate with one unkind glance....He states "If the method of the mammals be inefficient in any particular instance there must always be teams capable of doing epidurals to compensate for the lack of endorphins; to use drips to compensate for a deficiency of hormones from the posterior pituitary; to perform cesarean sections to rescue babies in distress....but it should not become the usual way to be born". By saying this it could be said that he is inadvertantly supporting these methods. However you and I know that this is not the case. He legitimises the womens pain because the environment is so pathological in comparison to what the normal birth process requires.    On more occasions then we care to admit, many midwives in the hospital environment feel powerless to keep a safe space for the woman; to allow the complex cascade of hormones to be released in the womans time and not our time; to limit the use of abusive language to women. All to often we succumb to the patriacial domination of the environment in which we all work.    The use of the language "severe pathological pain" occurs in Oxorn and Foote (1986) The authors refer to this pain state being associated with "a malpresentation; or when the uterine action is abnormal as in the incoordinate uterus, where the propagation wave does not start at the  pacemaker part of the uterus. They talk about "cervical dystocia, obstructed labours, contractile waves with inverted gradients where the normal contraction begins in the lower segment and moves upward. The polarity of the uterus is reversed and the is no effacement or dilatation of the cervix. Pain may be present all the time and is out of proportion with the intensity of the contractions". We have all seen women like this and some of us have not appreciated the extent of their pain because it does not show up on the monitor, or we cannot palpated the contractions; or they are just prostin pains. These women are deemed not in labour, therefore it does not legitamise their pain.   Denise as you have inferred, and I wholeheartedly support, the environment is not conducive to normal birth. My continuation on this note is that the womans pain does become pathological in many instances and does require extraordinary means to releive it because the environment for birth is so abnormal. "Failure to progress" becomes the physical manifestation of a woman who is spiritually unsupported.   It is these above situations that I am referring to when I am describing pathological pain states. It is my belief that it is our lack of continuity of care that is utimately responsible for why pethidine and epidurals become so necessary to some women and many midwives.   I can not remember the last time I initiated the use of pethidine or epidural to a birthing women. I am fortunate that the births I often attend are unmedicated and normal. I put the hard yards in, I dont deliver obstetric solutions from the desk. I strive to be totally connected to the energy surrounding the birth . I once had a birth bag which carried the odd bit of aromotherapy, rescue remedy, crystals....I wish to reestablish these modalities in a legitimate way....     On a positive note I delivered my first baby 3 years ago at the Birth Centre at the Royal Womens in Brisbane. I had a waterbirth, no drugs, no stitches, I breastfeed for 12months, I had Tania Nairn and Trish Schneider (DON of RWH) as my midwives who were experienced, supportive women who had an incredible faith in the power of the normal birthing process. I was informed; I used alternative therapies to deal with my pain (rescue remedy, water, homeopathics, aromotherapy) The birth centre gave me a choice to use these modalities.... Why should it only be available at the birth centre and not to all women who wish to achieve an unmedicated normal birth.............God Bless. Jennie.   P.S I Have just read the Revelations in the bible and God forbid the crystals are mentioned in a positive way........I will remain ever so delighted with the fact that Jesus was born in a manger and my baby received the same care, my son has been given the opportunity to remain deeply contented to humanity. I thank my midwives for that now and always........  ----- Original Message ----- From: Denise Hynd To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2003 12:36 AM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] crystal therapy Dear Jennie I commend your efforts particularly as student midwife in the context of meidcalised australian birthing "services" but Please can you not say childbirth contractions are "pathological pain states"  mild, moderate or severe  though what is done to women when they are having contractions  I would consider pathological in that it shows a lack of understanding of childbirth and how to work with contractions and labour in general. To say such things is to in advertently support the use of the treatments  you are trying to avoid   By the way what is EM ?? Denise Hynd ----- Original Message ----- From: pjwant To: ozmidwifery Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 4:56 AM Subject: [ozmidwifery] crystal therapy Dear List,   I have recently been using crystals at work with some success. Several of my patients have said "they gave me something to focus on; they gave me something to hold on to; I felt protected; I think they really did work thankyou.....However, the sceptics have engaged their will and notified the NPC that they feel this therapy makes us look unprofessional, practicing witchcraft, there is no strong evidence to support their use....etc.... Thus I am no longer able to use the crystals in my work until I find some evidence to support their use.   Therapies such as pethidine and epidurals are sold to all women as "safe modalities for pain relief" instead of being used appropriately to rescue mothers in severe pathological pain states. It is a shame that my strong critics have nothing else to offer women, a sad reflection on our profession. These drugs are offered without any conscious recognition for the evidence available that demonstrates an increased incidence of PND; decreased breastfeeding rates;....etc  or as Michel Odent predicts ever increasing levels of violence in our society due to a generation of offspring who did not have access to the level of oxytocin that promotes bonding and a capacity to love: feeling numb on the inside; not being able to complete tasks; disconnected from society; increase in youth suicide........drug abuse.........the list goes on. But "thats ok....its protocol so lets not concern ourselves with the evidence that suggests these therapies should be avoided in the majority of women"   I need your support to help me work towards achieving safer outcomes for women. I would appreciate any information or evidence any of you may have which may help me develop a protocol for the use of complementary therapies such as crystals etc.... or send me a copy of a protocol you have developed in your working environment. Kind regards Jennie Want (RN.EM.BMid..Masters of Midwifery student)