----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 12:59
PM
Subject: [ozmidwifery] Fw: C/Section
tomorrow- some thoughts
I wonder if I'll get a reply from Channel
9?
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 11:56 AM
Subject: Re: C/Section tomorrow- some thoughts
Dear Channel 9,
The World Health Organisation recommend a
C/section rate of 10-15%. In Australia it is now about 25% (and 30-80%
in some private hospitals). I feel now after watching your show this
morning that you have glamourised C/sections and the poor women of Australia,
who are already frightened about having babies (do you ever see any happy
stories of natural birth?), will now be running off to their Doctors
requesting a c/section.
I am a midwife/lactation consultant and I see the
pain these women are in afterwards. I've also seen the haemhorrages, the
wound infections and the babies that have been accidently cut! Very few
get skin to skin contact which is the optimal start for a mother/baby
connection and greatly improves the chances of successful breastfeeding.
Longer term consequences such as Post Natal Depression and even Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder are very real but rarely discussed.
You should now concentrate on showing a
normal birth which is supported by a known midwife because research shows
that women have the best outcomes/satisfaction when this happens. You
should also show that women can successfully birth their babies vaginally
after a c/section.
I congratulate the mother and father on the safe
delivery of their son today. Of course Tracey and your team were brought
to tears by his birth but I didn't see the mother's tears (she appeared quite
detached from the whole process). I can't help wondering that if you
were to have seen the beauty of a natural birth and
how empowered the mother is when she has completed the birth
journey as nature intended, you would be shedding even more tears of
joy.
Regards,
Joanne Fisher.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 3:30
PM
Subject: RE: C/Section tomorrow- some
thoughts
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viewer,
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Dear Channel 9,
I always enjoy watching your show
and tomorrow I will be watching with great interest. I am a
midwife/lactation consultant and want you to know that birthing choices
in this country are horrendous. We are so medically dominated.
We fall way behind countries such as the Netherlands, UK, and New
Zealand. People don't know about it because it is not talked
about. They only find out about it after the fact when they are
suffering post taumatic stress disorder. Now you are planning to
show a live c/section on TV. Well I certainly hope you give the other
side a chance to tell women about REAL birth and REAL informed
choice. I await your show with mixed feelings.
Regards,
Joanne
Fisher.
