----- 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
Dear Today
Show viewer,
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Executive
Producer
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.
