Yes, Marilyn, my reading of what you meant was just that, but even the narrowest biomedical definition of no intervention (including analgesia) fails to be sensitive to the taken-for-granted and therefore unseen aspects of culture. For example, the psychological and spiritual advantages of women being supported by other women are conferred by cultural practices: chanting, barracking, physical support, massage, prayer, etc. Birth in water, hypnobirthing, Leboyer birthing (remember him?), perhaps even Odent's practices, etc are all arguably part of the cultural practices of 'normal' birth.
All these mitigate the affects of the 'Ps' we learned about as new students. Therefore they are all 'interventions' in some sense, though perhaps empowering and communal ones. I have perhaps (almost and constantly reviewing) come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as 'natural birth' since we cannot seperate nature from culture. Therefore it's up to us to figure out which aspects of culture serve our and women's interests...... Therein lies the debate. It is all just degrees of intervention, and who has control over access and implimentation of them. What do you think? Trish Marilyn Kleidon wrote: > Yes, we can get bogged down in semantics when discussing what is meant by > "natural birth". What I mean is clear to me and that is what was, I believe, > envisaged by the early proponents of "natural birth" is women birthing under > their own power without pharmacological pain relief or obstetric > interventions. However, I do understand that idea has been broadened by some > to include all vaginal births and shrunk by others with limitations to the > place of birth, birth position(s) and birth attendants as well as type of > management of third stage. Hence the term has becoome very loaded which I > personally think is a huge shame. > > marilyn > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Trish David" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2004 6:30 PM > Subject: [ozmidwifery] Natural Birth > > > I am not sure I know what is meant by 'natural birth' since it is > > totally embedded in cultural practices. Who has a reliable definition > > for this that is NOT biomedically oriented? Trish > > > > -- > > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > > > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
