Re: [ozmidwifery] Epidurals

[Abby and Toby]

>>It would be nice for us if all women were pro-active in determining their birth plan in advance in collaboration with their primary care-giver, be it GP, Obstetrician , or midwife, but sadly as we all know this is not the case with many women arriving at hospital for their baby's birth with no knowledge of the birth process, let alone knowing the effects of analgesia on bonding or breastfeeding.   I know soooooo many women that have their birth plan fully researched and written out, discussed with care givers and most where caregivers have agreed, they come into the "birthing place" wherever it may be, give out multiple copies and noone takes any notice of them what-so-ever. If these "professionals" have made it so women believe they need them to birth, then these "professionals" need to educate, inform and share knowledge We live in a society of broken families, broken birth lines, mothers who were not even awake for the birth and we were taken from our mothers for hours......how will women learn and become proactive. Yes there are women that take the initiative and become proactive but it takes alot of guts, strength and frustration. It is not as easy as, "well I understand the birthing process and I have a great birth plan and I want a natural birth etc", women come up against fight after fight during pregnancy, labour and postnatally. From the whole, "how about you wee on this stick so I can know that you are REALLY pregnant" to, "we should talk about induction for your "late" baby" to "no really it's routine, you do need this shot of syntocinon" or, " oh! you wanted me to leave the cord pulsating.......we couldn't do that, it is against protocol!" The uneducated "knowledge" has come from the people women are meant to trust. It makes me mad when I read or hear comments as above. If a woman has spent 8 months going on her monthly, then fortnightly, then weekly, maybe daily visits to her "professional" care giver, then she should know and understand the knowledge of the birth process. It is not the lack of knowledge on the woman's part that is the problem, it is the lack of educated knowledge shared that is the problem.   Love Abby