I
think it is ESSENTIAL for midwives and consumer groups to be working together on
this one. Amazingly enough, many complaints we hear about are from women
who feel their midwife let them down. Interesting issue (as I am a doula
also, perception and expectation of support is of great interest).
Most
would agree with the fragmented care currently offered there is a huge reliance
on trusting someone who has just walked in the door. anyone caring for a
woman tries to do their best; but their best may not correspond with the woman's
needs, even the 'nicest' midwife can upset someone unintentionally. where
does the accountability lie? bit tricky there...probably too hard to
define: but it doesn't remove the fact that some woman is feeling like
shit.
I
think it is important for midwives and doctors (if they would ever listen) to
listen to the trauma experienced by women. From experience I can say that
MY perception of a particular birth was it was positive: but to the woman is was
shit. Care providers need to base their post birth care on not what
defines positive to them, but what defines positive to each individual
woman....so easy in this system! NOT.
I wish
that one particular person who posted on Janet's Accessing Artimise list would
give me permission to paste some of her recent post about the grief she felt
postnatally.....over a year later. To exploit her pain would be adding to
her grief: but her words are so powerful, it is heart breaking.
Trauma
after birth effects so many and there seems to be little being done to minimize
it. Bugger all being done to acknowledge it. passing the sense of
responsibility on to others seems to be the way.
The
'head in the sand', 'too hard basket', 'total denial', 'my hands are tied'
mentality has to stop soon before birth trauma claims more than a woman's
soul.
I am
deeply concerned about the lack of information provided by participants of this
list (a deep source of supportive woman focused care providers) o the topic of
post cs support. From a consumers perspective: if people like yourselves
cant offer up strategies to minimize trauma after cs, then what are we to
do? It doesn't bode well.
no
disrespect intended. I value and hold all active members of this list -
however as a consumer it is my right and my role to point out weakness.
birth trauma is a huge weakness that needs to be dealt with. The
ideals of one on one midwifery should not be seen as the solution to current
trauma. yes it will hopefully reduce the trauma of future women, but for
those who birth today...there is stuff all except isolation....not what they
need.
I was
hoping to hear multitudes of posts sharing the methods of supporting and
educating women about cs birth: information on post cs care: methods of
debriefing that does more than shift blame: words of wisdom about how we as a
society are caring for our future.
*sigh*
love
Jo
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Janet Fraser
Sent: Friday, February 03, 2006 2:58 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Post cs supportSpeaking as someone who helps pick up the pieces after these scenarios, this is what I offer as a starting point:As well as a pamphlet on PTSD symptoms, and one for partners on how to support a traumatised woman.The various groups I run offer peer support and accurate birthing information. We encourage women to seek their birth records and go through them with a disinterested party, to look at the reasons why they made choices which put them in more vulnerable positions, and provide resouces with how to make more nurturing choices next time - provided it's not an emergency hysterectomy as that's a whole other kettle of fish. We offer contacts for groups and counselling in each state, where they exist.: )JI'll be interested to see what those closer to the coalface are offering to consumers as well. It would be neat to work in concert!
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