We try so hard where I work to give woman centered care which is great when all goes according to plan. But if it doesn't: why no IV (she was drinking well), why no catheter (she was voiding well), why no CTG (frequent intermittant asucultation showed no abnormalities) etc etc. This was a transfer for obstructed labour. Even with all these things they could not manage a vaginal birth but the criticism is there. cheers, Judy
--- Sue Cookson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi, > I'm still getting only the odd email so apologies if I repeat > what > anyone else has said. > Justine really has her finger on the pulse in terms of > consumer > apathy/lack of knowledge. One thing that really struck me as I > was > completing my midwifery degree though and doing my clinical > placements, > was how scared most midwives working in the hospitals are of > being sued. > They practice defensive midwifery/obstetrics becuase they are > constantly > covering their arses. > > The same story of course with all the doctors. And that's how > we are all > taught, as such. And as a student, when I dared to stand up > for the > women to stay off the CTG or refuse a c/section just because > it was 8pm > what did I get - abuse and fear thrown at me by 'senior' > midwives - 'it > will be on your head if that baby dies' stuff. And I'm not > kidding or > making this up. This is how we as students are taught - be it > within a > BMid degree or as a post grad nurse... and we work besdie all > the fear > based doctors... > > Of course I discussed CTG vs intermittent auscultation, etc > etc and > placed the documents on the desk the next morning, but if I > hadn't had > my 20 odd years of normal birth prior to doing my placements > then I > would be learning to behave and think like others who work in > and for > the system. I was even challenged fully for delaying cord > clamping ..by > a young doctor ..who of course was taught that cutting the > cord > stimulates the baby to breathe... and when I presented a PP > presentation > to other midwives in the unit about delayed cord clamping - > one > response? None of us cut the cord early here anyway. Duh - I > nearly fell > over. This is why there is so little change.... > > And don't bite my head off either - I know there are also > midwives > working in the system who are doing fantastic work to enact > change - to > policies and attitudes, to empower the women ... bu in my > mind, the > change will have to occur as a total change - like midwifery > led units > with little doctor input, where midwives are happy to truly > advocate for > the women and be prepared to continue to learn - like taking > women past > 41 weeks or even 42 weeks if all is well, taking on care of > normal birth > with all its facets .... birthing happier and healthier babies > with > mothers intact about their birth process and should I say it > .. maybe > even empowered as mothers and parents. > > Sue > > > > >Nah, not throwing it out the window at all, I see it as > having great > >potential and a great opportunity to learn and develop for > Australia. It's > >great for everyone to know what you've just said Justine, as > no-one really > >knows anything about what's going on, and all the work > occurring behind the > >scenes. The more we know about progress, the more we can work > together and > >understand the whys and hows and get excited. Also good for > morale I think, > >seeing and hearing progress... but with that you also need to > talk > >challenges, goals and improvements to be made. > > > >Perhaps you might like to speak at the conference and let us > know what you > >have been doing, what you are hoping to do and how you are > working with NZ > >to help our case here? I would be more than happy, I am sure > everyone would > >love to know and also ways they can help women have more > options in > >Australia. Lyn Allison is going to be listening - its an > opportunity to be > >heard which we can't miss, no matter how many times we have > to say it. > > > >Best Regards, > > > >Kelly Zantey > >Creator, BellyBelly.com.au > >Conception, Pregnancy, Birth and Baby > >BellyBelly Birth Support > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of > Justine Caines > >Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 1:47 PM > >To: OzMid List > >Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] where has this list gone? > > > >Dear Kelly and all > > > >Some additional information may assist you before you totally > throw the NZ > >model out the window. > > > >For those of us who have lobbied at high levels, and been > involved with > >writing (and selling!) NMAP etc we needed to totally > understand the good and > >the bad of NZ. > > > >Kelly your statements re intervention in NZ on a broad brush > are not totally > >true. > > > >One of the major down falls of the stats (ie c/s) is the > midwifery > >interaction with obstetrics (ie large metro units that have > the greatest > >birth numbers). To prove this look at the NZ rural units > stats where > >midwives are providing a total care package without an > obstetric unit and > >epidural service at the door. These stats are stunning. > > > >The funding arrangement is NZ is wonderful. It gives parity > to each > >maternity health professional undertaking the same work. It > has been > >legislated (s88). It also places the woman at the centre to > choose her carer > >and direct payment accordingly. The consumer focus re dispute > resolution is > >stunning. (Are you aware of this Kelly) Compare all of this > with Australia. > >Women are mostly treated as a piece of meat that will make > them money. Last > >week I heard a GP/Ob respond to 6 complaints with "Well I'm > trying to run a > >business". > > > >Australian women have no real choice. Choice of a private > Hosp and private > >Ob is NOT choice. 1% access to midwifery is NOT CHOICE. > > > >So one of the major solutions for them (NZ) and us is a total > midwifery > >scope of practice that does not place a woman within an > obstetric dominated > >setting unless there is clinical need. This means home birth > and stand > >alone midwifery units, this means women labouring at home for > as long as > >possible (with their midwife). You only need to look at > Australian > >co-located birth centres to get a similar picture. Yes it is > the best we > >have but the 50% transfer rate is not representative of > women's incapacity > >or midwifery care (on the whole). It is as a result of > obstetric domination > >and protocols that have no basis of evidence. This is how we > set midwifery > >and women up to fail. Why can't a woman with PROM labour in > a BC? What > >difference is the transfer to a theatre from delivery suite > to BC? This is a > >total furphy. So are many other's that exist. > > > >The answer in Australia is firstly a funding stream. > Medicare for midwives > >(without restriction). Then women actually have a funded > choice. From > >there many hurdles (no doubt). I agree women are the key, but > it is nearly > >impossible to get women to fight for or even explore > something they have no > >experience of. So a funded choice would get the cultural > change happening. > >To do this we need midwives that are with women so I believe > it is a > >partnership of change. Women will lead but midwives will be > there right > >beside them. > > > >In solidarity > > > >Justine > > > > > >-- > >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. > > > >__________ NOD32 1.1454 (20060321) Information __________ > > > >This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. > >http://www.nod32.com > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or > unsubscribe. > Send instant messages to your online friends http://au.messenger.yahoo.com -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
