Hey Carolyn good to see you back!!
Now In Solidarity is one thing, but volunteering for VE's you never cease to
amaze me! It's sooo good to be back in the Hunter, I'm hoping for great
things.
Justine
Hello all, haven't been on the lists of late, life had caught up with me. I
logged on to send off this following item, as I thought most of you would be
interested.
The Science of Mother Love:
Is Science Catching Up to Mother's Wisdom?
By Cori Young
http://www.mothering.com/9-0-0/html/9-9-0/mother-love.shtml
and then came across all the fascinating conversations that poured into my
email in box...
I've introduced myself before, and because I haven't been around for a
while, I better do so again. My name is Carolyn Hastie, passionate advocate
of women centred maternity care and healthy workplaces. I am a mother,
grandmother, midwife, educator and writer (etc - sure I have many other
labels, those will do :-)
I wanted to comment on Lieve's amazing loving care to her clients. Kahlil
Gibran wrote work is love made visible. And so it is. How blessed we all
are to have this stunning example of what is possible with midwifery care.
The issue of learning vaginal examinations is an interesting one too. I'm
not sure which list this topic was on now, so will keep on going here.
In every medical school, medical students learnt VE's with anaesthetised
women. In Newcastle in the 80's the medical school stopped the practice and
students learnt with conscious women who were/are paid to teach the students
and give feedback about their manner, communication style and technique.
The students had an informal discussion with the women before the clinical
practice session. The women explored ideas about respect, privacy and VE's,
speculums and pap smears with the students. Sexual abuse issues were also
discussed. Following the discussion, each woman took about six students and
talked each of them through as they practiced doing vaginal examinations,
both digitally and with a speculum. I thought this was such a great way of
teaching students, I became an instructor. It was an interesting time as
this was a very new idea. There was a lot of negativity about it, the nuns
called it prostitution. I also dislike pap smears and vaginal examinations
at the best of times, so a big commitment for me. My attitude was that it
was far better for the students to practice on women (such as me) who could
actively teach them, than have it happen to women without their consent or
even with their 'consent' obtained in vulnerable situations.
In situations with labouring women and midwifery students, I always
discussed/discuss the idea of a vaginal examination with the women, without
the student being present - with the woman in a standing or otherwise
upright position - positioning is so much part of the power dynamic. If the
women show the slightest hesitation, I go no further with the discussion. I
examine first, telling both the student and the woman what I can feel as I
go and asking her for feedback. Then, if the woman is still ok about it,
the student examines the woman and describes what she/he feels as she/he
goes. If the woman's experience of my examination has been at all painful,
there is no student examination. It is a challenge with teaching students,
as it is very very rare that I find it necessary to undertake a vaginal
examination on a labouring woman. The woman is also thanked very sincerely
for her generosity.
in solidarity, (thanks to the amazing Justine who never fails to flabbergast
me with her energy, activity and commitment to the cause)
Carolyn Hastie
I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can
do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do.
Helen Keller 1880-1968, Author and Lecturer
Heartlogic Consultancy
Leaders in personal mastery and healthy organisational change
Phone +61 2 4389 3919
Fax +61 2 4388 6819
Mobile 0418 428 430
Email [EMAIL PROTECTED]
PO Box 5405 Chittaway Bay NSW 2261 Australia
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