Hi Sally, thanks to you and the others for your kind words. We all ought to
get together for coffee
(or Caro or Green Tea :-)
Perhaps the next homebirth conference??
Of course you can forward this and anything else I write to whoever you
wish.
As for Taylorism, Frederick Winslow Taylor was the 'father' of scientific
management, very centered on industrial 'efficiency' and his work was used
in time and motion studies. Lenin loved his ideas and you can see what
happened in the USSR as a result.
His ideas have found their way into many aspects of human life, including
the birth place.
If you have the internet, you can google 'taylorism' and you can read as
much as you like about him and his work.
Happy New Year,
love, Carolyn
- Original Message -
From: Sally @ home [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au
Sent: Friday, December 29, 2006 8:37 PM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] What happened with this birth?
Carolyn,
You are amazing...after being completely denigrated by the medicos and
some of my colleagues for believing that women DO NOT need V'E's every 4
hours to assess progress of labour, what you have written is a breath of
fresh air, with your permission I would like to forward your previous
email to my colleagues, to make those who practice obsteric nursing aware
and to support those who truly work with women.
Have you got some info on Taylorism, I would like saome background on it.
Thanks heaps.
regards
Sally
- Original Message -
From: Gail McKenzie [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au
Sent: Friday, December 29, 2006 5:07 PM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] What happened with this birth?
WOW!!! Thank you thank you thank you. Carolyn, that was just
what I needed. Are you going to the homebirth conference this year? If
so, I would dearly love to catch up with you everyone else who
contributes to the ozmidwifery site. maybe we can wear a flower or
something so we recognise each other.
Much love and admiration, Gail
From: Heartlogic [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Reply-To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au
To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] What happened with this birth?
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2006 13:24:40 +1100
Dear Gail,
Firstly, your instincts are spot on.
This is a very distressing story. It is not a coincidence that these
women's labours stalled following his VE's, that is absolutely to be
expected and is the result of a mindless disruption of the women's
optimal state of neurophyiological functioning. Taylorism, that is an
industrial, efficiency management model, has no place in the dynamic
fluid process of birth, sadly it has become merged into the 'health' care
system with this sort of unconscious abuse becoming more common.
'Discussions' with the doctors at that stage will do nothing except breed
resistence and further intervention; in mindless individuals it can even
result in payback situations where intervention will be done just because
you are the midwife. The right to rule is still endemic in the maternity
services.
the first thing to understand is that these people really believe they
are doing the right thing.
the second thing to understand is that they are taught all about the
abnormalities of birth, they have absolutely no idea about normal
physiology as applied to birth (gross generalisation, I know)
the third thing is that they are terrified of birth
the fourth thing is that they are taught throughout medical school that
they are the boss of everything and the government and health departments
agree and structure everything (I know, there are exceptions) to
reinforce that idea
the fifth and probably MOST important thing is that they do get taught
about 'patient' autonomy and the need for consent.
So, here is where it gets interesting and where our opportunity lies.
It is vitally important that you use every moment with birthing women to
help them understand the situation, without making it combatative and
engendering a siege mentality and ask them what they want to have happen,
how they would like things to go, so they can say what they want - be
left alone, checked in another hour a few more hours, more time, a bath,
move freely, have the baby listened to by doppler in the shower/bath etc
if women have the information that can help them with the deeply damaging
throw away lines that get trotted out like 'stillbirth' 'brain damage'
etc, then women can say what they want and we as midwives can support
them in that and remember to DOCUMENT what women want. To do things
against rational people's will is abuse. To argue about medical
intervention with midwives is a nuisance and an affront to power beliefs.
Getting strategic is important. Learning tactical support of birthing
women is a midwifery art form and a very challenging one. It is crucial
that you avoid blame, judgement and criticism as these emotional states
are
