Mary,
I totally agree with you but today I am wondering just why we try with some.
She was having her second baby, prostin induction for term plus 8 on the start day of the induction, no action after 4 doses over 2 days so the doctors were talking about an elective CS. I spoke to the woman and normally tact, diplomacy and caring are something I am good at but obviously not good enough. I find out today that she doesn't like me because I told her "that she doesn't need a CS". Obviously I was wrong as she got to 5cm (started to labour the night before) and stayed there for 6 hours then had an abdominal delivery of a 4.7 kg baby.
I know my focus was not that she doesn't need the CS but "you don't know if you can birth normally if you don't try" and at the time she seemed interested in the concept. She had been a client of the Birth Centre till they had to hand her over for being post term. Have not spoken to her yet as I have been too busy in Birth Suite. Will see her tomorrow night.
I feel very disappointed and let down. I guess I should focus instead on the two photos from different appreciative families that have been given to me this week. They will be scanned and added to my album of mums I have worked with.
Judy
From: "Mary Murphy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
CC: "ACMI" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Presenting a united front
Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2002 19:35:46 +0800
As a Fellow of the Australian College of midwifes and a member and worker
for 20 yrs, I must also say that I am disappointed in the deafening silence
of the ACMI Executive about the overall state of maternity services. As a
midwife in private practice, I see that the insurance issue and my own
conditions of employment are up to me to fight for. I don't expect that the
ACMI should do that. However, when the majority midwives are (for all kinds
of personal reasons) colluding in the medicalisation of births of the the
women of Australia, I feel like a raging lioness, wanting to protect my
young. Medicalisation causes the majority of babies in Australia to be
born imprinted in a drug filled haze. In todays West Australian newspaper
it stated that W.A. had the 2nd highest illegal drug problem in Australia.
Is it any wonder! Women who wish to birth naturally without drugs and the
midwives who support them are seen to be deviates. After attending the
births of 4 women in the last 2 weeks, a 3rd baby , 5.2kgs, no tears, no
drugs, who was told to have a C/S because she wouldn't be able to birth the
baby; a primip who birthed a 3.6kgs baby in 7 hrs, no tears, no drugs; a
primip who birthed a 3.8kg baby in 6 hrs, labial tears, no drugs and a
primip who birthed a 4.4kgs baby in 12hrs, no tears or drugs- all
waterbirths. Waterbirths are not allowed in our hospitals or our birth
centre because they are "dangerous", yet it is O.K to fill them up with
epidurals or drugs by another route, or even to indoctrinate women to the
idea that planned caesareans are "risk free", then blame them for choosing
that option... or even giving them that option. Some of the women above had
personal histories which may have caused a planned casarean, or an
instrumental delivery if they had stuck with the medical model and their
midwives had gone for the epidural, hospital birth scenario. Patience and
encouragement allowed them to triumph and experience real healing in their
births. What is happening out there? Where is our professional body
upholding what is right, not just what is politic? I would like to see so
much more public comment from the Executive of the ACMI about the state of
maternity care (or lack of true care). It truly is a toothless tigeress.
MM
--
This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics.
Visit
to subscribe or unsubscribe.
