Hi all Denise's suggestion to use TV as an effective medium for educating the public is certainly something I agree with, and I hope that somewhere someone is working on a script. In the meantime in my everyday life I talk to anyone and everyone about normal childbirth and Australia's uniquely abnormal system compared to other countries. Yesterday I was attending a course Certificate V Workplace Training and I was able to get in the topic on several occasions. (a) one of the other participants was 5 months pregnant :-) golden opportunity ! She is booked in to a private hospital. I was able to explain the intervention rates at private hospitals and other options she might like to consider. :-) (b) the trainer was of Dutch descent. So I praised her country of origin and informed her of the nature of maternity services, the safety etc She was surprised and totally unaware of the extent of homebirth in her country and the safe outcomes.
That just give 2 examples of how these people who were previously completely oblivious to the reality of maternity services in Australia and now they know. Chances are they will talk to someone else who will talk to someone else... Beautiful isn't it :-) Julie Clarke Childbirth and Parenting Educator Transition into Parenthood 9 Withybrook Pl Sylvania NSW 2224 T. (02) 9544 6441 F (02) 9544 9257 M. 0401 265 530 email [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:owner-ozmidwifery@;acegraphics.com.au] On Behalf Of Denise Hynd Sent: Monday, 21 October 2002 11:36 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Rape by stealth (longish) Dear All I keep coming back to the need for our community to see and understand that there is another way a woman centred way to birth. The women and families need to see it so they can ask for it as do the midwives and other health professionals So please some one help get a programme on national TV that looks at and follows women, families and the midwives thru women centred care in Australia On the Community Midwfery Program Wa as with most homebirths the labours prgress with love and support for what the woman needs most births happen with out VE's and so many other intrusions! Please does some one have a connection to help show this way of birthing and care in pregnancy to our nation!! Denise ----- Original Message ----- From: Robin Moon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 5:35 AM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Rape by stealth (longish) > It's all very scary isnt it? > the majority of women will accept such practices because of their belief in > the infallibility of the doctor to do what is right. Aside from the issue > where some people feel raped by such procedures, many accept it because it > is seen as the doctor 'doing' something. He 'had' to induce, or he 'had' to > find the cervix. I just find it so sad. A cervix that is not ready is the > clearest indicator that ---- it's not ready! Not that it requires pummelling > into submission. I once cared for a woman who remained 4cm for a number of > hours despite good contractions. Her obstetrician came and within minutes > had manipulated the cervix into being fully dilated - plenty of blood in > that procedure. I was appalled- imagine how sore she would have been next > day. > > Mary Chiarella talks about theses issues in her book ' Silence in the > Courts'. She suggests nurses live in a professional 'shadowland' when it > comes to an ability to intervene in unsavoury medical practices. Or, more > realistically, be heard. > http://www.nmh.uts.edu.au/whatsnew/2000/silence.html > > Robin > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Lynne Staff" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Sunday, October 20, 2002 9:13 PM > Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Rape by stealth (longish) > > > > You know Denise, you have touched on something I have discussed with Vicki > > many times - love. What we (aspire to) do as midwives means loving women. > > And I have also experienced anger and hate for speaking about this > > (situations where women suffer at the hands of professionals who are > > supposed to care but cannot, or else why would they not stop when a woman > > asks them to, when she feels she is hurting, or being injured or worse, > > violated). > > > > So I say again, as I did in a recent posting, there is a Health Rights > > Commission there to be utilised in instances just such as these. If the > > woman cannot find the strength (or does not wish, for whatever reason) to > > take the issue further, then we as midwives can (we can in QLD - > anonymously > > too, because midwives also are threatened for rocking the boat). Partners > > often feel intense anger at what occurs, but when the babe is born, there > is > > the "well, thank goodness my partner and the baby are OK" thoughts which > are > > reinforced by professionals when they say "a good outcome, eh?" There is > an > > increasing body of evidence which points to the trauma partners also > > experience when they are witness to these ATROCITIES (and one has to call > > them that, for that is what they are). This is so connected to the > couple's > > most intimate, personal and sexual selves - but where are the avenues for > > them to say "No DON'T!" Or when they do say, shout....plead, who hears, > and > > moreso, who listens? > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Denise Hynd" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Sunday, October 20, 2002 11:11 AM > > Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Rape by stealth (longish) > > > > > > > Dear Megan and others > > > I wish this was an aberation but as some one who has taken students for > > > maternity expereince in different hospitals and done agency work in even > > > more I have seen too much acceptance of this insensitivity to the > physical > > > and emotional feelings of women. > > > Look at this particualr situation and multiply it be even a smal > > proportion > > > of the ARMs out there! > > > > > > There would have been hospital staff present when this was happening did > > > they say anything were they even looking to see how this woman was > > reacting, > > > let alone her partner?? > > > > > > Why did they not say anything to him let alone intercede? > > > > > > Too many of us do not question let alone act to stop these situations. > > > > > > Rather midwives help set the women up for these procedures and maintain > > that > > > this is necessary that really sadenes me!! > > > And I have expereinced the anger and hate when I say these things > > > > > > For me we need the change of implementing NMAP not only to improve the > > > experinces of the birthing women but to bring the attendants back to > what > > it > > > is to be a woman to feel her real pains, to be "with Woman" and act to > > stop > > > the cause, to show them they can and should act in love not fear around > > > birth. > > > > > > Denise > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: Larry & Megan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > To: ozmidwifery <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Sent: Saturday, October 19, 2002 10:30 PM > > > Subject: [ozmidwifery] Rape by stealth (longish) > > > > > > > > > > Can I burrow some wisdom from the list? > > > > I have just visited my friend and her new baby in hospital. Her doctor > > > > suggested she be induced a week early because her baby was looking > like > > > > being a good 9lb plus?(her first was 9lb). She trusted his wisdom and > > went > > > > ahead, having gels late evening and the following morning, nothing > > > > happening. At 1pm he broke her waters. This bit I am appaled at. He > has > > > very > > > > large hands, and the agony it caused her was awful, even to the point > of > > > > screaming at him to stop. He didn't. Eventually labour started and > late > > > that > > > > evening with the aid of an epidural she birthed a lovely little boy, > > > > weighing only 8lb5oz. Mum and baby doing well. > > > > I asked her if he commented on the weight , of course he hasn't and > they > > > > don't want to say anything. She was induced for no good reason. She > > > > described the ARM as what she imagines being raped would feel like, (I > > > guess > > > > physically and emotionally) this will also not be passed on to him. > > > > I feel that she was raped and there is nothing I can do about it. I > > can't > > > > force her to acknowledge what happened, her and hubby are relatively > > happy > > > > and she has a beautiful baby that neeeds her. It is safer for them to > > > think > > > > of it as a medical procedure because if you acknowledge it as rape, > who > > is > > > > going to help them deal with it all. How many women and men experience > > > this? > > > > This doctor will never know how he made her feel and can continue to > > > > practice like this because the silence says it is OK. I am so > frustrated > > > and > > > > sad that she had to experience it at all. > > > > > > > > It reinforces my belief in NMAP and the need for women to have the > very > > > best > > > > of care. > > > > > > > > thanks, I just needed to vent off, my husbands ears are tired, > > > > Megan. > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > 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. > > > > -- > > 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. -- 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.
