I remember this being discussed on Sunrise (Channel 7) and the thought of not having drugs was ridiculed by viewers emailing in. It seemed this release backfired (because the media just wanted to make a sensationalist story out of what this midwife said) a bit in that the general consensus seemed to be that if you don't want or have drugs you are crazy (one woman even wrote in saying "you try giving birth to a potroast without painkillers!" Very sad state of affairs indeed.
What are your thoughts, Barb? Cheers, Cas. Cas McCullough [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.casmccullough.com -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Barbara Vernon Sent: Tuesday, 16 September 2003 3:10 PM To: Ozmid Ozmid Subject: [ozmidwifery] Media releases from ACMI - Labour Pain MEDIA RELEASE Wednesday 3 September 2003 'NO RAINBOW WITHOUT RAIN: NO BABY WITHOUT PAIN!' 'Epidural makes you bored at the most beautiful time of your life', says Dutch midwife of 25 years experience, Ms Beatrijis Smulders. Speaking to a national meeting of midwives from across Australia today, Ms Smulders said that women in the Netherlands expect the pain of labour to be a major challenge, like any other woman does. The difference is that they don't want or use pain relief like epidural because they and their carers know that you keep the birth safe by having pain in labour.' The Netherlands has among the lowest rates of maternal and infant death in the developed world. It also has the lowest rates of medical intervention in childbirth. 'The safest way to have your baby is by having labour pain', Dutch midwife Beatrijis Smulders told a national meeting of Australian midwives today. 'Your task as a woman is to have a strong labour', Ms Smulders said. 'Midwives work to help women be strong in themselves and to embrace the pain of labour as a normal and healthy part of bringing a new human being into the world. 'It is normal for women to have moments during their labour when they feel fearful. So be fearful for a while but don't try to control it. Then your body takes over and your baby is born.' In the Netherlands, the vast majority of women give birth in the care of a midwife, who services are free to the woman. Only women who have a medical problem have an obstetrician, says Ms Smulders. 'And when the woman needs an obstetrician it is because something is wrong'. If you are going to take the responsibility for a safe birth you should take the responsibility for the pain. MEDIA CONTACT via Dr Barbara Vernon 0438 855 529 -- 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.
