Re: [ozmidwifery] High heads/ pain free ???

[Alphia Garrety]

Risk perceptions are culturally entrenched - they are historical and local.  What might be perceived to be 'risky' in one era at a certain locale may no longer be viewed so in a later era, or in a different place.  Hence the very different perceptions of birth in places such as Holland.  However, it is this very difference that provides the basis for dispute and debates over the nature of the concept of the "risky birth"

Awareness of risks seems to be heightened at the every day level in the various spheres of our lives - and "risk knowledges" seems to be in the hands of the "expert" - which denies experiential knowledge.

I think this type of analysis may help us to understand why some women turn to the obstetrician and genetic counsellor  - it may help us to better understand the shift that seems to be taking place where a large group of women seem to be seeking out a medicalized birth.

Just my two cents.

Take care
Alphia

At 11:39 AM 30/10/03 -0800, you wrote:

Hi Sue:

I think you have captured the essence of what is going on. My head swims
with reasons this has happened, but the truth is I have no idea. It does
seem the idea of birthing anywhere but the fringe is fraught with fear. The
options seem to be getting smaller and smaller.

marilyn


----- Original Message -----
From: "Sue Cookson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2003 4:30 PM
Subject: [ozmidwifery] High heads/ pain free ???


> Hi all,
> Just following the drift.
> High heads at term and pain in labour, c/section for breech, post dates...
> Can't help being cynical.
>
> Sometimes when you drop in on this childbirth line, it seems that
everything
> that once was normal has now been medicalised, pulled apart, reduced both
in
> size and importance and made plainly unreachable by most women. What are
> some of these parameters we use to judge normality with?
>
> What a long way we have stepped into fear and paranoia around childbirth
in
> such a short time. Even the last few years have seen a marked difference
in
> responses on this line, in my opinion.
>
> From a mother of 4 children born at home, including one double footlings
> breech baby high at term, one to 44 weeks, one pain free childbirth (just
a
> lot of laughing and mucous), and two not attended by anyone apart from
> family. I guess I was lucky?
>
> The fringe (of normal birth) just gets smaller and smaller.....
>
> Sue Cookson
>
>
>
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Alphia Possamai-Inesedy Ba (Hons.)
PhD. Candidate
School of Applied and Human Sciences
Bankstown Campus, University of Western Sydney
UWS Locked Bag 1797
South Penrith Distribution Centre
NSW 1797 Australia

Phone: 02 97726628
Fax: 02 97726584