Here is my letter to the editor. Wonder if it will get a viewing. Trish
Dear Editor In response to Anne Peacock's defense of Tracy Curro's and Liz Hayes' assertions on childbirth and mothering in the story recently aired on 60 Minutes, may I make the following comments. Childbirth and mothering are such emotive, personal, self-defining processes that I think it is near impossible for journalists (and experts such as midwives and medical people) to maintain a standard of objectivity and ethical distance when talking in generalities. What I mean is, journalists have an obligation to the public to declare an interest where it might possibly conflict with informing the public on an issue. We as midwives have an ethical obligation to centre our practice on the woman and her choices without our own experiences clouding our objectivity. But with childbearing and mothering it seems (as these affect every person on the planet) everyone has the notion that what they did/chose/believed in is what should be the case for everyone. This generalising of a moral position is fine for the lay person. But journalists should be held to account for this, I believe. They are not allowed to comment on (for example) Qantas or a bank favourably if they are receiving benefits from those companies without declaring their interest (viz cash for comment). When women journalists set a standard based on what they chose, they should declare that they chose one way, that there are many other ways of giving birth, but they should be very mindful of the ethical issue of their ability to influence. I don't believe they are playing by the rules with this ethic. They should also be held to account on issues of fact as well. Overwhelming amounts of literature from psychology, sociology and even anatomy and physiology tells us that mothering begins in the womb with how you are mothered. It is part of a social and biological milieu in which social practices and mores and biology are irreducible. In pregnancy (and before) women fantasise about the baby, create an identity for the baby, and this identity is influenced by her wishes, desires and cultural understandings of what is acceptable from her as a mother and from the baby as a gendered individual (hence if it's a boy inside it kicks like a footballer, and if it's a girl, it kicks like a ballerina as an example). This in turn, I believe from reading and research into this issue as part of my own PhD studies, creates a dialectic between woman and fantasy/biological baby that shapes her own maternal identity in response. Clearly, mothering begins earlier than after the birth. In fact, I believe based on reading, research, conversations with mothers, long years of observation in a professional capacity, and finally my own experience, that what happens after the birth is nowhere near as influencial in creating a mother as what happens before. And, may I say, the day of birth is a profound marker, no matter how the birth itself is conducted. The evidence on this is incontrovertable. Using the argument put forward by Anne Peacock and Tracy Curro is, I contend, mere rationalisation of the choices they made, rather than a considered journalistic statement. As such, they should not be taken any more seriously than a letter to the editor from a lay public citizen. The problem is, they will be because of the journalists authority, and as such their journalistic integrity should be called into question. Yours sincerely Trish David Senior Lecturer Midwifery Monash University Gippsland. Cheryl LHK <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Reading my paper over breakfast, we find a half page spread from Ann > Peacock > (Herald Sun - Melbourne, p 118) giving full credit to 60 mins and co. And > from her personal experience having had a emergency LUSCS for her first > child, naturally with the safety of No 2 baby in mind, booked straight in > for another LUSCS! Her quote "Mothering happens after the birth, in case > no > one has noticed." > > You can contact her on > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Cheryl > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get a Virgin Credit Card and win an adventure: > > http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;8661322;9498324;s?http://www.promo.com.au/virgincreditcard/firstbirthday/track.cfm?source=N92 > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- Trish David FACM Senior Lecturer Midwifery and Nursing Monash University School of Nursing Gippsland Campus Northways Road Churchill 3842 (03) 5122 6839 0418 994033 -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
