That is truly an amazing and scary story. Sally Westbury Homebirth Midwife "It takes courage to remain a true advocate for women, challenging authority and sacrificing social and professional acceptance. It takes courage for a woman to choose a caregiver who will truly advocate for and empower her." -Judy Slome Cohain
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Belinda Maier Sent: Monday, 20 September 2004 8:24 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] patient rights she did. when the morning shift midwife came on and saw how stressed out the room was ( I must say I was tired and overwhelmed myself and while trying to support my friend while enduring the withering looks from doctors etc I was not very assertive about kicking them all out, I was also in as her support person not her primary midwife) , doctors rushing my friend and really pushing that she was doing the wrong thing and that they had legal advice in to try and make her 'let them save the baby' etc she said to my friend you know what is going on why we want you to have a section etc when my friend was adamant she would not comply the midwife sent everyone out of the room and we very quickly got back into the labour. She said to me later (thank goodness it was her who came on - she is also a friend of mine) that when she came into the room she could feel the weight of the tension between the doctors and the woman and her husband and though well if she wont have a section then lets get on with the labour so this child can be born. My friend laboured well then, although tension occurred again when she kept begging for pain relief and her husband adamantly refused on her behalf - but that's when I felt I got back into it myself, using all my midwifery skills to help her get through which she did. I caught her beautiful son a few hours later who was born in a thick coating of mec and very flat. The pediatrician then came in (it was actually the neonataologist who got involved at this point and I though on no here we go again, but he resused the baby and then gave him to my friend to hold for ages before he took the baby to the nursery where all he did (and all they would consent to) was cot oxygen. For a nursery who stabs jabs and bottles so many babies and is a great cause of worry and angst to me it was amazing that this baby was really left alone so much. after twenty four hours he was better (they worried for while he may have mec asp but he didn't) he went ot his mum. He is now a healthy happy, weight gaining gorgeous breastfed baby. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Marilyn Kleidon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, September 20, 2004 10:47 AM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] patient rights > So, Belinda did your friend go on to birth her baby vaginally? Wow!! It > sounds like a very scary trace. > > marilyn > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Belinda Maier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Friday, September 17, 2004 7:53 AM > Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] patient rights > > > > I had a woman/friend very passionate Christian who had severe fetal > distress > > in labour who refused cs suggestions because she believed God would care > for > > her if she had faith. The doctor was very aggressive and tried all he > could > > to find a legal way to force her into a cs. Risk management were called in > > (3am) and they could not do anything but get custody of the baby once it > was > > born. This was a situation I had not faced before and was caught between > my > > role as friend midwife support in keeping the doctors away ( this was what > > she wanted from me) and my own fears for her baby who was at times sitting > > on 40-60bpm for two or three minutes then back up to 180-190 etc. We have > > been able to talk honestly about our feelings hers her husbands and my own > > and I have learnt that while I cannot say I would do anything differently > > (as in supporting the apparent need for emerg cs) I would move on quicker > > once she made it clear that she would not agree to help her labour and > birth > > which is what she did (once the doctors were asked to leave the room and > we > > all 'got back into' the labour). What made me accept her choice and move > on > > to supporting her was when the doctor called in legal people it find a way > > to force her which thankfully was not in their realm of power and I fear > the > > day they will. Although it would not be my choice I do not have more > > invested in her child's wellbeing than her. Her son is doing well by the > > way, constructed in the debrief 'us professionals' had as being lucky and > to > > her as being a result of her faith. I do not yet know where I situate > myself > > (as a perosn with no 'faith' in religious doctrines) but I can see that > luck > > versus intuition or faith is very passionatly argued by both 'sides'. Also > I > > passionately support women's right to there own bodily autonomy regardless > > of what I or others might choose. > > Belinda > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Honey Acharya" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Friday, September 17, 2004 1:40 PM > > Subject: [ozmidwifery] patient rights > > > > > > > Leanne wrote "However, I'm pretty sure that, legally speaking, no-one > can > > > *force* you to have a C-section. Does anyone know whether this is right > or > > > not? > > > While we're on the topic, does anyone know what complications usually > > result > > > in C-sections, and what patient rights are re refusing a section?" > > > > > > As far as I know you have the right to refuse anything you don't want > and > > > nothing should be done to you without your permission. (I hate the > stories > > > of episiotomy done without permision and waters broken without asking). > If > > > it was the US you might be charged if you chose not to have a c-section > > and > > > the baby died, as in one US case a few months back. > > > > > > We had a women here recently who was having a VBAC (not breech) and had > to > > > negotiate what she wanted with the Hospital. They have policy of having > > > continuous monitoring and canula in the hand when you are "Trial of > scar". > > > She said she was happy to have monitoring every hour but refused to be > > > strapped continously to it and the Ob made her sign a waiver saying that > > > they had discussed all the risks etc She had a wonderful VBAC but really > > had > > > to work to get what she wanted and to prepare herself for it. > > > Many women don't even realise they have a choice with alot of the care > > they > > > get. The women I meet here don't even consider having a vaginal breech > > birth > > > because the doctors just book them in for a c-section. > > > > > > Honey > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "JoFromOz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Sent: Friday, September 17, 2004 12:42 PM > > > Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] breech baby wisdom > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > They probably were pushing for her to have a caesar...I'm booked in > > > > > with the Family Birth Centre at the Royal Womens in Melbourne, and > > > > > their hospital policy (for the whole hospital including the FBC, > that > > > > > is) is that all breech births are immediate C-sections. > > > > > > > > > > However, I'm pretty sure that, legally speaking, no-one can *force* > > > > > you to have a C-section. Does anyone know whether this is right or > > not? > > > > > > > > > > While we're on the topic, does anyone know what complications > usually > > > > > result in C-sections, and what patient rights are re refusing a > > section? > > > > > > > > > > Leanne XXX > > > > > > > > Leanne, I used to work at the RWH in Melbourne while I was training to > > > > be a Midwife. In my interview, one question they asked me was, if > > > > someone was in labour, and they needed an emergency c/s, and they > didn't > > > > want one, what would you do? It turns out that you cannot force > someone > > > > to have a c/s if they refuse one. In their example, they used a > Somali > > > > woman, but I'm sure that would extend to any woman! > > > > > > > > If you were refusing a c/s for a breech, I'm sure they would make you > > > > sign something to waive your right to sue if anything happened though. > > > > > > > > HTH > > > > > > > > Jo > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > 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.
