Re: [ozmidwifery] We can make a difference

Sun, 15 Oct 2006 20:48:22 -0700

What a lovely story Dianne, thanks for sharing it
Do you know if anyone is teaching this in WA?
Sue
 
- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2006 9:19 AM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] We can make a difference

It is quite some time since I wrote on this list and after reading some of the posts recently it has made me really appreciate the job I am doing.  I KNOW my job is encouraging women to change the way they give birth, again trusting their body's ability to just do it. Sorry this post is so long.
 
I am not a midwife but part of childbirth education teaching the Australian calmbirth program. Previously I taught HypnoBirthing but because the USA had such a stranglehold on what we couldn't change to teach for Australia, the opportunity came along to be a part of the Australian program so I grabbed it knowing what a difference the previous program was already making and with an Australian influence it was even better.
 
I also know many of you midwives out there are seeing a difference in the women who are coming in to birth their babies using these relaxation programs. I have been doing a small study which I only started a couple of months ago and of the last 17 couples who have birthed only one had medical intervention. They all listened to and worked with their bodies beautifully supported by their partners who also learn and appreciate how women birth. They also stood up to the system and said this is what I want. MY way!
 
Only a week ago I returned home from Birsbane after a conference and one of my clients rang me to let me know she was in labour with her 3rd baby. Her first 2 births were horrendous. During her first birth she was losing control and her assigned midwife said "you think this is bad, wait until the pain is so bad you will be BEGGING us to help you, the only thing that will get rid of this posterior labour pain is an epidural". So guess what she lost it totally there and then. During her second birth she had a wonderful and supportive midwife for the first couple of hours and then guess what the SAME midwife came on duty again. This time she said "it would be better for everyone this time if you just have the epidural right now". My client went into immediate panick and the same scenario happened again.  
 
When she was pregnant again she knew she HAD to do something different. Nature was telling her to listen and this time she was. She rang in total fear of it repeating again and booked in for classes.
 
When she spoke to me on the phone at the start of this 3rd labour she had been to the races and after going to the toilet realised she had, had a show. When she returned home she rang and said I am in labour but it is so different, it isn't painful, it is all in my back but I am breathing through the contractions easily. She knew her baby was posterior again so I let her know the postions to help encourage baby to rotate and also told her I would be around if she needed me for support. Two hours later her hubby rang and asked me to come into the hospital because a midwife who had relieved her assigned midwife to go to tea had bounced her and she was getting fearful of the same scencario being set up again.
 
I arrived at the hospital 30 mins later to have missed the birth by 5 minutes. When her assigned midwife came back into the room and realised what had happened she immediately went to my client and whispered in her ear " listen to your body, it knows what to do, just let it do it". From that moment there was no more panick, she was back on track. She said she just kept thinking to herself "my body knows what to do, keep out of it's way and let it do its job". Her baby floated into the world calmly and peacefully. When I walked into the room she looked at me beaming and said " I DID IT and it was so wonderful, my body is so wonderful". I NEVER had a doubt she could do it because we have birthed babies for thousands of years and our bodies just KNOW how to do it. She videoed the birth and it IS wonderful.
 
So many times over the last five years I have been kicked in the face, riduculed, accused of interferring with "hospital policy" by telling women they have rights AND for daring to teach a program that encourages women to look back within and get back in touch with their natural ability to birth. In my early days I was shunned in the birthing room because others wanted to just take control of women's births and how dare I stand there and support a woman's rights. I stood my ground!
 
You midwives out there ARE making a difference, please don't ever give up. I will never give up my support for women to have the births they deserve to have and having you wonderful women there fighting from within the system IS changing it one birth at a time. It only takes one pebble in a pond to start a ripple.
 
I'm not naive, I know we have a long way to go but if I know birth IS changing one birth at a time then I am encourged to be there and continue the fight for the right to birth as nature intended.
 
Thanks for listening.
 
Diane Gardner
Melbourne
Dip Couns, Adv Dip Hypnosis
NLP, HBCE ,calmbirth Prac.
 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Päivi
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 3:48 PM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Goodbyes

Just a quick note to all of you, before I run of to work.
 
Two days ago I went to the Finnish Midwives meeting, where a hospital midwife gave a speach. She described what it was like to care for women twenty years ago, or even ten years ago, when they gave birth on their own empowered. She also described the seem in the today's hospitals with women wanting all possible drugs at the doorstep. It must be hard to work in those circumstances. But what made me really sad is, that this particular midwife had lost her hope for things ever changing. She seemed to have accepted, that time had changed things, and there is no going back anymore. When I got home I wrote to her and told about this list, how every day I read your encouraging commets and stories of women giving birth on their own every day in today's world. How that inspires me to beleive, that I can still change things around in my country an tomorrow can be better, than today. I received a reply from her. My letter to her had made her very happy, because she saw, that there was someone, who has the energy to beleive in the better future, to try to fight the system, to inform the parents and inspire. Obviously she hadn't sensed this for years. We don't have a single forum like this in my country, there are no homebirth conferences or such to attend. Simply there is very little change for these midwives around the country to support each other in their common goal; to provide women with evidence based practise.
 
I think this list is the best, because I always get an onest opinion of what happens, when midwives don't give in to the policies, and work independently. And also how things can be done even in the high-risk hospital. You are the Best!
 
Gotta go now,
 
Don't leave sadie =)
 
Päivi
----- Original Message -----
From: adamnamy
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 7:04 AM
Subject: [ozmidwifery] Goodbyes

I too appreciate the variety of input from all contributors.  Things get a bit heated but that’s life at the coalface. Our biggest challenge is not each other but an attitude that says women can’t be in charge of their own bodies and make their own decisions.  Let’s not lose sight of that goal and get personal.  We all do our bit, the bit that we can do.  And always, it will vary according to our strengths and weaknesses.

 

It would be a real shame to lose either of you.  As a non midwife, I really appreciate the expertise and the perspectives that midwives working in various settings bring to the discussions.  We need to know what we are up against…so be honest about the challenges you face, because they become ours pretty quickly.

 

In gratitude for your dedication,

 

amy

 

 

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