Thanks Andrea.
It is a funny one - I'm still giggling a bit myself!!
Sue
Congratulations Sue on hanging in there and "having just completed my
BMid degree'. I'd say welcome to the sisterhood but it feels like I'd
be doing it 23 years too late.
Andrea Q
On 30/12/2006, at 2:14 PM, Sue Cookson wrote:
Hi Carolyn, Gail and others,
I can't agree with you enough Carolyn. Having just completed (yes!!)
my BMid degree after attending homebirths for 23 years without a
degree, I agree with everything that you have written - in particular
the need to work with the doctors not against them, talk to your
colleagues, don't just turn off or walk away.
We as a society have participated in all that has been set up - the
heirarchies, the 'powerful' few, the fear that has permeated and
changed women's respect and understanding of birth.
And it will only be through quiet, respectful but definite changes -
mainly working with and truly understanding the nature of birth and
the role that we as midwives can and do play, that anything at all
will change.
Through my clinical placements over the past two years I have seen
many absolutely horrific situations in hospitals and I honestly can't
remember one where it wasn't in my eyes due to the management - be it
the dominance, the belittling of the woman, the panic from care
providers, lots of practices that are not evidence-based and should
be changed yesterday, poor practice and often simply the lack of
understanding of normal labour by the care providers causing
haemorrhages, depressed babies , separation, interference...
And so at fifty years old I enter a new faze in my life - not totally
sure where or how but it will certainly be building bridges,
informing people - families and practitioners alike - of safe and
effective practice, agitating for change and then more change. As a
mother of four homeborn beautiful kids I feel now like a
warrior/lioness ready to move into a new era and will be challenging
all those shitty old practices and attitudes as I go.
*/ Never doubt that a small group
of thoughtful, committed people can change/*
*/the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has./*/ /
/Margaret Mead (1901-1978)/ *//*
Happy New Year to all of you,
Sue
Dear Gail,
Firstly, your instincts are spot on.
This is a very distressing story. It is not a coincidence that
these women's labours stalled following his VE's, that is absolutely
to be expected and is the result of a mindless disruption of the
women's optimal state of neurophyiological functioning. Taylorism,
that is an industrial, efficiency management model, has no place in
the dynamic fluid process of birth, sadly it has become merged into
the 'health' care system with this sort of unconscious abuse
becoming more common.
'Discussions' with the doctors at that stage will do nothing except
breed resistence and further intervention; in mindless individuals
it can even result in payback situations where intervention will be
done just because you are the midwife. The right to rule is still
endemic in the maternity services.
the first thing to understand is that these people really believe
they are doing the right thing.
the second thing to understand is that they are taught all about the
abnormalities of birth, they have absolutely no idea about normal
physiology as applied to birth (gross generalisation, I know)
the third thing is that they are terrified of birth
the fourth thing is that they are taught throughout medical school
that they are the boss of everything and the government and health
departments agree and structure everything (I know, there are
exceptions) to reinforce that idea
the fifth and probably MOST important thing is that they do get
taught about 'patient' autonomy and the need for consent.
So, here is where it gets interesting and where our opportunity lies.
It is vitally important that you use every moment with birthing
women to help them understand the situation, without making it
combatative and engendering a siege mentality and ask them what they
want to have happen, how they would like things to go, so they can
say what they want - be left alone, checked in another hour a few
more hours, more time, a bath, move freely, have the baby listened
to by doppler in the shower/bath etc if women have the information
that can help them with the deeply damaging throw away lines that
get trotted out like 'stillbirth' 'brain damage' etc, then women can
say what they want and we as midwives can support them in that and
remember to DOCUMENT what women want. To do things against rational
people's will is abuse. To argue about medical intervention with
midwives is a nuisance and an affront to power beliefs.
Getting strategic is important. Learning tactical support of
birthing women is a midwifery art form and a very challenging one.
It is crucial that you avoid blame, judgement and criticism as these
emotional states are damaging for everyone and lead to despair. It
is useful to come from the point of view that they mean well but are
ignorant about birth physiology and are taught to look for problems.
Neuroscience and quantum physics teaches us we find what we are
looking for. That also means we make it up if it is not there.
Our job is to work with women and their processes, to give women
information to make their own decisions and to help them actualise
their decisions and to help doctors know what women want. :-)
makes it so simple really. Simple does not, however, mean easy.
Every time you find yourself with a pregnant and/or birthing woman
ask questions of yourself like 'how can I best inform her of her
options?' ' how can I best explain the process of birth so she
knows what to expect?' 'how can I support her with what she wants?'
' how can I best let her know how well she is doing so that she can
feel secure in asking for more time if she needs it?' " how can I
best let her know her rights so she feels powerful and in control of
her process?' some women, no matter what doors you open, will
succumb to medical pressue. That is just the way it is and all we
can do is support her through her experience with love, compassion
and kindness.
One last thing, make friends with that doctor. It is not 'sucking
up' it is working with integrity. Everyone wants to do a good job.
Approach that person, say you feel uncomfortable about the
interaction - open dialogue. We need to be friends with each other.
Focus on creating a healthy workplace. Over time, you may have more
influence as trust deepens between you. We need to focus on the
long term with our doctor midwife relationships. Remember that he is
scared of birth and wants to control it - the women get in the way
of that and get caught in the melee. He is doing the best he can
with what he knows. Doctors are not enemies, they are, in the main,
ignorant about normal birthing physiology. Power dynamics, history
and politics have put them where they don't belong. We as midwives
have to work with that reality to the best of our ability. Birthing
women, when they have accurate information, can call the tune.
However, if someone is doing something that is not medically
'right', then it is important to put in a formal complaint and have
the matter seen to.
Hope this helps, warmly, Carolyn
----- Original Message ----- From: "Gail McKenzie"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au>
Sent: Friday, December 29, 2006 11:04 AM
Subject: [ozmidwifery] What happened with this birth?
It's been so interesting for me to read about this birth and
Andrea's woman's experience too. I am a newly qualified student
midwife currently working in birth suite doing my rotations. I
have come across both these types of births and each time I
instinctively knew the mother & baby only needed to reorientate
their head-space. Unfortunately, hospital protocol & "time" would
not allow for it. I even had a "discussion" with the doctor about
giving more time as the labours were going so beautifully until
then (coincidentally, both stalled when VE performed by him???????)
Outcome was 1 enemy for me & 2 very unhappy women getting C/S. If
it wasn't for websites like this one the next 12 months would be
the longest, most unhappiest of my life. You are all keeping me
sane & knowing that my instincts are not wrong. Thank you, ladies.
Gail xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_________________________________________________________________
Advertisement: It's simple! Sell your car for just $20 at
carsales.com.au
http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fsecure%2Dau%2Eimrworldwide%2Ecom%2Fcgi%2Dbin%2Fa%2Fci%5F450304%2Fet%5F2%2Fcg%5F801577%2Fpi%5F1005244%2Fai%5F838588&_t=757768878&_r=endtext_simple&_m=EXT
--
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.
__________ NOD32 1.1454 (20060321) Information __________
This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
http://www.nod32.com
__________ NOD32 1.1454 (20060321) Information __________
This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
http://www.nod32.com
--
This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics.
Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.