I agree with this in a general sense, however I don't think we can put all ob's in the same basket. I am having my baby at Selangor in February which is a private hospital but run sort of like a birth centre. There is a midwife clinic but to have access to this service you must be under the care of an OB. I at first was not so sure about this as I did want a homebirth with NO MEN bar my husband involved but this service is not available to me where I live. After my first visit I had changed my mind.
I no longer have any fears about not being in control of my birth as my MALE OB fully supports my choice to have a water birth in fact he encourages it, (yes still available here)and to be in total control of my natural birth. I was even told by one of the midwife's that he will just stand aside during the birth, does not intervene unless absolutely necessary and leaves the midwife's to perform there duties. He is the most caring, friendly, gentle man who is open to alternatives and has an understanding of women that is rarely seen in Male OBS. He has respected all of my decisions to reject blood tests, strep B testing, internal exams during labour, hep B shots for baby, Vit K for baby and heel prick test - he didn't even bat an eyelid when I said I want none of this. I am very lucky to have had his care and it would be nice if more men in these positions were to take on this kind of thinking. He trusts us as women and believes that it is our choice and as long as we are informed about the choices we make he will fully support you. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dan & Rachael Austin Sent: Monday, 8 January 2007 9:19 AM To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au Subject: [ozmidwifery] How do you deal with your fustrations? I get so fustrated when I know people who choose subordinate (in my opinion) levels of care. What I mean is, healthy women who choose care under an obstetrician. They get roped into the high tech repeated u/s, monitoring, for the "just in case" ignorant way of thinking. They end up having highly intervened vaginal births (but they see as 'natural birth' because it is vaginal) or worse a necessary unnecessary cs. Does this make sense? I have been up most of the night stewing over this, because a 4 of my rellies have recently choosen this type of care to end up with the same results... and they think I'm weird because I choose to birth at home! OK so I'm a midwife (new at the game, but still), so maybe the extra knowledge helped me to make 'good' or appropriate choices for me, but what stops women from investigating choices for themselves? Why do they so blindly give themselves to medical men in every sense of the word? Do women really believe that they don't have the power to birth themselves and that they really need help? Do they really think nature got it that wrong? AHH!! How do you get 'over it'? How do you talk with these women about birth in social conversatin without lecturing them? Hope this makes sense.. i'm tired! -- 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.
