RE: My Midwifery History
Hi! You see, I cringe when I hear things like: 'made to lie in the stirrup' or 'is allowed'. The mother should have full autonomy over her own labor and birth experience. And that's what's oftentimes wrong with hospital births (other births too, as is my experience), (male) doctors and/or midwives oftentimes very arrogantly think to know best. However, only the mother feels what goes on in her body. In the modern medical world, women aren't allowed anymore to 'feel' what goes on. With my first two births, I had no idea. Not because I didn't want to, but because there was so much interference, I wasn't able to feel what was going on. Some women even have drugs, so that makes things worse. If we let women truly experience birth, their bodies will instinctively know what to do. We always have. A heart knows how to beat, every organ and cell in the body knows exactly what to do, what they're made for. So it's is crazy to think that the uterus doesn't have that knowledge. :) Thank you for your input. Nurses usually don't know any better, because they see and hear this from midwives or doctors. So I think it's very good of you to already look at things critically.
I probably used words i shouldn't have sorry.
As a student nurse ages ago, one mom came to mind where she chose to give birth in a public lying-in where we were. It was an easy primi, things went accordingly as she wanted and her midwife was a relative.
From there i can remember that her involvement and her relationship to her midwife were the factors that made it that way..In hindsight, this arrangement was not the case elsewhere then...even now...most esp in hospitals.
Though it's possible... Some moms also might prefer it that way if aware pre-birth...and have good relationships with their midwifes.
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Oh, but you don't have to apologize! It's the system and society that came up with that wording, and I am pretty sure it was partly done on purpose (or kept that way) to make women feel small. I have this theory (call me crazy) about birth and the medical world. I think that in the patriarchic world, men (not all of course) have always been trying to control everything. But nature is the only thing they can't control (really). There's nothing more natural than birth, but they turned it into something else. To control women and make them feel small and less, they use these words and 'protocol' during birth, to make women believe we need anyone other than ourselves to give birth. Some women actually believe they need machines, doctors etc. to give birth. Now mind you, I know there are situations when a woman needs an emergency c-section, but those moments are rare. The interventions women go through are often a result of those interventions. Interventions that are oftentimes only done for several reasons that have nothing to do with the birth, woman or her baby. Sometimes it's the doctor that wants to go home, sometimes other things. Birth is 'on the clock' in hospitals, a woman only has a certain time to do it herself, if she can't (which is normal, because every birth is different) within a certain time (usually 12 hours) they come with interventions... Are you still in the Philipines? Interesting to hear they have such a Western approach to birth. Shame really. I know of a place in Indonesia, it's a birthing center, where women are allowed to have the birth they want. They can have no one there or the whole family, whatever they choose. There are birth pools, they can have lotus births etc. The women are left alone, and can call whenever they need anything. No checks to see how much dilated they are etc. It's beautiful. The first time I heard about it, I thought: why can they do this in a supposedly 'developing' country, while they can't in the Western world. We should all take that place as an example. It matters how women perceive the birthing process and it matters to the baby as well. We need more stories like: 'Your birth was beautiful and empowering.' Instead of: 'Your birth was horrible, 32 hours of pain and then vacuum/forceps, and an emergency section. You were crying for 6 weeks straight after that.' Isn't the first story the best gift to give a child?
That sounds wonderful! So with the birth pool. It's not crazy maybe because it's what we've seen for years wherein it can be different and beautiful if allowed to.
My sis-in-law was a practising midwife before and yes, a few home births with her were according to how the women were comfortable.
Perhaps it's time to change the old system that's nor working. That would be fun actually...a struggle but if the moms are made aware of this practice, am sure most will be behind you. Not all, as there will still be some who believe their docs.
The practice in the Philippines follows the US.
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Ahhhh, such a shame that the Philippines follows the US in their practices. Especially since the mortality rates, both infant and maternal, are rather high in the US... I think it would be great practice if hospitals worldwide would have a look at options such as the one in Indonesia. It might change things. There's a doctor by the name of Michel Odent, who is a great advocate of water birth and natural birth. He says a lot of things about the way birth is handled these days and doesn't agree with it. He's my hero because he is one of only a few men and doctors who actually takes a stand on western medical practice. There should be more like him. He's written a few books, and each of them is equally amazing.
You guys can make a change...esp if there's not a lot advocating it.
The difference here is that a lot of people can't afford private care and c-sections...so lying in are everywhere in the country plus midwifes do home births. Neighbour nurses are doing it too...from what ive heard.
Insurance is just starting for those who can afford it...these companies are in cahoots with private hospitals i think. Don't wanna start on that one😎
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well, midwives doing homebirths doesn't sound too bad. Better than most hospital births I'd say. I just hope they're mostly hands-off...It's funny though, how 'money' isn't a guarantee that it's better. I've read this story once, can't remember where could be a midwife who wrote it. Either way, it told the story of a hospital in the US in the 50's I think. There was a separate maternity ward for white women and a place for black women. The black women had their babies, went home not long after and looked perfectly fine. The white women had awful birth experiences, had complications and had to stay in the hospital to recover. There was a white woman who said she wanted what those black women had. She was laughed at. The people told her that these black women were left alone, didn't get pain relief (and therefore had shorter births and better birth experiences). The white (privileged) women had pain relief, were forced to lie on their backs, had many interferences and more problems. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?
@misslavegas Thank you so much for commenting all over!! I haven't had time this week to keep up with everything!! I love everything you have to so say! South Africa also looks a lot like the US when it comes to maternity care....... Our private hospitals have a C-section rate of 60-90%. We really need to bring this information to the women of the world!