The Wind of Change
A first time mother is in active labor, she is naked, has no I.V line, no monitor strapped to her and is eating and drinking as needs. She moves around and when she feels the need with no permission or cervical check to see if she is “ready” she crawls on to her hands and knees and quietly pushes until her baby is born. The baby is placed in to her arms and she takes her to her chest and placed her naked baby against her beating heart. Those who watch this amazing act all wait in silence or speak words of encouragement in soft tones in a dim lit room.
I cried at this birth – yes cried why because I could hardly believe that I was witness to this, a mother birthing how she desires in an American Hospital. Today suddenly as I sat there in ore of this woman, it hit me that change is happening that control of birth is being taken back by women in the USA.
I chose to practice in hospitals I really want to change the experience of the 98% of American women who birth there. Everyday has been a fight some battles lost and some won. Today it feels like we won the War. I truly believe birth practices are changing woman and their families are being placed once again at the center of their care.
“The wind of change is blowing through this continent. Whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact” Macmillan 1960.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Saturday, September 24, 2011
We are Growing ...................
Every month more and more women join our practice and chose to be cared for by Nurse Midwives - how exciting - woman are choosing with there feet to walk our way and we are delighted to serve them, to encourage them to be in control to make true choices.
One of the daily questions that make me laugh is can see a midwife if I want an epidural! The answer is of course YES. The midwifery model of care is not about the epidural, its about respecting women discussing the options open to them and supporting their choices. Believing in them encouraging them. Midwives are experts in normal birth its all we do day in day out - the midwife model of care is about providing evidence based care to women giving then the power and the control to make truly informed decisions about her care - nothing to do with herbs or kumbaya !
One of the daily questions that make me laugh is can see a midwife if I want an epidural! The answer is of course YES. The midwifery model of care is not about the epidural, its about respecting women discussing the options open to them and supporting their choices. Believing in them encouraging them. Midwives are experts in normal birth its all we do day in day out - the midwife model of care is about providing evidence based care to women giving then the power and the control to make truly informed decisions about her care - nothing to do with herbs or kumbaya !
Friday, May 20, 2011
From strengh to strengh
Midwifery is alive and well in the USA I can not believe how much I love my job the woman I serve and the profession I represent. Four years ago when I was forced to work in the medical world of L&D which I found horrific. I never thought that in a short four years I would be providing evidence based maternity care to this community, and more amazingly that the community would want it. Here I am working in a collaborative practice who support and encourage a midwifery practice with in it.I can not believe my luck ...to have found two midwife partners who are adored by their clients and respected in the community. Really and truly I can not believe it. I have the honor and the pleasure to work in a practice that talks the talk and walks the walk the real deal as one of my partners put it. our clients are supported to birth the way they want, they can move, use water , eat and drink, and are given time all this in a L &D floor in the USA - truly the home birth experience in the hospital setting the perfect answer so many of our clients. There is certainly strength in numbers spread the word women and their families can own their births !
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Power and Control
The more time I spend within the birth community the more stories and experiences I have and hear the more I realise that every one wants to control the pregnant woman its like she has no ability for control her self.
A lot of the controlling is done with good heart in mind - we tell them what and what they can eat , how much and they should exercise, how much weight they should gain - these are simple thing then we go on to discuss and control whether or not they will be able to birth their baby we use ultra sound scans to decide how long they are pregnant even though they know when they conceived we do not listen we control, then we tell them if they are in labor or not no matter what the woman is experiencing , we then decided the labor is going at the speed it needs to and whether we need to help them by speeding up the labor if its not following the plan all this is done in the name of safety - Some of what we try and control has out come that relate to positive health gains but so much of what we do is ritualistic.
But do we the health care professional make our own problems by the time labor comes have we made the woman so insecure about her self that she know longer able to make decisions and cope without are instruction. Have we completely dis empowered her? Has she totally surrendered to us that she know longer knows how to listen to her own body, no longer able to trust themselves ? Should one slip through the net and still feel strong and confident by the time birth comes we look at her oddly thinking that they are demanding and " one of those" and then with bated breath we wait for them to fail so we gleam some control back. I can hear all the health care professionals scream litigation litigation but really is everything we control really about litigation or is some of it, a lot of it, to encourage and support are own egos.
A lot of the controlling is done with good heart in mind - we tell them what and what they can eat , how much and they should exercise, how much weight they should gain - these are simple thing then we go on to discuss and control whether or not they will be able to birth their baby we use ultra sound scans to decide how long they are pregnant even though they know when they conceived we do not listen we control, then we tell them if they are in labor or not no matter what the woman is experiencing , we then decided the labor is going at the speed it needs to and whether we need to help them by speeding up the labor if its not following the plan all this is done in the name of safety - Some of what we try and control has out come that relate to positive health gains but so much of what we do is ritualistic.
But do we the health care professional make our own problems by the time labor comes have we made the woman so insecure about her self that she know longer able to make decisions and cope without are instruction. Have we completely dis empowered her? Has she totally surrendered to us that she know longer knows how to listen to her own body, no longer able to trust themselves ? Should one slip through the net and still feel strong and confident by the time birth comes we look at her oddly thinking that they are demanding and " one of those" and then with bated breath we wait for them to fail so we gleam some control back. I can hear all the health care professionals scream litigation litigation but really is everything we control really about litigation or is some of it, a lot of it, to encourage and support are own egos.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Ga. Law Could Give Death Penalty for Miscarriages | Mother Jones
Ga. Law Could Give Death Penalty for Miscarriages Mother Jones
After reading this I have to remind my self that I am living in one of the greatest countries in the world. Is it just me or is it ridiculous to believe that elected officials would behave this way. Even if you are Pro- life there is no way that such absurdity can be acceptable to you. I do not believe that abortion is taken lightly by anyone and it is not with out its long lasting effects. Placing woman in danger by placing abortion again to the frindge of society is not the way forward..it surly this is back ward steps...
After reading this I have to remind my self that I am living in one of the greatest countries in the world. Is it just me or is it ridiculous to believe that elected officials would behave this way. Even if you are Pro- life there is no way that such absurdity can be acceptable to you. I do not believe that abortion is taken lightly by anyone and it is not with out its long lasting effects. Placing woman in danger by placing abortion again to the frindge of society is not the way forward..it surly this is back ward steps...
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Is there anything Palin will not do!
Sarah Palin will say anything to get votes and appear popular even if is crazy words - She now will no longer support Breast feeding just because Michelle Obama is. What kind of world do we live in when supporting breastfeeding be political ?
Palin actual reported statement was" No wounder Michelle Obama is telling everyone 'you'd better breastfeed your baby' yeah you'd better because the price of milk is so high right now."- No Palin the first lady is supporting breast feeding - as unlike you who cares about nothing but taking cheap shots, she cares about the health and welfare of woman and child in this country!
Honestly what ever side you sit on you can not honestly tell me that educated, ethical people of American support this crazy woman. She is an embarrassment to woman. An opportunity arises where the lime light is placed on Breastfeeding and its benefits and all Palin can do it make it about her. How much more damage is this crazy woman going to allowed to cause before she is stopped.
Please Lets support breastfeeding right and left ...beacuse its the right thing to do!
Palin actual reported statement was" No wounder Michelle Obama is telling everyone 'you'd better breastfeed your baby' yeah you'd better because the price of milk is so high right now."- No Palin the first lady is supporting breast feeding - as unlike you who cares about nothing but taking cheap shots, she cares about the health and welfare of woman and child in this country!
Honestly what ever side you sit on you can not honestly tell me that educated, ethical people of American support this crazy woman. She is an embarrassment to woman. An opportunity arises where the lime light is placed on Breastfeeding and its benefits and all Palin can do it make it about her. How much more damage is this crazy woman going to allowed to cause before she is stopped.
Please Lets support breastfeeding right and left ...beacuse its the right thing to do!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Finally
Next week I start as a CNM - all the paperwork is done all the red tape cut through I am actually going to be a Midwife - again. I am still amazed how things just fell in to place .. right from the beginning really I got in to school did the classes ... went in to clinical caught the babies needed.. finished school ... sat boards ...Passed ...got offered a Job. I have a few friends in or waiting to be in school my advice to them is stick with it do it as the experience is life changing.
I was talking to a friend we were discussing school and the merits of it when she said well its ok for someone like you ...like me what do you mean she went on the say that I like being in school so that made things easier. I laughed and we moved on. Later when I was a lone I revised her comment that I liked school I never thought of it. I certainly never liked school as a child and young adult but some how over the years had I become a school lover? What had changed why now did I like school for me it is the development of the online classes and schools it suits me so well able to study when I want to and still have a life ...so all you school haters try on line it is a great experience.
I was talking to a friend we were discussing school and the merits of it when she said well its ok for someone like you ...like me what do you mean she went on the say that I like being in school so that made things easier. I laughed and we moved on. Later when I was a lone I revised her comment that I liked school I never thought of it. I certainly never liked school as a child and young adult but some how over the years had I become a school lover? What had changed why now did I like school for me it is the development of the online classes and schools it suits me so well able to study when I want to and still have a life ...so all you school haters try on line it is a great experience.
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