Miss L. is a fourth grade teacher. She has always been a stickler for rules and uniformity and today is no different. Her class will be taking a test and she has a clear picture of how she intends it to be. The students all receive the test and begin working.
The first thing that bothers her is the blue pen. “Joey, answers must be written in black ink!”
Kevin is sitting sideways in his desk. A quick rap on his desk is enough to correct his position.
Sarah is humming quietly to herself as she writes down answers. No one else seems to be disturbed, but Miss L. will not have any of it.
When Jenny asks to take the test at a different table, Miss L. is firm in her response. Certainly not! Her classroom is to be the picture of order and organization.
Joey is still having difficulty finding his black pen, and likely will not be able to finish the test.
Kevin is fidgety in his seat and has to hand in his test early.
Sarah keeps biting her tongue to stop herself from humming, and can’t concentrate on the test.
Jenny gives up halfway through because she feels pressured by the students working vigorously around her.
Everyone in the classroom feels tense and uptight.
Miss N. is also a fourth grade teacher. When her class arrives for their test, she greets them with a smile. Tests are handed out and students begin to work.
Joey is using a blue pen, but as long as his handwriting is legible, Miss N. doesn’t mind.
Kevin likes to sit sideways in his desk, but Miss N. notices that he is more comfortable that way.
Sarah hums quietly as she works, and Miss N. smiles to herself.
Jenny feels pressured working in her desk, so she has permission to work at a different table.
The students are relaxed and comfortable as they work. They know that their needs are important and taken into account.
Let us perhaps draw parallel lines to a different pair of managers.
Nurse L. works in a busy L&D ward. She has a long shift and has to keep patients moving.
Nancy wants to eat something, but Nurse L. can’t stand it. What if there is a medical emergency?
Victoria wants to attempt a water birth but to Nurse L. it is too big of a distraction, and she strongly discourages it.
Sarah is moaning to cope with the pain, and Nurse L. recommends that she get an epidural.
Jenny wants to walk around in labor, but Nurse L. insists that she be strapped to a fetal monitor on a bed.
To Nurse L., a well-managed ward means patients lying in beds with monitors, laboring silently and progressing quickly. Anything else makes her feel out of control.
The patients feel tense are nervous. They are aware of numerous policies, and succumb to the hospital rituals.
N. is a midwife. She knows intimately every one of her patients and greets them with smiles at their prenatal care visits.
Nancy plans on eating during labor, and N. encourages it. A woman is better off laboring well-hydrated and with lots of energy.
Victoria is attempting a water birth, and as long as the labor progresses well, N. is on board.
Sarah moans loudly in labor, and N. encourages her to vocalize as a pain-relieving technique.
Jenny takes long walks around the block in labor, and N. knows that it is helping the baby move downwards into the birth canal.
Each woman feels that her needs are met, and that she can truly decide what the best is for her.
The difference is that the fourth graders did not choose their teacher, and can’t switch classes. But every woman can choose the setting in which she wants to give birth.
The first thing that bothers her is the blue pen. “Joey, answers must be written in black ink!”
Kevin is sitting sideways in his desk. A quick rap on his desk is enough to correct his position.
Sarah is humming quietly to herself as she writes down answers. No one else seems to be disturbed, but Miss L. will not have any of it.
When Jenny asks to take the test at a different table, Miss L. is firm in her response. Certainly not! Her classroom is to be the picture of order and organization.
Joey is still having difficulty finding his black pen, and likely will not be able to finish the test.
Kevin is fidgety in his seat and has to hand in his test early.
Sarah keeps biting her tongue to stop herself from humming, and can’t concentrate on the test.
Jenny gives up halfway through because she feels pressured by the students working vigorously around her.
Everyone in the classroom feels tense and uptight.
Miss N. is also a fourth grade teacher. When her class arrives for their test, she greets them with a smile. Tests are handed out and students begin to work.
Joey is using a blue pen, but as long as his handwriting is legible, Miss N. doesn’t mind.
Kevin likes to sit sideways in his desk, but Miss N. notices that he is more comfortable that way.
Sarah hums quietly as she works, and Miss N. smiles to herself.
Jenny feels pressured working in her desk, so she has permission to work at a different table.
The students are relaxed and comfortable as they work. They know that their needs are important and taken into account.
Let us perhaps draw parallel lines to a different pair of managers.
Nurse L. works in a busy L&D ward. She has a long shift and has to keep patients moving.
Nancy wants to eat something, but Nurse L. can’t stand it. What if there is a medical emergency?
Victoria wants to attempt a water birth but to Nurse L. it is too big of a distraction, and she strongly discourages it.
Sarah is moaning to cope with the pain, and Nurse L. recommends that she get an epidural.
Jenny wants to walk around in labor, but Nurse L. insists that she be strapped to a fetal monitor on a bed.
To Nurse L., a well-managed ward means patients lying in beds with monitors, laboring silently and progressing quickly. Anything else makes her feel out of control.
The patients feel tense are nervous. They are aware of numerous policies, and succumb to the hospital rituals.
N. is a midwife. She knows intimately every one of her patients and greets them with smiles at their prenatal care visits.
Nancy plans on eating during labor, and N. encourages it. A woman is better off laboring well-hydrated and with lots of energy.
Victoria is attempting a water birth, and as long as the labor progresses well, N. is on board.
Sarah moans loudly in labor, and N. encourages her to vocalize as a pain-relieving technique.
Jenny takes long walks around the block in labor, and N. knows that it is helping the baby move downwards into the birth canal.
Each woman feels that her needs are met, and that she can truly decide what the best is for her.
The difference is that the fourth graders did not choose their teacher, and can’t switch classes. But every woman can choose the setting in which she wants to give birth.
isn't it crazy that the medicos are so desperate to control birthing? Here in Australia they have been trying to force home birth midwives out of business so we can all take our places strapped to our beds quietly dilating to the tick of the clock and the drip of the drugs. When I had my home birth people kept commenting on how brave I was. I would say that I consider it braver to go to hospital. There is just so much stress in those places! So much better to float in the birth pool making noise and eating rescue remedy lollies!
