Measuring progress in labor « Back to Group Discussions

[Yeeska]

I just came across this article and am really digging it, so I wanted to share it...

http://midwifethinking.com/2011/09/14/the-assessment-of-progress/

[Carlin]

Love it! Thanks for sharing! I know that this held true for my labour with DD. Once we risked out of our planned homebirth and ended up in the hospital, the midwives definitely fudged some numbers to buy me some more time. If we were at home, I don't think they would have had the same pressure (at least here, I know things can be quite different in the US.)

[MIrandaM]

Yeeska, great info as always thank you!
 

[Yeeska]

That blog has some good stuff for birth geeks. :-) I liked a different one about management of third stage, too.

[hyde]

Originally Posted by Yeeska 

That blog has some good stuff for birth geeks. :-) I liked a different one about management of third stage, too.

No kidding.. I just fell down the rabbit hole for an hour, and will be back for more later. Thanks for sharing the link. :)

[JuicyPakwan]

That really is an important article it is so true it makes me shudder at the standard of care women are subjected to.  To be honest I don't feel like there is alot of hope for change in this unless women themselves make it more important by educating themselves and demanding better care as a result.

[Yeeska]

I'm glad I'm not the only one, Hyde. The great news is that I found it on the FB page of the midwife I hired this past weekend.

I wish I knew how to help change things, but it all comes down to this irrational level of fear our culture has IRT birth. Control makes people feel better. It's such a counterpoductive activity. The 80's were the best we've had (for changes in practice, attitude, and empowerment) in almost a century. We should explore how those (albeit brief) changes happened.

[judybean]

I did read that article on my phone when you posted it, then didn't get around to commenting here!  What a fascinating article.  And, Yeeska, you're so (unfortunately) right on the aspect of control.  We're so set on micromanaging everything in our lives -- time being the biggest factor -- and we've imposed those micromanagements on natural occurances that aren't supposed to be controlled (like birth).  There's also the culture of the all-knowing-doctor to deal with as well.  We've surrendered our intuitions, our gut feelings, our own empowerment in favor of what the learned doctors and the machines tell us.  *sigh*

[Yeeska]

The anthropology of birth is both fascinating and painful.