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Washington Post article is up

6K views 83 replies 27 participants last post by  josephine_e 
#1 ·
#55 ·
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Originally Posted by NatureMama3 View Post
I'll admit part of my reasoning does appear anecdotal.

There's no scientific studies about how humans have been born and survived for the history of the earth, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't with OBs or even midwives for the most part.

well, no, it wasn't with OB's but midwives have had a hand since the dawn of man when a womon was with her womon family members. OB's can only claim somewhat of a hand of only part of the last 100 years or so.
 
#57 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Romana9+2 View Post
Laura, I enjoyed your whole post. But had to pull this out - my med student friend, who's applying to OB-gyn residency programs now, told me that exact thing. I also know more about normal and most medical birth than she does . . . I was complaining about the standard charts used for progress, and even as she was saying, "Well, if anyone falls off the chart it's the standard of care to recommend pitocin," I pointed out a few things (including the natural alignment plateau, and the faulty origin of those charts) - and she replied, very honestly, "Well, I don't know where those charts came from, we're just supposed to use them. I don't have time to question and research everything I'm taught in med school, I just have to learn it and move on." Yes, and this is the kind of doctor who will be taking care of women in labor! Brilliant!
Oh yeah, it's nuts. I attended a birth with an OB in attendance (ended in c-section, TOTALLY caused by the OB who I think had marked the mom for a c-section during the prenatal period). The mom had gone from 4 to 6 in a couple of hours, not even 12 hours since SROM, good strong contractions. Mom was showing signs of transition. The OB said, "She CAN'T be in transition. She's only 6 cm." I said, "I was in transition at 4 cm." She got all wide-eyed like, REALLY? To her, 4 cm is active labor, 8 cm is transition, because that's what the textbooks say.

I think you'd have to be NUTS to hire an OB for a vaginal birth. But most women don't realize it's nuts.
 
#58 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by 2bluefish View Post
I can understand someone feeling that way, but that would not be enough for me to become a hospital birther. The whole idea of making birth into a planned event where I have to determine when I'm in labor and go somewhere or alert somebody does not work for me - and Lord knows I've tried it that way! I can't say for sure, because I've yet to give nature a fair shake - but I truly believe what I need is to stay home, stay calm - not get all caught up in "Am I in labor yet?" "When do I call X, Y, Z person?, and birth when my body and baby are ready.

Thats a really good point. I hadnt even thought of that angle. If I had people waiting for me to birth my DD I would have ended up with a cesarean, I'm sure. I started feeling crappy Friday night, was having contractions that I knew were contractions on Saturday, slept in a rocking chair fitfully through them Saturday night and slept for the 3-5 min between them Sunday night before having DD on Monday afternoon. I dont know HOW it would have worked out if I'd headed to the hospital when the contractions were timeable and 4-5 min apart or whatnot. I remember saying finally on Monday afternoon (after having no "real" sleep since Thursday night/Friday) that if I was still in labor on Tuesday night I would consider going to the hospital. If I had not spent my whole labor telling myself that I had *one more day* and *no rush, baby will come when she's ready* I think I would have given in before the sun set on Sunday.

Very good point!
 
#59 ·
Yeah, I'll be in textbook definition labor, and then just quit - go 12 hours - start back up - and quit - go 12 more hours - labor some more - and honestly, I've yet to just ride it out and see what happens - I end up stressed out because I don't know what to tell all the people wanting to know what's going on, I don't know what's going on, so then I agree to "try something", then when that stops working - try something else - ugh! This time I'm not telling anyone anything - I'm going to set on the couch and read and watch TV!!!
 
#63 ·
Quote:
For a healthy woman, the overwhelming likelihood is that unassisted birth will be fine," Rothman said. "But a woman having a baby is not in a position to be monitoring herself."
Haha, because it is SO hard to take your blood pressure while you're in such a delicate condition...not to mention patients aren't as good at counting as their doctors, so they aren't qualified to do fetal heartrate counts (but they can be trusted to do kick counts).
 
#65 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Baelzharon View Post
I was disappointed that there wasn't any representation in either the Post article or the discussion from the fathers point of view.
Hopefully that will change. The writer interviewed Lynn's husband for an hour but apparently chose to include very few of his comments. My husband David has done two interviews about our births recently and plans to do more.
Laura
 
#66 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by moonfirefaery View Post
Laura, has Dr. Amy come directly at you yet? She targetted Henci Goer a while back, so I know she likes to have a go at leaders of the homebirth/freebirth movement.
Yes, she has written about me in her blog. I don't respond to anything she writes (either about me or anyone else) because she's an angry bitter woman who will probably go to her grave believing that homebirth is dangerous. I'd rather spend what little free time I have responding to people who are genuinely interested in learning the truth about birth.
Laura
 
#68 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by laurashanley View Post
Yes, she has written about me in her blog. I don't respond to anything she writes (either about me or anyone else) because she's an angry bitter woman who will probably go to her grave believing that homebirth is dangerous. I'd rather spend what little free time I have responding to people who are genuinely interested in learning the truth about birth.
Laura
 
#70 ·
Yeah, I don't bother with her anymore either. It's a waste of time. She keeps trying to edit the Wikipedia entry on homebirth... They keep denying her revisions, stating that they are biased.


She is a real doctor but is not practicing or licensed. She quit her practice a few years ago to be a SAHM, supposedly, though her youngest child was 17 last I heard him mentioned. She went to Harvard and graduated back in 1980. Her license has been expired for several years.
 
#71 ·
My mom told me about this article the other day.She is still in awe of DS's wonderful birth and has enjoyed telling others about how normal it was.Before I had DS, she watched some mainstream baby shows with me and saw how complicated and frightening the hospital births were.When I had DD she saw the way the Dr was flying around not ready and how dumb it was to try to find the heart beat as my baby is crowning.(DD was born 7 minutes after arrival at the hospital,a hospital UC if you will.)I am glad that she was there and can share my story with others so that maybe it won't be a freakish fad decision but a choice among others and the right one for MY family.
I chose UC for lots of reasons.Fear of the big pink hospital here and what goes on there.My treatment at other hospitals(I've had 3 in 3 different states, so I've got some knowledge).I know what is normal for me(I labor for the last month and then boom! I hit transition and baby is here)I haven't met a Dr who really understands and trusts and sees me and not thier book or clipboard.I have very very fast,easy births so the chances were high that I would have my baby on the side of the road rushing to get to another location.I just got to HI and knew nobody who could watch my children while at the hospital or be with me if DH was gone (I am a Navy wife).I live on base, so a civilian MW couldn't come to me.I am healthy and if I don't know what to do after 3 kids then why am I having a 4th?

DH and I joked about it when I was pregnant with DD and I did lurk here after the MW in WA turned me down but I didn't know enough so I went along with the hospital and was very sorry.I came back and lurked some more even though I was supposed to be done birthing.My secret wish was granted and I had another gift,I was even given the gift of a mostly UP pregnancy as I found out at 20 weeks and was moving cross country so didn't even see another "professional" until 29 weeks and opted out of the last two weeks visits.I used anecdotal stories to prepare me for my hospital births and I used them again for my UC along with looking up what might happen and my own experience.Its how I learned about breastfeeding too.I hope that others will learn from my story too.
Thank you Laura for being the face and storyteller so that others in the world who do not have access to MDC know that UC can be a choice too.
 
#72 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenlaana View Post
For me, while it was partially because the system is broken that I chose to UC... it came down to weighing the options. I did not decide to UC without researching BOTH uc/hospital birth/and even midwife assisted although it wasnt really an option for me. I didnt just say "hey, thats for me" or "my goddess will protect me" etc and decide to UC. Just like I didn't say "hey my doctor knows more than me and therefor i have to blindly listen" and decide to have a hospital birth. In that same vein, I did not choose to homeschool my son without first weighing both the public school and homeschool options, nor did I choose to wear my DD without analyzing carriers and strollers, and choosing the one that was best for MY family. ya know? Maybe I'm more analytical than most, but I see negatives and positives to just about every choice, and the balance, for me, is choosing the one that weighs most in my favor.

NOW, that being said... if hospitals were like luxury hotels with complimentary GOOD food during labor, a jacuzzi tub in every private birthing/laboring/postpartum suite, a closet full of natural birth assistance tools (birth ball, sling, massage packs, etc), a complimentary pro-natural birth doula available but not required, soft music, soft lighting, and a fully supportive non-interventive staff of OBs/Midwives/Nurses who understand that you are paying THEIR salaries, and treat you like a respected and cherished guest... along with a bed 2-3 times the size of the current hospital beds, a sleeper couch, and toys for the much welcomed elder siblings (as well as a playroom and friendly childcare provider for those who's children wish not to be present).... well then I would become a hospital birther.
Haha, true dat! LOL.
 
#74 ·
Her call-in radio show was like years ago.

She just hasn't updated that site in years.

She spends all her time on her 'debate blog' demeaning women for chosing homebirth and then accusing them of demeaning women by advocating for a woman's right to homebirth.
 
#76 ·
She hates me. She banned me...hehe

From what I have heard even the professional medical world thinks she's a bit of a joke. :/ Not because of what she believes but because of her attitude and her methods of trying to prove herself correct.
 
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