Pushed

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

WARNING: Content may offend.

My sister just called me to ask what would happen if you at an at home birth and the baby dies, could you be charged with murder? To be honest I have no idea, I'm in the process of consulting with some peers on this and will gat back to you. Too most having a child outside the conifes of a "safe" environment of the hospital is "unsafe" This is completely preputated by western standards (that is an oxymoron) of mother baby care. In recent examination of "practice protocol" it has come to light that some helpful interventions do exactly the opposite. I could blog about this for years and with passion. However, this valid question my sister asked was spurred by a segment that she watched today on Good Morning America, on which they featured a woman who gave birth to her fourth child at home with just her husband assisting. I find this facisinating for this reason: Instead of fearturing the huge range of choices that a women has when giving birth (and YES it is still the woman's choice), the reporters focus in on the two ends of the spectrum. Complete medical birth and at home with out anyone but yourself. Nothing inbetween. Then ask the question which is "better"? Annoying would be an understatement. This is one of the many interesting dichomoty of our culture. Picking what is best for yourself has to be supported by an expert or a narrow ideology. Think about it:, you be: Gay/Straight, Black/White, Male/Female, but not both. This is problematic in so many ways, but that is another bolg, I suppose.

GMA in the story featured a book titled "Pushed: The Painful Truth about Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care by Jennifer Block (Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2007)." and had an excerpt. I have heard very good things about this book. I was schocked while reading this section:

Goorchenko's first baby was born at the hospital. She was an unexpectedly pregnant 19-year-old and got "one heck of an episiotomy," she says. "I had a mirror set up so I could see the birth and all of a sudden I'm watching my vagina being cut with scissors." It took years to get over the psychological trauma. "And on top of that it just fucks up your vagina," says Goorchenko. "I had incontinence. I could barely feel sex for a year and a half."

Interesting. I think Eve Ensler might be joing the cause. In a way she already has. A year and a half? I want to believe that this is the exception rather than the norm, but my current training as a doula has opened my eyes. WOMEN: This is the norm.

In addition to national exposure thier are numerous educational and evidence based information about preganacy and the birthing process. I'll post these soon, but for now check out the Doulas of North America for the basics.

Also, this month a new documentary titled "The Business of Being Born" is being realeased. If you don't go and see the movie at least check out the website and watch the trailer. I work in this "industry" and I learned something.