Musings for the day.
- Met my community's local midwife today for the first time. For about 10 minutes. I know her by reputation, a couple of my friends had her as their midwife and love, love, loved her. I thought she was just awesome. My first impressions were that she's my kind of midwife. I wonder if maybe one day she'll be my preceptor?
- Friend's c-section scheduled for Oct 20th. Unless she goes into spontaneous labor in the interim, but they insist on a surgical birth anyway. Pray for that babies lungs and for the safety of my friend. Sigh.
- In related news Scientists say that a third of infant deaths are due to premature birth.
According to a National Academy of Sciences report issued this summer, 1 in 8 infants born in 2004 — the most recent year for which figures are available — was premature, a 30 percent increase over the rate in 1980. The reason for the increase is unknown.
Bullshit.
Let's just start with the epidemic of unecessary inductions and surgical births, shall we? Are there other reasons? Sure, but let's just for a minute look at the procedures which have oddly enough skyrocketed alongside the prematurity rates. Why will no-one pay attention to the fact that midwifery care reduces all of these things: inductions, c-sections and neonatal death due to prematurity???
- My next onsite is next week. I'm looking forward to seeing my classmates and catching up. I'm looking foward to practicing my new skills and spending time in that amazing space.
- I'm thinking of Navelgazing Midwife who is under a microscope because midwives can't practice autonomously in CA and Sage Femme who seems to be despairing a bit. I'm learning how hard it is to "live" midwifery. It's hard to love what you do so much and feel everyday like you will never make a dent in the onslaught of medicalized, hijacked, abusive birthculture. I suck in every moment of time I spend with my midwife and doula sisters. Those women who 'get it" in a<
posted by Louisa at 1:40 PM
3 Comments:
Don't forget NUTRITION for preventing prematurity! Docs have no clue whatsoever how to teach a woman to eat. They never ask for a diet diary or get to casually peruse her fridge and pantry at a prenatal.
As for the live birth show, well, I can only imagine some of the things that will be said by narrators. Such as "The woman has now been laboring without pain relief for for OVER 4 HOURS! Can we all gasp in unison?
Right on 1HM. My head is so full of perinatal nutrition at the moment that it seems fitting that I would make that glaring omission.
So yeah everyone, what One Hot Mama said. She's a smart cookie. :)
You might want to check out flea's blog addressing the same issue but not drawing the same conclusions (though he does point the finger at OBs but not at specific practices): www.drfleablog.blogspot.com.
I'm more inclined to agree with your conclusions.
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