undermining women in labour?
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solitaire89
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I can confirm... Thread contains material that may not be suitable for advocates of natural birth, those who think a birthing mother's opinion matters in labour, and those with a modicum of common sense - I mean, you don't read the plan as an emergency presents itself, you read it BEFORE YOU NEED TO, DAMN IT!!!
Feronia
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Thanks for posting that thread, aliss, and boiling my blood. 
I can't understand why IVs would be given to every woman as a "precautionary" measure. I hemorrhaged postpartum and it only took like a minute to set up the IV. My midwife said she hadn't had to use an IV bag in years and said she had to keep buying them because they expired! I definitely agree that doing this as a routine measure undermines a woman's ability to give birth.
I can't understand why IVs would be given to every woman as a "precautionary" measure. I hemorrhaged postpartum and it only took like a minute to set up the IV. My midwife said she hadn't had to use an IV bag in years and said she had to keep buying them because they expired! I definitely agree that doing this as a routine measure undermines a woman's ability to give birth.
ljo1984
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My got that birth plan thread what a load of crap!! Mine was two pages (I used the nhs template one so was in sections would of been less than a page if I wrote it myself. And my midwife followed it even during and after transfer, so even in what they'd deemed an emergency she was able to follow my plan as much as possible so that thread is ridiculous.
andanumbrella
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I am only agreeing to a hep lock (that's when they just put a catheter in your hand, right? No IV?) because I am doing a vbac and they are agreeing to let me be very mobile and in control. It is a compromise that I am willing to make, but otherwise, I would say no way. With my last labor I was preterm (35 weeks) and the nurses thought it gave them the right to overlook my whole birth plan. I think they put that iv in my straight away and then came in every twenty minutes offering to put sleeping and or pain medication in it. It was terrible. Anyway, I have to have faith that my new midwives won't try anything sneaky and I am arming myself with a doula!
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I had it as a precautionary measure with Riley Rae, partly because it was a VBAC but mostly because it was labour number five (so higher risk of haemoraging) and my iron (hb) was six. I have had a cannula put it in an emergency a few times and it is really difficult to get one in when I am so anaemic. Having said that it never crossed my mind to say no, given what I was going through.
Irish Eyes
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I might have it wrong but I got the impression that in the US they are overly cautious due to a huge suing culture? I was induced & had monitoring once for 15 minutes, other than that I was left alone. A friend of mine who lives in the US said she had to be monitored the whole time so couldn't leave the bed, it caused more pain and so she then asked for an epidural. When she asked the nurse why, she bluntly explained if anything happened to the baby, they would be sued so they prefer women to have epis to keep them still.
ljo1984
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I was induced with pitocin, I'm in the uk and was constantly monitored as it can cause decelerations on babys heart rate (which it did!) said I could get up with it all on but really I couldn't because the stupid monitor disc things kept popping off! So ended up with epidural. While sat up having that I went from 4-10 cm!!! If I could of got up and been active I wouldn't of needed epidural and probably avoided forceps!!
They wanted to do constant monitoring on dd2 as well after I was transferred in due to mec I waters, she only got one monitor on but I'd started pushing, she said heart rate was fine and pulled it off so I could move. Thank god!
I liked the idea of a home birth but because it's hard to arrange where I live I decided to settle for a hospital birth but after talking to the staff at my appointment I'm having second thoughts. When I asked about routine interventions she launched into a speech about how they are happy to support a natural birth and they only use interventions if it is best for the mother and baby. When I asked more questions it turned out of course they use IV drips as standard because that is for the best of the mother and baby, of course they cut if they think you might tear because cuts heal better, of course they induce at 41 weeks and at 38 if the baby is over 9 1/2lb, all because it's obviously the 'best' thing for mother and baby. She did say they couldn't do anything I didn't want them to but again that they only did what was in the mother and babies best interests anyway. I'm sure she believes in what she says but I don't share the same opinion in many of those respects and would rather be given the chance to make an informed decision rather than do everything just because it's hospital policy, I didn't even get as far as asking what their standard practice for cord cutting, skin to skin etc is. I know that I can refuse anything I want to but I didn't get the impression they would be eager for me to have an opinion. Now I'm not sure I want to turn my birth experience into a battlefield over standard practice so I'm looking into home options again.
I don't wish to muddle your thoughts more, but cuts don't really heal better than tears. Tears heal better. Cuts are easier for hospital staff to deal with...
I've had one of each, the tear was a million times easier.
Those were her words not mine, after research and reading lots of experiences like yours I plan on firmly refusing being cut (except in the case of a true emergency of course) but she spoke as if it was obvious cutting was the best option if there was any chance of a tear and and as if someone who refused an episiotomy was being foolish for not trusting them to know what's best. I didn't say much, thought I'd leave it for another time but I came away feeling like I was going to clash with them about everything
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ljo1984
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^ this!!! And after been cut for forceps and having third degree tear up and down with dd2 I can confirm tears heal alot quicker, and were less painful in terms of I didn't need a rubber ring to sit on (no joke lol) my cut opened up meaning it took 8 weeks to heal, and as they cut into muscle made it alot more painful!! Although I found when having a wee the tear was alot more painful than the cut, but I'd rather tear any day now I've experienced both
lynnikins
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BunnyN, what makes people think women cant birth big babies themselves lol,
all my children have been over 9 1/2lb born , all natural deliverys though the first was assisted caus the begger stuck his arm on his head and got stuck. had an episiotomy with him too, and tore with both the others caus mine can really fly out lol
all my children have been over 9 1/2lb born , all natural deliverys though the first was assisted caus the begger stuck his arm on his head and got stuck. had an episiotomy with him too, and tore with both the others caus mine can really fly out lol
Oh yeh, and she said to have an epidural because it was "Better for the mother". It's not that I object to interventions if they are needed, they can and do save lives. My objection is to routine interventions without any good reason and being looked at like you have two heads or you don't care about your baby as much as they do because you don't want to do everything they say.
