I've been struggling the past couple weeks on what to write about. I've been reading lots of material about birth and reflecting on peoples choices and outcomes of birth. I've become increasing confused at the lack of women's empowerment and willingness to believe they are capable of delivering their own child. I realize lots of that isn't exactly their own fault. Over the last 50+ years, the medical world has done an excellent job of telling women they can't do it. The c-section rate doubled in the last 10 years. It's not because women can't do it, it's because Drs are too afraid to allow women to do it. If you research it, all the technology we have has not cut back on mother and baby mortality. In fact, for being a modernized civilization we're high on the list of losing mothers and babies during and after birth. C-sections are a major surgery that comes with lots of possible side effect. Also, technology and medicine in the field of obstetrics is not studied beforehand. Instead, it's put into practice and then over time as things go wrong they put 2 and 2 together. For years and years, women x-rayed their babies...only to find out that was not safe. For years and years, mothers were given a medicine to prevent miscarriage...only to find out that was not safe. Most recently, women have been given the drug cytotec to induce labor...not only is this medicine not intended for the purpose nor supported for that purpose, it's not safe yet continued to be used since it's easy. Women jump at the chance to get an ultrasound but we don't really truly know the long term affects. Women give up alcohol, caffeine, fish, etc during pregnancy so they don't harm the baby yet flush that same little one with a variety of drugs during labor with an epidural and/or pitocin. I simply do not understand why women refuse to educate themselves about pregnancy, labor and delivery. There has been a fear instilled in women regarding labor and talking about our experiences has become almost taboo. As if pregnancy and labor were not a natural part of life...an important part! This fear and lack of sharing is what has put us in the place we are today. At the mercies of the medical field that doesn't truly understand what birth is about. What an OB studies is the problems, the irregularities of birth. The majority never witness a drug free, natural birth. Is an OB necessary, YES, of course. But not for the mundane, everyday blessing of a baby being born. They are needed when problems truly arise. They are not needed to try and find a problem and then treat it as they know. This is what I mean when I previously stated that women are put in a box. An OB is taught the problems and so they look for something and do what they know best...fix it. Stalled labor...not a problem in it of itself. pain in labor....not a problem...your body is working hard...it's like saying your muscles won't ache after a good workout, of course you are going to feel the intensity of the workout you just went through. Baby rocking back and forth as you push...not a problem, that's your body preparing itself so it doesn't hurt itself. Baby past the estimated due date...not a problem in it of itself, it's an estimate for a reason. The list goes on and on.
I'm just frustrated with women and a system that doesn't empower women with true education and choices but instead pushes their own agenda because it's easier for them and makes them more money.
No comments:
Post a Comment