Women cannot birth without medical help! This is what the obstetrician said when a client of mine asked about natural birth! She wants a normal birth, without intervention, and asked the obstetrician his views on natural birth. The ‘discussion’ lasted an hour – indeed a long consultation! Below is a summary:
1. Women need my medical help to birth!
2. No, you cannot ‘deliver’ your baby’s head and shoulders, that would be dangerous, you need me there for that! and then if everything is O.K. I will ‘allow’ you to touch baby’s head.
3. Of course you will need an episiotomy, I do them routinely on all first time women, but if you really want to do it naturally, and tear right down to your bum, then go ahead!
4. No I will not take a back seat and just ‘be there’. I will be providing medical assistance.
5. No you and your partner cannot birth baby by yourselves and be the only ones to touch baby! “See all these diplomas hanging on my wall – it took me 17years to get these, and I have ‘delivered’ thousands of babies. How many have you delivered?
6. “We had a dead baby come into the hospital last week from a homebirth – do you want to have a dead baby” (this, to a woman who has had a previous stillbirth!!!!!)
7. ” Who have you been talking to?? – those hippy midwives or doulas or anyone who lives in the mountains (i.e. the Blue Mountains!)”
8. “Anyway, it is all a moot point, as you are now nearly 32 wks. pregnant and baby is breech so no doubt you will be having a caesarean”!
It went on and on. He was rude, arrogant, dismissive, disrespectful, uncaring and I could go on and on!
Problem: There is no accountability for an obstetrician in that office – permission to say and do whatever, including brainwashing women for their own advantage.
Problem: A true lack of any understanding or knowledge about how a woman’s body is designed to labour and birth WITHOUT his help.
Problem: How many pregnant women attend an obstetrician, and come away, after that first visit, convinced they can have their ‘normal, natural birth they so desire’. Answer: unfortunately there are many, who understandably believe the man in the white coat. The sales pitch is very convincing.
Problem: Why do so many women believe they do need a doctor? Answer: because that’s the overwhelming message the media sells
Problem: an obstetrician is really between a rock and a hard place. They are trained as medical doctors. They specialise (and some are very good at) medical intervention. They are not trained in normal birth, to take a step back at birth and just ‘be’ – that is what midwives do.
So if you want to birth your baby in your own way, shop around for the right caregiver for you. If you have any type of medical problem e.g. very, very high blood pressure, insulin dependent diabetic, heart disease etc. etc., then you definitely need the expertise of a doctor. BUT birth is a normal event, which belongs to young, healthy women, who don’t have medical issues. Finding the ‘right’ information and support is vital to ensuring you, your partner and your baby enjoy your labour and birth.
