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Author
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Topic: Why is trust in our own bodies taken away from us?
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<Vic>
unregistered
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posted 21 December 2005 12:47 PM
Hi,
After reading a few posts here, it seems that a lot of women these days must give birth to someone else's timetable? Could this be one reason why caesarean rates are so high these days?
I was induced with my first child at 41 weeks. Something I had little say in. This resulted in an emergency caesarean due to fetal distress. I was told that he was due 15th April '03, but my own calculation was 23rd April. I am now due to have my second baby in two weeks time, but the due date I was given is much earlier than my own calculated one. This makes me feel that I will go "overdue" again. Isn't a due date more accurate if you know the day of conception (as I do)? Doctors calculate by the first day of your last period, but you can't get pregnant until at least ten days after that.
If I go "overdue" again, I am told I will not be able to try VBAC.
This is rather frustrating and makes me feel I don't have control over your own body.
If women have periods that are of different lengths, then why wouldn't their pregnancies be of slightly different lengths too?
Just some thoughts. Can anyone relate?
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<Janet from Joyous Birth>
unregistered
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posted 22 December 2005 11:01 AM
Inductions are great from a hospital's viewpoint and even more so from a private Ob and they have outrageous rates of unnecessary surgery. If you induce a woman on dates (a more spurious reason is hard to find...high head comes to mind though..) then you know how long she's going to be pregnant, once you start her on the drugs you can put her on a timetable by which she has to perform or end up with surgery although probably her baby will go into distress before that anyway. This means you know when she'll be out of the labour ward, into surgery, into recovery and up on the ward. Hospitals get more funding from c-secs and using drugs so natural birth is a PITA for them. It ties up staff and keeps rooms occupied indefinitely with no payback from drug companies for using their products. We know that a significant proportion of inductions lead straight to c-sec and are not performed for good reason with fully informed consent from the woman. And yet as a society we support hospitals and Obs to continue with these dangerous life threatening tactics. The safest place to give in Australia is at home but so many of us are fooled by thinking hospitals are safe. How is a 1 in 3 chance (or much higher in many places!) an indication of safety? We are in a bad sad place in birth in Australia these days and those of us who have experienced the fall out of these dangerous and poorly evidenced practices need to speak out and put a stop to it. C-sec is the norm now for breech, "late" or "early" babies, it's becoming popular for posterior!!!! Unbelievable! We need to reclaim our birth right and save our babies from the terrible potential damage of all these drugs and procedures that we just don't need.
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<Janet from Joyous Birth>
unregistered
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posted 22 December 2005 11:03 AM
In terms of you not being "allowed" to VBAC well you can do whatever you like with your body. Just because your hospital doesn't support you to birth safely doesn't mean you have to let them force you into surgery. Just Say No! Get a doula, stay home until you're in strong labour and only turn up to push your baby out. You can do this and you can do it much more safely for you and your baby without surgery.
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Akeesha
Junior Member
Member # 523
Rate Member
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posted 22 December 2005 03:00 PM
Hey Vic,
Its very frustrating isnt it. I also was in the same possie as you with my first birth. They kept stuffing round with my dates and went from being due on the 8th to the 10th then to the 3rd back to the 10th then they eventually decided on the third! I ended up going 11 days overdue according to their calculations and was induced. She went into fetal distress and I ended up with an emergency c/s after 6 hours. It was the biggest thing I have ever gone through and the hardest thing to work through also., From the very moment I recovered from the c/s I vowed I would at least attempt natural birth second time round and made sure I found a supportive doctor. (i have had up and down issues with mine at times but in general he supports me and the middys are awesome. Basically he says that as long as I am aware of the risks he is going to let me do what I want)
Bsically I did all the reseacrh I could and read anything and everything..good and bad..about VBAC and learned a hell of alot about the process and also about the process and dangers of c/s etc. I have learned that it is my body and I am allowed to birth the way I want to and no body can tell me not to. Well ok they can 'advise' but they cannot refuse me medical care and they cannot make me do anything I am not willing to do. That was the hardest thing to overcome for me. Not just taking the doctors advice as gospel but discovering things on my own and trusting in myself that I can do it. And having the guts to say no to them as well.
I figure if you do your research and work out a birth plan you are comfortable with and that you and your birth partner/s can stick with then you will have a great shot. Make sure you take with you into your labour, supportive ppl even if it's just your dh make sure he knows exactly what you want.
As far as going over with the pg and therefore needing a c/s I am still currently battling that one too. I am due in just under 3 weeks and my ob is preapred to let me go over but only about a week to a week and a half. And he said considering I am a VBAC then he doesnt want to induce me or muck around with drips and things as that will only increase the risks and dangers relating to the VBAC. (they are still minimal but he doesnt want me to end up with a hysterectomy - extreme worst case scenario) He said all they will do for me is ARM and if labour doesnt flow then they have to get the baby out so c/s will be necessary. I am only 37 and a bit weeks but I am already looking at natural methods to help bring on the labour. I am getting acupuncture starting next Thursday and hoping that helps. One thing I am not prepared to do is just let time go by and gradually get very over due as I feel that can be risky not knowing how sufficient placenta is etc. I would probably go over by 2 weeks then thats it. Thats my personal preference though.
Besides that at the end of the day its your body and you should do what you want. Work out what you are prepared to do and what you arent and put it in writing and make sure all your support team know about it.
Step into your power and do it YOUR way!
I wish you all the best.
Oh and a little side note. When you said you are sure of your dates make them listen. My last middy told me that he is more inclined to go over the u/s etc and trust a woman knows her own dates if she says she does. I would say tell them you know and its a fact and that is the date you want to work with. That way if you go over...you go over YOUR date and not theirs.
Sorry hope I havent gone on too much.
Just hope it all goes well for you.
Lisa
Posts: 23 | From: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: Oct 2005
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<Vic>
unregistered
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posted 23 December 2005 08:38 AM
Hi Janet and Lisa,
I really appreciate your replies, thanks. I was beginning to think that I might be crazy and selfish.
I would love to stay home until my labour gets strong, that way they can't restrict me and intervene too much! I'm just afraid that if something goes wrong (ie. not knowing the warning signs of a rupture), that my baby will be at risk. It's a real dilemma, because the truth is that if I go to hospital earlier, and end up with the "cascade of intervention" then my baby (and I) will be at risk anyway.
I agree that it really helps to be well educated on the subject of birth. With my first, I thought that I was informed, but it turned out that I was quite naive. I never considered that I may need a caesarean, and assumed I'd have a baby the natural way. When I got to 9cm dilated, and was told they couldn't wait any longer, I was devastated. I was signing papers to give them permission to give me an hysterectomy if things went wrong. I was seeing my dream to have another child disappear, and it was terrifying.
Now, I feel much better informed, especially about the associated risks of VBAC versus repeat caesarean. But I'm sure something else will sneak up on me that I won't know about!
Janet - since you seem to be a wealth of information, do you know any good websites on "optimal fetal positioning"?
Lisa - I hope that your VBAC goes the way you want it to, because we really need luck on our side!
Vic.
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Akeesha
Junior Member
Member # 523
Rate Member
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posted 23 December 2005 12:45 PM
Hi Vic,
I am glad I could be of some help to you.
Personally I can totally understand how you feel. You are aware of what you want and how to achieve it but you also have that 'what if' fear.
I have a list of websites that may be helpful. On all different subjects.
Just make sure you know all about the topic but also what you are comfortable with because after all, it is YOUR birth.
I have been told many a time to get a doula or birth attendant and as much as I would love it, its not do-able for me for several reasons. You just have to work with what you have and what you are happy with. Anyway, here are those sites.
http://www.birthrites.org/
http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/pelvis.asp
http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/pushing.asp
http://gentlebirth.org/Midwife/homwatif.html
If there is anything else I can help you with then please let me know.
Just remember that it is a normal natural process to give birth naturally and you have every right to give it a go.
You can be monitored but can request intervals so that you can remain as mobile as possibe. All those sorts of things can have the fear taken away from it if you and your doctor can reach a compromise on things.
I wish you all the best and am here checking every now and then if you need anything else.
Lisa
Posts: 23 | From: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: Oct 2005
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Akeesha
Junior Member
Member # 523
Rate Member
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posted 23 December 2005 12:48 PM
One more site I found is for OFP.
http://www.homebirth.org.uk/ofp.htm
Google is a wealth of infomation and I suggest using it for everything. It can really help you find things to make you feel very empowered about the whole process.
Also reading success stories on VBAC really give you that sense of positivity too.
Lisa
Posts: 23 | From: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: Oct 2005
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<Janet from Joyous Birth>
unregistered
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posted 28 December 2005 06:19 PM
I recommend the homebirth uk site on OFP as about the best I've seen. There's also
http://www.spinningbabies.com/
Akeesha, don't get too worried about placental insufficiency or bringing labour on. All methods of induction only work when the baby is ready and at 37 weeks your baby may want to cook another 5 weeks! Placentas don't age like doctors tell you they do, they don't go off any more than your liver goes off after you've used it for a few years. Your baby will come in their own time, trust me! An u/s and a regular doppler will easily show a happy baby well into 43 and 44 weeks gestation. Some babies just cook slowly with no ill effects.
Trust your baby, trust your body and trust birth : )
I have a heap of info on postdates and all so email me if you'd like it.
Try these to start with:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...0&dopt=Abstract
Midwifery. 1991 Mar;7(1):31-9. Related Articles, Links
A contemporary view of the human placenta.
Fox H.
Our current knowledge of the human placenta is briefly reviewed. Particular stress is placed upon the considerable functional reserve capacity of the placenta, the unimportance of most visible abnormalities of the placenta, the lack of any evidence that the placenta ages during gestation and the lack of significance of placental weight. The effects on the placenta of infection and of maternal cigarette smoking are considered and the concept of placental insufficiency critically discussed. It is concluded that most cases of 'placental insufficiency' are, in reality, examples of maternal vascular insufficiency resulting from inadequate placentation during the early stages of pregnancy.
http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/timely.asp
A Timely Birth
by Gail Hart
http://www.birthlove.com/free/ten_month_mama.html
Birthlove’s 10 month mama page – extensive references.
Obstetric Myths Versus Research Realities
A link to a sample chapter.
Enjoy!
http://www.hencigoer.com/obmyth/index.html#obthink
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<Vic>
unregistered
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posted 29 December 2005 09:27 AM
Lisa,
Thanks for all the links you posted! They are all very helpful in keeping a positive outlook. I was particularly interested in the one about pelvis size. I once asked a G.P. why I had ended up with a caesar after getting so close to giving birth, and he dismissed me saying that maybe my pelvis was too narrow. I thought: "How can you tell just by looking at me?". My sister appears slimmer in the hips than I do, and she pushed out two babies. My mother, aunts and grandmothers never had birth obstruction problems. It's just one more thing you hear that takes away your confidence. I also believe that a woman in labour needs peace and quiet! The importance of that is so underestimated.
OFP makes sense to me. I may have left it a bit too late, but I'm still giving it a go.
Janet, thanks also for the links! I'll be taking the time to read them all now.
Vic.
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Akeesha
Junior Member
Member # 523
Rate Member
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posted 29 December 2005 10:51 AM
Glad I could help ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
If you ever need anything or any other advice let me know.
I am just basing mine on my own research and my own experience..but I spose thats sometimes where the best stuff comes from hey.
How long have you got to go now?
Lisa
38w2d
Posts: 23 | From: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: Oct 2005
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<Ekki>
unregistered
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posted 02 May 2006 08:46 AM
Hi All,
I too had an emerg c - sec April 05....after it all i felt so cheated..
I had a 33 hr labour did not dilate more than 8cm...had my waters broken...induced with drip etc...then c-sec was done..
I am looking to concieve in a few months and have been doing alot of research on VBACs..i have joined a private health fund and have been recommended an OB (NSW)...
I plan to hire a doula..
Akeesha i would like to know anything you may have done to ensure you VBAC as i read in the earlier threads that u were successful! coongrats!
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Ekki
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