I’m home and just catching up. I’ve already expounded on the whole issue of prematurity as it relates to inductions and cesareans and about labor hormones from the DONA International Conference. But I thought I’d talk a bit more about some other things I did while at the conference.
Can I say how nice it is just to hang out at a conference and soak it all up? Everyone there had something interesting to say or share. I truly enjoyed it. I spent a weekend immersed in birth, with a small side track to go to a Harry Potter Party with my son (14) who was with me in St. Louis. I got to dance and sing and talk and learn. Some of the things I learned just made me drop my jaw with their beauty and simplicity.
One of the main things I saw was how important it is for women to make informed choices. Here’s the kicker – most women don’t feel like they have choices. That is really scary. We really need to start the conversation on how to get women to see that they have opportunities to make decisions for themselves and their babies. It’s not just about epidural or not, it’s about which place of birth and which practitioner – and why. That’s what transparency in maternity care is all about – women seeing clearly what they are being offered by whom.