Category Archives: Obstetricial Interventions

Activist in Training: Marie R.

First, let me start out by saying that I have not ever given birth and what I am writing about does not come from personal experience. That being said, I am truly shocked at the amount of information that is … Continue reading

Posted in activism, Cesarean Section, Childbirth Education, General, Hospital Birth, Obstetricial Interventions | 1 Comment

Wedding Analogy

I woke up the other morning thinking about an experience I had last summer.  I was following a mommy blogger who was preparing to have her first baby.  She was talking about her 36-37 week prenatal visit.  She was hoping … Continue reading

Posted in Birth Stories, Birth Trauma, Breastfeeding, Cesarean Section, Hospital Birth, Induction, Obstetricial Interventions | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

In Control

When I was very young I asked my mother what giving birth was like, and she told me it was kind of like lying on a raft in a very fast river. “If you can just lie there and let yourself be carried by the flow, you will be fine. The more you try to fight it and control what is happening, the more everything will spin out of your control.” Continue reading

Posted in General, Obstetricial Interventions, Pregnancy, Prenatal Care | 1 Comment

A Weighty Issue

Americans have been warned for years about the perils of being overweight or obese.  Indeed the risks for a host of complications increase steadily as the pounds pile on.  For many people, the risks can be temporarily ignored; after all, … Continue reading

Posted in Cesarean Section, Labor and Birth, Obstetricial Interventions, Prenatal Care | Tagged , | 9 Comments

It can wait for tomorrow…

I had one of those days where I had a list of things to do while out on the town, had my 10 month old in tote, and because of forces out of my control, got none of them done. … Continue reading

Posted in Cesarean Section, Induction, Labor and Birth, Obstetricial Interventions | Tagged , | 4 Comments

VBAC from a Care Provider’s Perspective

Share  What is it really like to be a hospital care provider attending VBACs? Janelle from Birth Sense describes it in this post submitted to the ICAN VBAC Blog Carnival. The whole post provides a very rational, no nonsense description … Continue reading

Posted in General, Hospital Birth, Informed Consent, Obstetricial Interventions, Obstetrics, VBAC | Leave a comment

Restriction of Food and Drink in Labor from a Medical Anthropologist’s Perspective

The recent Cochrane review, Restricting oral fluid and food intake during labour, analyzed five studies and concluded that women should be free to eat and drink in labor at will. Since the evidence shows no benefits or harms, there is … Continue reading

Posted in General, Hospital Birth, Obstetricial Interventions | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Loyally Devoted to Doctor

I recently read the book The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine N Aron, Ph.D. In the chapter called Medics, Medication, and Highly Sensitive People, the author states: “Keep in mind, too, that it is common to feel an attachment to … Continue reading

Posted in Birth Trauma, Breastfeeding, Doulas, General, Homebirth, Hospital Birth, Induction, Informed Consent, Jennifer, Labor and Birth, Midwifery, Obstetricial Interventions, Postpartum, Postpartum Depression | 15 Comments

Why Our Women are Afraid of Birth

Maybe if the television channels like Discovery health followed a dozen home births or even aired The Business of Being Born they could get a popular, and controversial other side to what they are constantly airing. Maybe it will boost their ratings even more, maybe not? But what it will do is give the other side of the whole issue. Let’s get Marsden Wagner to do a half hour special on Birth in The United States and see how many women run off to the midwives. Instead they air these disgustingly inaccurate “Freebirthing” shows. They find the one idiot who is going to make women who choose unassisted birth look like a bunch of uneducated yokels. Which is exactly what they did with their special on Unassisted birth. Continue reading

Posted in Cesarean Section, Childbirth Education, General, Homebirth, Hospital Birth, Labor and Birth, Midwifery, Natural Childbirth, Obstetricial Interventions, Obstetrics, Pregnancy, Prenatal Care, Unassisted Birth | 7 Comments

Quote of the Day: Make Yourself Look Important and Busy

“A doctor must do something. He cannot remain a spectator merely, where there are many witnesses, and where interest in what is going on is too deep to allow of his inaction.” Walter Channing, 1848 Harvard Medical School professor of … Continue reading

Posted in Labor and Birth, Obstetricial Interventions, Obstetrics | Leave a comment