Feb 5, 2012--edited to remove all mention of and links to the birth organization I cannot in good conscience support in any way, including the very mention of their name. This organization has failed to make good on many promises, many of which are financial, and has behaved appaulingly unprofessionally in many ways.
As I have announced somewhat here on this blog and more officially to clients and friends, I am now a (link removed from post so as not to drive traffic to their scam of a site) Educator.
Recently, I started my first (edited) class. I have a student couple who has made the decision to birth at home with their first baby. A rarity, but a wise choice. One I wish I had had the smarts to make with my firstborn. (Not that I regret my decision of hospital birth--I just did not know enough to choose and be comfortable with home birth back then.)
If home birth is not initially scoffed at and completely thrown aside, the scenario all-too-often goes like this: a mom-to-be states, "I'm not entirely comfortable with home birth. I'll have this baby in the hospital, and if all goes well, we can consider out-of-hospital birth in the future;" little knowing that the choice of hospital birth will often lead her to the conclusion that she or her baby would have been in trouble at least, and would have died at worst--had she not given birth in said hospital.
Indeed, it is this faulty premise that feeds the illusion of the need to birth in a hospital in order to have a safe birth. Mom encounters problems in labor and birth while in hospital, and incorrectly assumes that had she been at home, she would have experienced these same complications. Ask any birth junky: the common quip from women after such an experience is: ". . . And thank GOD we were in the hospital, or . . . (insert dangerous and/or life-threatening scenario here). . . would have happened, and . . . (insert individual's name and horrific outcome here)!" The faulty logic is that birth = danger, while in fact, very often it is birthing in the hospital that causes the problems encountered in birth: the iatrogenic complications (that is, problems arising as a result of medical intervention, not the actual birthing process). Yes, hospitals are good for some births, and yes, major abdominal surgery is life-saving in some instances, but this does not mean that the hospital is the safest place to birth for most women.
If you are reading this and it makes sense, I am preaching to the choir. For any readers who wonder, "Where is she getting these crazy correlations?!", I would truly love to spend a few hours on this post and give all the statistical data to back up what I've said in the above paragraphs, but alas, I have four young children, a teething and needy seven-month-old asleep on my chest as I type, and I need to start dinner, finish laundry, and otherwise continue cleaning and preparing for my next class. So I regret to say that the above statements will have to suffice as a teaser and a challenge for anyone not convinced of the normalcy of birth.
Since having joined (name withheld) Birth, I have regained an excitement about teaching the essentials of a safe and satisfying birth. I have also absolutely enjoyed the never-before-experienced sense of community with my sisters in birth: fellow birth educators, doulas and midwives (to name a few) within the (name withheld) Birth community. This great bunch of birth workers have challenged me, encouraged me and constantly bring new and interesting information my way. I am LOVING my affiliation with (name withheld) Birth! (Incidentally, what I loved--and still do--was the community, which is still alive and well after a mass exodus of most of the educators who had originally joined the org. The business, as it stands, is a blight to the birthing community.)
Today, one of my colleagues posted an older article by Mothering Magazine entitled: "You Want to Give Birth Where?", stating that the couple had been clients of hers and students of one of our fellow Brio educators (while she was under a previous certification). This article is a good read: one that chronicles how an intelligent, mainstream couple came to the oft-assumed "brave" and "out-there" decision to birth at home. (Interesting note: the dad/baby pictured with the article is not the dad/baby of the article: my colleague states that he and his wife were much more mainstream. I mention this as an aside to encourage you to read the actual article and put aside any conclusions drawn upon seeing the picture.) Enjoy the read!
Showing posts with label Birth Instructor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birth Instructor. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
The Trouble with Two Blogs
I've posted a little about what I've been up to lately over here. Some of the stuff, though it is regarding birth, is also about my own personal thoughts and I didn't exactly know on which blog to put it. My most recent post has to do with breastfeeding, among other things.
If you're wondering why there's a lack of postage here on FrogBlog, this will give you an idea (scroll past the pictures to read the birth-related info.). Oh, and by the way, it isn't a pregnancy announcement. I should be a little more careful about how I word things.
As I typed this post, it became more and more clear that the remainder of it belonged on my other blog. So here's yet another link if you're interested in how my Bradley certification is going.
Apparently, my life does not so neatly dissect as I would like to think it does.
If you're wondering why there's a lack of postage here on FrogBlog, this will give you an idea (scroll past the pictures to read the birth-related info.). Oh, and by the way, it isn't a pregnancy announcement. I should be a little more careful about how I word things.
As I typed this post, it became more and more clear that the remainder of it belonged on my other blog. So here's yet another link if you're interested in how my Bradley certification is going.
Apparently, my life does not so neatly dissect as I would like to think it does.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Another Outlet for My Passion on Natural Childbirth
To say that I have a passion for natural childbirth is an understatement. My passion for natural childbirth (which I define as unmedicated and without the routine use of interventions) causes me to be so strongly opinionated that I simply must have an outlet!
That's where this blog comes in. I care for my family and friends enough to not want to rock the boat too much on this subject if it seems we are not on the same page. (My hubby is usually much more expressive of his opinions on birth than I am--he volunteers enough information for both of us. It tickles me how passionate he is.)Of course, I am more than happy to discuss the subject with anyone who genuinely wants to learn and asks me (and if you have done this, you have probably received much more than an earful--sorry).
However, I will not usually initiate much when it comes to a woman's (family, friend or acquaintance) pregnancy, except to ask who her provider is and where she will birth. This usually starts a conversation that does not necessarily include me sharing any of my opinions, though I may mention that I know someone who has used that provider, etc. Through just a couple simple questions, I am able to see a little of the woman's birth ideas. Sometimes, I will continue to ask questions to get a feel for what kind of philosophy she has regarding pregnancy and birth.
If she is cavalier, disinterested, ill-informed (and content to remain so) or in other ways seems to have an attitude of "I just do what the doctor tells me," I will often just leave the conversation at that. If she shows interest in learning all she can and researching her options and the benefits and risks that go with them, my side of the conversation may turn a little more into the information-giving kind, as opposed to just information-receiving. Again, those of you who have fallen into this category will probably note that it can turn into a whole-lotta information giving once I get going. (I am trying to regulate and express myself more via other means in order not to do this so much--see below!)
Yes, I am a strongly opinionated person when it comes to birth, and yet the majority of my casual friends or acquaintances have no idea my feelings on the issue. (In order to be perfectly honest, I should mention that this may have changed slightly in the past few months, as I have started the certification process to become a Bradley birth instructor, and have mentioned this to a few people, but even then, I haven't usually introduced the subject.)
Most people who are not close friends of mine have no idea that I have birthed three children naturally, very few know that I have birthed my last two babies at home, and even fewer know that I feel so passionately about the subject that I continue to read, research and study about it even when I am not pregnant. In fact, my husband is more than supportive of my pursuing certification as a Bradley Affiliate, since at least then I will have something to show for all the time I put into researching birth (besides my own satisfying birth experiences, which is worth it to me)!
When given the opportunity, I will not shy away from discussing the issue, but I work hard to get a feel for a woman's interest in informing herself before laying it all out there. In fact, most women will have to come out and ask me about my thoughts on birth. Sharing such things is rarely unsolicited. And when I am asked, it is not uncommon for me to give a bit of a warning on where I'm coming from (that I feel strongly and don't mind telling it like it is).
God willing, a few months from now, I will have another means of sharing the information I continue to learn on a daily basis. My excitement in becoming a birth instructor grows as I study and research more and more (yes, Casey, it is possible for me to research more!).
As to my specific birthing philosophy, I will need to do a whole other post to express the why of my passion. I don't believe in going natural for the usual and customary reasons (a women's rights issue or a get-in-touch-with-your-inner-animal idea, or to prove toughness or achieve a rite of passage, to name a few).
That's where this blog comes in. I care for my family and friends enough to not want to rock the boat too much on this subject if it seems we are not on the same page. (My hubby is usually much more expressive of his opinions on birth than I am--he volunteers enough information for both of us. It tickles me how passionate he is.)Of course, I am more than happy to discuss the subject with anyone who genuinely wants to learn and asks me (and if you have done this, you have probably received much more than an earful--sorry).
However, I will not usually initiate much when it comes to a woman's (family, friend or acquaintance) pregnancy, except to ask who her provider is and where she will birth. This usually starts a conversation that does not necessarily include me sharing any of my opinions, though I may mention that I know someone who has used that provider, etc. Through just a couple simple questions, I am able to see a little of the woman's birth ideas. Sometimes, I will continue to ask questions to get a feel for what kind of philosophy she has regarding pregnancy and birth.
If she is cavalier, disinterested, ill-informed (and content to remain so) or in other ways seems to have an attitude of "I just do what the doctor tells me," I will often just leave the conversation at that. If she shows interest in learning all she can and researching her options and the benefits and risks that go with them, my side of the conversation may turn a little more into the information-giving kind, as opposed to just information-receiving. Again, those of you who have fallen into this category will probably note that it can turn into a whole-lotta information giving once I get going. (I am trying to regulate and express myself more via other means in order not to do this so much--see below!)
Yes, I am a strongly opinionated person when it comes to birth, and yet the majority of my casual friends or acquaintances have no idea my feelings on the issue. (In order to be perfectly honest, I should mention that this may have changed slightly in the past few months, as I have started the certification process to become a Bradley birth instructor, and have mentioned this to a few people, but even then, I haven't usually introduced the subject.)
Most people who are not close friends of mine have no idea that I have birthed three children naturally, very few know that I have birthed my last two babies at home, and even fewer know that I feel so passionately about the subject that I continue to read, research and study about it even when I am not pregnant. In fact, my husband is more than supportive of my pursuing certification as a Bradley Affiliate, since at least then I will have something to show for all the time I put into researching birth (besides my own satisfying birth experiences, which is worth it to me)!
When given the opportunity, I will not shy away from discussing the issue, but I work hard to get a feel for a woman's interest in informing herself before laying it all out there. In fact, most women will have to come out and ask me about my thoughts on birth. Sharing such things is rarely unsolicited. And when I am asked, it is not uncommon for me to give a bit of a warning on where I'm coming from (that I feel strongly and don't mind telling it like it is).
God willing, a few months from now, I will have another means of sharing the information I continue to learn on a daily basis. My excitement in becoming a birth instructor grows as I study and research more and more (yes, Casey, it is possible for me to research more!).
As to my specific birthing philosophy, I will need to do a whole other post to express the why of my passion. I don't believe in going natural for the usual and customary reasons (a women's rights issue or a get-in-touch-with-your-inner-animal idea, or to prove toughness or achieve a rite of passage, to name a few).
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