Robots are Taking Over Birth

http://nursingbirth.com/2009/09/07/the-worst-idea-since-routine-continuous-fetal-monitoring-for-low-risk-mothers/

Your Signature Please

This is an actual hospital consent form for elective primary cesearean,
as posted on www.nursingbirth.com.

Nowhere near a very safe or easy way to birth.

Consent for Elective Primary Cesarean Section

A cesarean section (c-section) is the surgical delivery of a baby through an incision in the abdomen and uterus. An incision is made on the abdomen just above the pubic area. The second incision is made in the wall of the uterus. The physician can then open the amniotic sac and remove the baby. The patient may feel tugging, pulling, and pressure. The physician detaches and removes the placenta; incisions in the uterus and abdomen are then closed.

I authorize and direct _______________________________, M.D. with associates or assistants of his/her choice, to perform an elective cesarean section on _______________________________.

(Print Patient Name)

Patient’s Initials

_____ I have informed the doctor of all my known allergies.

_____ The details of the procedure have been explained to me in terms I understand.

_____ Alternative methods and their benefits and disadvantages have been explained to me.

_____ I understand and accept the possible risks and complications of a cesarean section, which include but are not limited to:

* Pain or discomfort

* Wound infection; and/or infection of the bladder or uterus.

* Blood clots in my legs or lungs

* Injury to the baby

* Decreased bowel function (ileus)

* Injury to the urinary tract of GI tract

* Increased blood loss (2x that of a vaginal delivery)

* Risk of additional surgeries

* Post surgical adhesions causing pain/complications with future surgeries

* Increased risk of temporary breathing problems with the baby that could result in prolonged hospitalization

_____ I understand and accept the less common complications, including the risk of death or serious disability that exists with any surgical procedure.

_____ I understand in a future pregnancy that I have an increased risk of complications including, but not limited to:

* Placenta previa, where the placenta covers the cervix.

* Placenta accreta, where the placenta grows into the muscle of the uterus.

* This may lead to a hysterectomy and excessive blood loss at the time of the cesarean section.

* An increased risk of uterine rupture (with or without labor) and that this risk increases with each subsequent cesarean section. Uterine rupture can lead to the death of the baby or myself.

_____ I have been informed of what to expect post-operatively, including but not limited to:

* Estimated recovery time, anticipated activity level, and the possibility of additional procedures.

_____ The doctor has answered all of my questions regarding this procedure.

_____ I am aware and accept that no guarantees about the results of the procedure have been made.

I certify that I have read and understand the above and that all blanks were filled in prior to my signature.

________________________________ Patient Signature/Date

 ________________________________ Witness Signature/Date

I certify that I have explained the nature, purpose, benefits, and alternatives to the proposed treatment and the risks and consequences of not proceeding, have offered to answer any questions and have fully answered all such questions. I believe that the patient fully understands what I have explained.

Laboring Under an Illusion

Homebirth Outcome Study

Since I'm trying to gather as many scientific studies from credible journals as possible (as a result of being kicked off a mom/pregnancy board for posting a blog page of information/thoughts/options that only referred to the position of ACOG-American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and did not include long-term, double blind, scientific studies on the subjects)....I present a Canadian study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

In summary...

"The study analyzed all planned home births attended by registered midwives from Jan. 1, 2000, to Dec. 31, 2004, in British Columbia, Canada (n = 2889), and all planned hospital births meeting the eligibility requirements for home birth that were attended by the same cohort of midwives (n = 4752).  We also included a matched sample of physician-attended planned hospital births (n = 5331)."  Meaning...these were not necessarily "high risk" patients in the hospital. Everyone started out on the same playing field.


"The rate of perinatal death per 1000 births was 0.35 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.00–1.03) in the group
of planned home births; the rate in the group of planned hospital births was 0.57 (95% CI 0.00–1.43) among women attended by a midwife and 0.64 (95% CI 0.00–1.56) among those attended by a physician."

WOOT!

http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/reprint/181/6-7/377

Vita Mutari

Um, yeah. What this lady said... (from www.nurturingheartbirthservices.com)
lovelovelove

"When I was in physical therapy after I injured my knee, my therapist learned that I’d had homebirths. He asked about the “pain” of labor and how I dealt with it at home. My answer, as it usually is, was, “It’s not PAIN as you think of it…my knee was pain. Birth is powerful, but it’s not the same as the pain you experience in life where something is wrong with you.”

His response was, “Then why do women scream?” Heh…you have to love television, right? So I told him that I rarely see women “scream” in labor….but that yes, some women are very vocal and make lots of noise. So he asked why they would make so much noise if they weren’t in pain.

So I told him, “Some women are very loud and make lots of noise during love making…you wouldn’t say they were in pain, right?” Interestingly, he stammered and walked away and the conversation was over.

VITA MUTARI

 I don’t believe that there is a word in the English language to express what it feels like, as it’s totally unique to anything else you will ever feel in your life. It demands full attention of your body, your mind, your soul….it is one of the few experiences we have that transcends the physical and is all encompassing, taking everything you have and everything that you are….only to have you emerge on the other side transformed, changed permanently – you will never be the same.  Sometimes you have a really difficult experience and you come out the other side feeling beaten down, feeling weak and dealing with the consequences of the negativity for the rest of your life. Other times you will emerge with an entirely new respect for yourself, your body, your strength…you will suddenly see yourself as the amazing person that you are!

VITA MUTARI

Which (finally) brings me to these two words…my new favorite words.  I think I will start using these words from now on when someone asks about what labor feels like or the pain of giving birth…. VITA MUTARI!!  Labor feels like “mutari”….the contractions will grow and you will feel Vita Mutari …the vita mutari will grow in intensity….as the mutari increases, you may vocalize or call out…

The literal translation from Latin to English is “Life Transformation”.  That is the closest thing I could think of the feeling of labor/birth…what you are feeling isn’t pain, it’s life transformation.  Is it dramatic? You bet!  I think it should be!" - Stephanie Soderblom

 http://www.nurturingheartsbirthservices.com/blog/?p=16

Hooked Up

Seriously.  Is this really the most effective way to birth?

GO GISELE!

"Despite what you may have read, Gisele Bundchen did not give birth at Brigham and Women's Hospital -- or Mass. General, Beth Israel, or Boston Medical Center, for that matter. The supermodel spouse of Pats QB Tom Brady had her baby at the couple's Beacon Street townhouse. But that's not all. In an interview with a popular Brazilian TV show, Bundchen has confirmed something we'd heard: She delivered little Benjamin in the bathtub. (The interview with "Fantastico," the Brazilian equivalent of "60 Minutes," airs this weekend.) Home births are hardly the norm in Brazil, which has one of the highest rates of caesarean sections in the world. So what's with Bundchen? We're told Gi was profoundly influenced by director Abby Epstein's 2008 documentary, "The Business of Being Born," which makes a compelling argument for natural childbirth. The movie, executive produced by Ricki Lake, looks at the history of obstetrics, midwives, and how modern medical practices may do pregnant moms more harm than good. One of the people quoted in the film is Ana Paula Markel, a friend of Bundchen's who works as a doula, or childbirth assistant, in LA. "It's so great to hear that (Gisele) had a positive homebirth experience," Lake told us yesterday. "Not only because it was at home and in water, but because it says a lot to girls who follow her." They might also be interested in what else we heard -- that Gisele may have used self-hypnosis relaxation and breathing techniques to aid her delivery. Whatever she did, it worked. Word is, the supermodel was in labor for only about eight hours before the bundle of joy arrived. Other celebs who've had their babies at home include actress Alyson Hannigan, model Cindy Crawford, singer Erykah Badu, actress Maria Bello, and Bundchen's BFF Michelle Alves, a Brazilian model and the wife of Madonna's manager Guy Oseary."

http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/more_names/blog/2010/01/the_story_of_gisele_bundchens.html