There are no failures... as moms, however, the system seems to be failing us...

http://nursingbirth.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/the-%e2%80%9call-that-matters%e2%80%9d-phenomenon-grieving-the-loss-of-a-vaginal-birth/

Here is a blog post about a very common thread in today's maternity care system. This nurse at http://nursingbirth.wordpress.com/about/ tells the whole story... and sadly she sees this nearly every day... "Failure to Progress"
(NursingBirth is a blog in support of change for the current state of maternity care in the United States. My goal in starting this blog is to get the word out there that if things stay the way they are, the safety and welfare of our mothers and babies continues to be at risk. I also want the birth advocacy community to know that there are nurses out there that are on your side! The time is NOW! I hope my blog will include ramblings of my day to day life as a labor and delivery nurse, resources for birth advocacy and tips for becoming involved in the cause, book reviews, commentary on current events, new perspectives on past experiences, and thoughts towards change!)


I have seen too many of these scenarios myself. I have such a hard time watching 'managed births'. I have been a doula now for about 8 years, I became a doula because of a desire to help women educate themselves, to help them navigate the 'system', and to see them have empowered births. To be able to be present and witness THE MIRACLE of BIRTH!

Sometimes the 'system' is so strong, and difficult to 'fight' off. I often feel defeated, and that I haven't helped the women (and their partners) to educate themselves well enough, to be able to combat some of the suggestions (most often pushed by their care provider, this is just what we are GOING TO DO NOW, often/usually without so much as a suggestion that there are any other alternatives to what they (care providers) want to do). I hate feeling like I need to educate women that they will be going into a battle zone, and they need to be ready to FIGHT for their births! (I personally do not like confrontation - I try to avoid it. I wonder if I am doing a disservice to my mom's by attempting to be somewhat 'politically correct' in the birth environment that we live in today.)

Women should NOT have to FIGHT, just to be allowed to Labor and Birth their baby's!

I used to read all the birth books, and be horrified that some women have had care providers that did the things described in the stories! I knew they were true stories, but, In my heart of hearts, I do not want to believe that there are Dr's/care providers out there that are that controlling and callous, with such an 'agenda'. However, I have personally seen first hand on several occasions lately, where an OB had such an agenda...

They won't outright admit to it up front, but the coincidence that the 'need' to do such and such, and end up with the situations that have happened to several of my mom's recently, and after all was said and done, the Dr comments, that 'usually I would do such and such on day two, after the baby's birth', but "I will be out of town" for the game or for the Holiday weekend ahead... so either "I will go ahead and do the procedure" sooner than usual or "my partner will take over your care from here on out since I will be gone". I'm tired of having mom's PUSHED into things, often with slightly disastrous outcomes, because of someones personal vacation or 'on call' schedule.

Now that I've rambled on and on, go back and click on the link to read the birth nurse's blog post. She is not afraid to tell it like it is!!!!!