Comments on: Too little too late http://thewellnessbitch.com/2010/07/26/too-little-too-late/ It's Time to Wake Up! Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:46:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dr. Michael Magwood http://thewellnessbitch.com/2010/07/26/too-little-too-late/#comment-250 Dr. Michael Magwood Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:56:56 +0000 http://thewellnessbitch.com/?p=806#comment-250 Many of our pregnant patients are genuinely afraid of C-sections and are grateful that the literature so strongly supports VBAC with either an OB or Midwife. It's amazing to me how our country seems to blatantly ignore the risks of surgery, when we could at least weigh these risks before jumping into a big decision involving the lives of a mother and child. Here is a great newsletter from Dr. Jeanne Ohm of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association: www.icpa4kids.org/wellness/0047.html VBAC Moms Need Your Help More and more hospitals are refusing mothers with previous c-sections the right to have a vaginal birth after c-section (VBAC) This article presents the dilemma many mothers are facing: www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1880665-1,00.html Many of our pregnant patients are genuinely afraid of C-sections and are grateful that the literature so strongly supports VBAC with either an OB or Midwife. It’s amazing to me how our country seems to blatantly ignore the risks of surgery, when we could at least weigh these risks before jumping into a big decision involving the lives of a mother and child. Here is a great newsletter from Dr. Jeanne Ohm of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association:

http://www.icpa4kids.org/wellness/0047.html

VBAC Moms Need Your Help

More and more hospitals are refusing mothers with previous c-sections the right to have a vaginal birth after c-section (VBAC) This article presents the dilemma many mothers are facing:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1880665-1,00.html

]]> By: thenontoxicmom http://thewellnessbitch.com/2010/07/26/too-little-too-late/#comment-249 thenontoxicmom Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:24:43 +0000 http://thewellnessbitch.com/?p=806#comment-249 I am really sorry for your experiences. I came to all my labors on the defense, with husband, doula, and birth plan on hand, and still had to keep defending my decision to not have drugs. Once they see that you have this goal and are prepared, they roll their eyes and determine that you're a troublemaker rather than a compliant patient. I understand that there are laws and liability issues, but at this point the way babies come into this world is ridiculous! I am really sorry for your experiences. I came to all my labors on the defense, with husband, doula, and birth plan on hand, and still had to keep defending my decision to not have drugs. Once they see that you have this goal and are prepared, they roll their eyes and determine that you’re a troublemaker rather than a compliant patient. I understand that there are laws and liability issues, but at this point the way babies come into this world is ridiculous!

]]> By: thewellnessbitch http://thewellnessbitch.com/2010/07/26/too-little-too-late/#comment-248 thewellnessbitch Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:01:00 +0000 http://thewellnessbitch.com/?p=806#comment-248 Khurt: You definitely need to research your doctors stats before committing to deliver with that practice. Once I knew the questions to ask, I knew that the practice I started with was not going to be my champion in a VBAC attempt. So as annoying as it was to research who would be, and then to switch, I did so -- at my 25th week of pregnancy. I knew a woman who switched practitioners three weeks before her due date in order to be with a VBAC-friendly practice. Problem is: VBAC-friendly docs are few and far between. And many of the midwives are required to be backed by OBs who have rules and regulations the midwives don't have much legroom to stretch. Khurt: You definitely need to research your doctors stats before committing to deliver with that practice. Once I knew the questions to ask, I knew that the practice I started with was not going to be my champion in a VBAC attempt. So as annoying as it was to research who would be, and then to switch, I did so — at my 25th week of pregnancy. I knew a woman who switched practitioners three weeks before her due date in order to be with a VBAC-friendly practice. Problem is: VBAC-friendly docs are few and far between. And many of the midwives are required to be backed by OBs who have rules and regulations the midwives don’t have much legroom to stretch.

]]> By: thewellnessbitch http://thewellnessbitch.com/2010/07/26/too-little-too-late/#comment-247 thewellnessbitch Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:58:25 +0000 http://thewellnessbitch.com/?p=806#comment-247 Thanks Erin. I know what really helped me stand firm and confident in my decision to attempt VBAC was a support group with empowered, educated women. If it weren't for those women, I definitely would have wavered over the seven months or so between my decision to switch practices until the day I went into labor on my own. I even had to fight up until the very last minute when my midwife went on vacation during my 41st week and the on-call OB (the one who ended up doing my c-section) tried to force me into a C-section before 42 weeks. I refused! But imagine the sheer willpower it took on my part to go up against the system, and a male doctor who was spouting reasons why it didn't make sense to wait? All this, while a bundle of hormones. My biggest concern and our greatest challenge, though, is educating women BEFORE they get pregnant. Which is quite a challenge, as most women don't want to bother until they get pregnant. (Save for those women who struggle with infertility and who tend to read/learn more during the process.) What would be awesome is to create a campaign like the current ones running for Gardasil, but it's for young women to have a voice louder than that of their doctors: a young woman who is powerful enough to ask questions, demand answers, and know how to trust her instincts. Thanks Erin. I know what really helped me stand firm and confident in my decision to attempt VBAC was a support group with empowered, educated women. If it weren’t for those women, I definitely would have wavered over the seven months or so between my decision to switch practices until the day I went into labor on my own. I even had to fight up until the very last minute when my midwife went on vacation during my 41st week and the on-call OB (the one who ended up doing my c-section) tried to force me into a C-section before 42 weeks. I refused! But imagine the sheer willpower it took on my part to go up against the system, and a male doctor who was spouting reasons why it didn’t make sense to wait? All this, while a bundle of hormones.

My biggest concern and our greatest challenge, though, is educating women BEFORE they get pregnant. Which is quite a challenge, as most women don’t want to bother until they get pregnant. (Save for those women who struggle with infertility and who tend to read/learn more during the process.)

What would be awesome is to create a campaign like the current ones running for Gardasil, but it’s for young women to have a voice louder than that of their doctors: a young woman who is powerful enough to ask questions, demand answers, and know how to trust her instincts.

]]> By: Khürt Williams http://thewellnessbitch.com/2010/07/26/too-little-too-late/#comment-246 Khürt Williams Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:10:48 +0000 http://thewellnessbitch.com/?p=806#comment-246 My wife has two healthy vaginal deliveries. Her sisters both had C sections. I think it depends on how much liability the doctor is willing to accept. My wife has two healthy vaginal deliveries. Her sisters both had C sections. I think it depends on how much liability the doctor is willing to accept.

]]> By: erinmidwife http://thewellnessbitch.com/2010/07/26/too-little-too-late/#comment-245 erinmidwife Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:03:44 +0000 http://thewellnessbitch.com/?p=806#comment-245 Yes, thanks for writing about this. This is how we wil change birth in this country -- by talking, writing, sharing our stories. Regarding the new recs, if ACOG wants to commit itself to evidence-based practice it is only logical that they have finally revised (again) their VBAC guidelines to match current evidence. Will this trickle down and effect the way an average OB is practicing, especially in a non-tertiary hospital? I am not convinced it will happen any time soon… And we're supposed to be grateful for the new changes? Well they were the ones that pulled the VBAC option in the first place (again, not based on evidence). I think most docs will still find reasons at the end of pregnancy to withhold the VBAC optoion (which midwives have been safely attending since the cesarean epidemic began). Ultimately I think it is birthing women who need to lead the movement toward women-centered, normal birth in hospitals. History has demonstrated that left to their own initiative, the docs and administrators will only budge so far from their comfort zone. Here's another good synopsis:http://ican-online.org/news/vaginal-birth-after-cesarean-safe-and-reasonable-option-most-women Yes, thanks for writing about this. This is how we wil change birth in this country — by talking, writing, sharing our stories.

Regarding the new recs, if ACOG wants to commit itself to evidence-based practice it is only logical that they have finally revised (again) their VBAC guidelines to match current evidence. Will this trickle down and effect the way an average OB is practicing, especially in a non-tertiary hospital? I am not convinced it will happen any time soon…

And we’re supposed to be grateful for the new changes? Well they were the ones that pulled the VBAC option in the first place (again, not based on evidence). I think most docs will still find reasons at the end of pregnancy to withhold the VBAC optoion (which midwives have been safely attending since the cesarean epidemic began).

Ultimately I think it is birthing women who need to lead the movement toward women-centered, normal birth in hospitals. History has demonstrated that left to their own initiative, the docs and administrators will only budge so far from their comfort zone.

Here’s another good synopsis:http://ican-online.org/news/vaginal-birth-after-cesarean-safe-and-reasonable-option-most-women

]]> By: Jennifer http://thewellnessbitch.com/2010/07/26/too-little-too-late/#comment-244 Jennifer Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:11:50 +0000 http://thewellnessbitch.com/?p=806#comment-244 Thank you, thank you, thank you for ranting about this! So many women (most?) just are not getting the information they need for healthy pregnancies and deliveries. But what do I know? I'm one of those crazy 1% of women who choose out of hospital births. I'm looking forward to the birth of my second in the next few weeks either in MY bed or MY tub with my fantastic midwives. Thank you, thank you, thank you for ranting about this! So many women (most?) just are not getting the information they need for healthy pregnancies and deliveries. But what do I know? I’m one of those crazy 1% of women who choose out of hospital births. I’m looking forward to the birth of my second in the next few weeks either in MY bed or MY tub with my fantastic midwives.

]]> By: Tara http://thewellnessbitch.com/2010/07/26/too-little-too-late/#comment-243 Tara Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:44:48 +0000 http://thewellnessbitch.com/?p=806#comment-243 Ditto, Ditto, Ditto!! All too similar story. Actually it's rather amazingly similar: three kids, three c-sections, all in NJ, except the second I didn't know any better and thought - WOW it really would be more convenient to schedule this baby. heh. Wasn't until after the 3rd that I was watching the BUsiness of Being Born on my laptop via netflix instant download IN my hospital bed that I really GOT it. And by GOT IT, I mean got really flipping mad at the whole system. Those poor doctors who came into my room after that - there was no hope for them with this information now in my head AND post partum hormones. heh. Anyhow sorry for my own rant..but I completely agree. I would have LOOOOOVED to have some INFORMATION prior to all of these decisions being made. Yes some by myself but really...I wasn't filled with a wealth of knowledge about any of it. Ditto, Ditto, Ditto!! All too similar story. Actually it’s rather amazingly similar: three kids, three c-sections, all in NJ, except the second I didn’t know any better and thought – WOW it really would be more convenient to schedule this baby. heh.

Wasn’t until after the 3rd that I was watching the BUsiness of Being Born on my laptop via netflix instant download IN my hospital bed that I really GOT it. And by GOT IT, I mean got really flipping mad at the whole system. Those poor doctors who came into my room after that – there was no hope for them with this information now in my head AND post partum hormones. heh.

Anyhow sorry for my own rant..but I completely agree. I would have LOOOOOVED to have some INFORMATION prior to all of these decisions being made. Yes some by myself but really…I wasn’t filled with a wealth of knowledge about any of it.

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