Comments on: Male Midwife: Agony of Labour A ‘Rite of Passage’ http://www.growingyourbaby.com/2009/07/13/male-midwife-agony-of-labour-a-%e2%80%98rite-of-passage/ Parenthood from Pregnancy to Pre-school Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:37:17 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.1 hourly 1 By: burnice http://www.growingyourbaby.com/2009/07/13/male-midwife-agony-of-labour-a-%e2%80%98rite-of-passage/comment-page-1/#comment-4512 burnice Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:47:22 +0000 http://growingyourbaby.com/2009/07/13/male-midwife-agony-of-labour-a-%e2%80%98rite-of-passage/#comment-4512 Dr. Jim, I think it's possible that labor and delivery could be viewed as a more natural, as opposed to a medical process. Providing laboring women more access to birthing tubs, massage therapy, and freedom to roam and move as they please whilst they labor I believe would reduce the necessity of such epidurals. I don't think the professor is saying there is no place in childbirth for epidurals, but like c-sections, they are used as a first resort, instead of last. Dr. Jim, I think it’s possible that labor and delivery could be viewed as a more natural, as opposed to a medical process. Providing laboring women more access to birthing tubs, massage therapy, and freedom to roam and move as they please whilst they labor I believe would reduce the necessity of such epidurals.

I don’t think the professor is saying there is no place in childbirth for epidurals, but like c-sections, they are used as a first resort, instead of last.

]]> By: Dr Jim WIlkinson http://www.growingyourbaby.com/2009/07/13/male-midwife-agony-of-labour-a-%e2%80%98rite-of-passage/comment-page-1/#comment-4473 Dr Jim WIlkinson Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:46:02 +0000 http://growingyourbaby.com/2009/07/13/male-midwife-agony-of-labour-a-%e2%80%98rite-of-passage/#comment-4473 The comments by Associate Prof. Denis Walsh have caused uproar in the Australian Media, with many mothers condemning his ideas. He says that 20% of epidurals are not necessary. Such judgments can only be made in hindsight. When a woman is in severe pain there are few reasons to withhold pain relief unless she is so close to delivery that the epidural cannot be effective within the timeframe. The comments by Associate Prof. Denis Walsh have caused uproar in the Australian Media, with many mothers condemning his ideas. He says that 20% of epidurals are not necessary. Such judgments can only be made in hindsight. When a woman is in severe pain there are few reasons to withhold pain relief unless she is so close to delivery that the epidural cannot be effective within the timeframe.

]]> By: Dr Jim WIlkinson http://www.growingyourbaby.com/2009/07/13/male-midwife-agony-of-labour-a-%e2%80%98rite-of-passage/comment-page-1/#comment-4471 Dr Jim WIlkinson Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:51:31 +0000 http://growingyourbaby.com/2009/07/13/male-midwife-agony-of-labour-a-%e2%80%98rite-of-passage/#comment-4471 I am an anaesthetist in Sydney, Australia. Mr Walsh's claims that epidurals prolong labour were refuted years ago. After 30 years of helping women in labour with pain relief, I regard epidurals as far superior to amy other form of pain relief.They allow both mother and baby to be less "stressed" physiologically. Epidurals are safer than general anaesthetics when Caesarean Sections or other necessary are needed. Saying that women need to feel pain is turning the clock back 150+ years to pre- Queen Victoria and her praise of chloroform given to her by Dr JOhn Snow for the birth of Prince Leopold. I am an anaesthetist in Sydney, Australia. Mr Walsh’s claims that epidurals prolong labour were refuted years ago. After 30 years of helping women in labour with pain relief, I regard epidurals as far superior to amy other form of pain relief.They allow both mother and baby to be less “stressed” physiologically. Epidurals are safer than general anaesthetics when Caesarean Sections or other necessary are needed. Saying that women need to feel pain is turning the clock back 150+ years to pre- Queen Victoria and her praise of chloroform given to her by Dr JOhn Snow for the birth of Prince Leopold.

]]> By: cavale http://www.growingyourbaby.com/2009/07/13/male-midwife-agony-of-labour-a-%e2%80%98rite-of-passage/comment-page-1/#comment-4467 cavale Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:37:45 +0000 http://growingyourbaby.com/2009/07/13/male-midwife-agony-of-labour-a-%e2%80%98rite-of-passage/#comment-4467 i don't believe he wants epidurals to be outlawed. they are a valid medical procedure with very important uses. i think the point he's trying to make is that we live in a culture now where doctors expect the mother to go for the epidural immediately, even pushing her to do so. a lot of women end up going into labor without ever being told that they are strong enough to do this on their own. i think he's proposing a move towards more discussion and introduction of alternative pain relief methods that do not use drugs. i don’t believe he wants epidurals to be outlawed. they are a valid medical procedure with very important uses.

i think the point he’s trying to make is that we live in a culture now where doctors expect the mother to go for the epidural immediately, even pushing her to do so. a lot of women end up going into labor without ever being told that they are strong enough to do this on their own.

i think he’s proposing a move towards more discussion and introduction of alternative pain relief methods that do not use drugs.

]]> By: Ms. Krieger http://www.growingyourbaby.com/2009/07/13/male-midwife-agony-of-labour-a-%e2%80%98rite-of-passage/comment-page-1/#comment-4464 Ms. Krieger Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:22:24 +0000 http://growingyourbaby.com/2009/07/13/male-midwife-agony-of-labour-a-%e2%80%98rite-of-passage/#comment-4464 I believe you misunderstand him. No woman should ever have to be reduced to a "hysterical mom who can't manage her labor pains." It's awful and degrading. All women should have the support to give them the strength to birth without invasive procedures that raise the risks of birth and increase their chances of having even more invasive procedures. Our culture has taught women that birth is awful and painful and something to be afraid of. It doesn't have to be that way. Yes, birth is painful and intense, but the pain helps get the baby out - it's not signaling that something is wrong, it's signaling a healthy process. I believe you misunderstand him. No woman should ever have to be reduced to a “hysterical mom who can’t manage her labor pains.” It’s awful and degrading. All women should have the support to give them the strength to birth without invasive procedures that raise the risks of birth and increase their chances of having even more invasive procedures.

Our culture has taught women that birth is awful and painful and something to be afraid of. It doesn’t have to be that way. Yes, birth is painful and intense, but the pain helps get the baby out – it’s not signaling that something is wrong, it’s signaling a healthy process.

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