Traditionally, birth has been a very private affair in which only the most intimate of a woman's relations would attend the laboring woman. Grandmothers, aunts and wise women of the village whom the woman most trusted were the ones to be called. In today's society, however, women have been taught to place their trust in the medical model of childbirth and in medical professionals rather than in persons with whom they are most familiar. They are taught to accept the place of birth that the medical professional chooses (because it is the medical professional's "safe place"?).
For many women this is a difficult and sometimes impossible transition, one which so impacts the sense of the familiar that patterns of labor are changed and the sensation of birth pain intensified. Outcome is made less predictable, and birth comes to be regarded as a difficult and painful ordeal, fraught with danger. Moreover if the woman is confronted with an unfamiliar and therefore "not safe place," a survival mechanism will kick in. She will protect her baby by preventing it from being born by ceasing to contract, keeping her cervix closed and in general "failing to progress."
If we could ask babies where they would like to be born, I wonder how many would answer, "Oh, in a hospital, of course! I want to be sure that I will be born amidst all modern technology has to offer in the even that an emergency should occur." Or, might they answer, "I want to be born in an environment of peace, security and joy and be received into the loving arms of my mother."
-Valeria El Halta, "Not Among Strangers," Midwifery Today Issue 50
Reprinted from Midwifery Today E-News (Vol 1 Issue 29, July 16, 1999)
To subscribe to the E-News write: enews@midwiferytoday.com
For all other matters contact Midwifery Today:
PO Box 2672-940, Eugene OR 97402
541-344-7438, midwifery@aol.com, Midwifery Today
|
|