Here is quite a nice article telling the stories of a few clearly rational and sensible women:
http://www.mercurynews.com/health/ci_25012330/extreme-home-birthing-alone-and-unassisted
Friday, 31 January 2014
Monday, 13 January 2014
Is Ultrasound Safe for Unborn Babies?
Well this issue continues to haunt us - the AIMS booklet Ultrasound Unsound www.aims.org.uk covers the main questions well and here is another, slightly more detailed discussion of the possible intracellular and intracellular dangers.
http://scienceoveracuppa.com/2013/01/10/the-biology-of-ultrasound/
It remains true that, given the absence of Randomised Controlled Trials with long-term follow-up, it is impossible to quantify the level of risk or the exact nature of that risk. However it also remains true that circumspection when it comes to the use of ultrasound on unborn babies is probably a wise approach.
http://scienceoveracuppa.com/2013/01/10/the-biology-of-ultrasound/
It remains true that, given the absence of Randomised Controlled Trials with long-term follow-up, it is impossible to quantify the level of risk or the exact nature of that risk. However it also remains true that circumspection when it comes to the use of ultrasound on unborn babies is probably a wise approach.
Saturday, 11 January 2014
An articulate comment on current maternity care.
http://www.bestdaily.co.uk/your-life/news/a543050/nhs-midwife-speaks-out-why-british-women-are-really-being-failed-in-birth.html
This is sad reading but a very well put and, I am sorry to say, an accurate portrayal of many obstetric units. I do believe that the culture of most birth centres and community midwifery services is less woman-unfriendly but the general point still pertains in that midwives working in those settings actively struggle against the attitudes and practices described. That struggle is part of their daily lives and also takes its toll.
We have placed human birth so far into a medico-legal paradigm that we have almost lost sight of the fact that it is a natural, social and sexual event at the heart of healthy family life. To heal this situation requires midwives and women to work together and for homebirth, community midwifery, doula, hypnobirthing, independent midwifery and birth centre services to be cherished and strengthened. Placing these services at the CENTRE of maternity care and not viewing them as frills is the way forward. Continuity of care and the relationship between midwife and mother is crucial to the humanisation of maternity care. How can such dismissive, unsupportive and demeaning attitudes and behaviours described in the article survive the building of proper relationships?
This is sad reading but a very well put and, I am sorry to say, an accurate portrayal of many obstetric units. I do believe that the culture of most birth centres and community midwifery services is less woman-unfriendly but the general point still pertains in that midwives working in those settings actively struggle against the attitudes and practices described. That struggle is part of their daily lives and also takes its toll.
We have placed human birth so far into a medico-legal paradigm that we have almost lost sight of the fact that it is a natural, social and sexual event at the heart of healthy family life. To heal this situation requires midwives and women to work together and for homebirth, community midwifery, doula, hypnobirthing, independent midwifery and birth centre services to be cherished and strengthened. Placing these services at the CENTRE of maternity care and not viewing them as frills is the way forward. Continuity of care and the relationship between midwife and mother is crucial to the humanisation of maternity care. How can such dismissive, unsupportive and demeaning attitudes and behaviours described in the article survive the building of proper relationships?
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