How do you feel about 'assumed consent'?

[little_O]

I didn't think it was clear whether not having an episiotomy resulted in the death of that baby, just as it wasn't clear whether the equipment failure contributed either.

One thing I forgot. It's fine if some women don't care what happens to their bodies in the course of childbirth. Just as it's a woman's right to demand bodily autonomy, so it is to put that autonomy in someone else's hands. I don't debate that. BUT there is one large problem with some women not complaining or minding about assumed consent, that being the fact that because doctors are used to consent being forthcoming, or assumed, by their patients, it becomes routine to assume that the patient will comply with their wishes. So women that do demand autonomy are the minority, and because the feeling of trusting implicitly your OB seems to be the overriding attitude, women who feel they should have the right to informed consent at all times (and the right to refuse treatment) have their feelings on the matter belittled and dismissed by the HCP (and sometimes, other women) To me, when the dead mother/baby card is drawn, it blows an otherwise (generally) non life threatening situation out of proportion, and it insinuates that women who demand more for their births and bodies are selfishly putting themselves for an ideal, not demanding a basic right. This is my beef with assumed consent.

I agree with you pz, I am certainly not suggesting the ob in the article is right, just what was suggested.

I also agree that everyone deserves the treatment they desire, with no pressure or judgement. Tbh, as I mentioned before I had never even considered that I would get asked in birth as it is portrayed as a common thing.

I think it's disgusting when anyone's rights aren't respected in any medical situation (not saying birth is medical, just being in a hospital tends to make it fall in that category)

[nothing2lose]

I guess we all have our own fights to fight. What is a priority to me may not be a priority to the person next to me, and vice versa. Ultimately though, I think it comes down to is educating yourself, working out what your priorities are and working out how to make sure those priorities are respected. That may mean freebirthing, homebirthing, birthing within the private system with an OB you know and trust or birthing within the public system at a hospital of your choice using the model of care you prefer.

Everyone wants to be respected. Everyone wants the best care they can get. Everyone wants a healthy baby at the end. Just some are not too worried about how that is. For instance, PZ says she would be devastated if someone cut her perineum. I simply dont feel the same way. I've been in an emergency situation wherein my child and I almost died. I am thankful I had developing world obstetric care at hand to save us. If I ever find myself in that situation again, I would be thankful if the OB cut me from ear to ear if s/he had to. To me, there are worse things in the world than an episiotomy. Just look at the rate of fistula in the developing world (not to mention infant/maternal death rates).

Obviously though, birth activism is not my thing. If people feel the need to fight for this particular practice to be stopped, more power to them. I have other issues in my sights

[Maruschke]

I guess we all have our own fights to fight. What is a priority to me may not be a priority to the person next to me, and vice versa. Ultimately though, I think it comes down to is educating yourself, working out what your priorities are and working out how to make sure those priorities are respected. That may mean freebirthing, homebirthing, birthing within the private system with an OB you know and trust or birthing within the public system at a hospital of your choice using the model of care you prefer.

Everyone wants to be respected. Everyone wants the best care they can get. Everyone wants a healthy baby at the end. Just some are not too worried about how that is. For instance, PZ says she would be devastated if someone cut her perineum. I simply dont feel the same way. I've been in an emergency situation wherein my child and I almost died. I am thankful I had developing world obstetric care at hand to save us. If I ever find myself in that situation again, I would be thankful if the OB cut me from ear to ear if s/he had to. To me, there are worse things in the world than an episiotomy. Just look at the rate of fistula in the developing world (not to mention infant/maternal death rates).

Obviously though, birth activism is not my thing. If people feel the need to fight for this particular practice to be stopped, more power to them. I have other issues in my sights

Yep I agree.

I think I gave consent to my midwives to do what they thought was best throughout the antenatal period when we had many long chats about birth. I began to trust them to do what was necessary, only if it were necessary, and to keep the best interest of myself and my child in mind. So that said, I gave them consent in general to treat me the best they could, and they didn't need to ask for it at the time, because we knew each other well enough.

I had TWO epi's with this most recent birth, both without anesthetic, and both were vital, and they told me they had to do it rather than ask consent.... which was how we had agreed it would be... just do what you have to do and I'll do what I have to do. I don't feel violated at all.

It was my MW's first epi, and she's been delivering babies 7 years.