Article on Dutch model of care

[sasha]

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I think, for me, giving birth in a Family Birthing Centre, made birth perhaps a bit more like the Dutch model of care (going back to my roots, hehe). There wasn't the option of strong drugs, and it never occurred to me to ask for them. It's not that I wanted drugs, but resisted the urge to ask - I actually never once thought - 'I need pain relief in the form of drugs'.

So yeah...I wonder, if drugs weren't routinely offered, and not recommended, weren't seen as such an integral part of birth - how many women would birth without drugs - and birth just as well, if not better?

I had a similar experience in a Family Birth Centre, but I do remember thinking that pain relief would be great - thinking, oh gee, wouldn't an epidural be nice right now! - even though I've never had one, and I had put in my birth plan that I didn't want one, and the whole idea of having to go up to the hospital wasn't an option for me. I did NOT want to birth in a hospital, and so the epidural just wasn't available, so I didn't ask for it.

I'm sure if I'd have been in a hospital situation, I would have had one. And probably more intervention as well - as it was I narrowly avoided a episiotomy (sp?) and vacuum because I'd been pushing so long... again, the threat of going to the hospital just made me try a bit harder, and lo and behold, he was born then and there, with no pain relief.

I wouldn't deny the relief to women who need it, but like others have mentioned, it's as if we expect that we can't do it on our own. I truly think that if we let women know how possible it is to birth more naturally, many more would feel they could do it.

[Cyathea]

Great article, and really highlights how the attitudes to homebirth are cultural, and that information about it really needs to make it into the public eye a lot more here in Australia.

I truly believe the vast majority of birthing work takes place in our minds, if your attitude is right, then you are setting yourself up for the best possible experience.

[Amie]

She also said that after seeing what birth is like on tv, she was coming here to have her baboes!!! Not sure she really meant it, but she wanta an epi!!!

Exactly! When have you ever seen a birth or birth-scenario in TV or a in a movie where the woman is calm, supported, confident? It's almost always a case of "ooh, I think I'm in labour" followed by a mercy-dash straight to the hospital where the heroic doctor states grimly "we gotta get this baby out or we're gonna lose them both", all amid much screaming and moaning and people yelling "STAT!". (ok, that was very soap opera-ish but you get the idea)

Now, I'm not saying that emergency situations don't occur. Of course they do. But the problem here is that, these days, many women's only experience of birth comes from what they have seen on TV/movies. There was a time when women were present at their sister's/friend's/cousin's birth and when women talked more about the realities of birth and it wasn't such a scary thing. In fact, birth was seen as the perfectly normal, beautiful process that it is.

So next time you are talking to a pregnant woman, tell her about an awesome birth-experience that you know of, whether it be your own or someone else's. Surely we all know at least one great story??...

(hmm, stepping off soap-box now... )