just an little "unnecessary intervention" vent

[Tegam]

My third birth, completely spontaneous, attended only by a midwife, no interventions at all - and no PPH. I know what birth I want this time around.

I know what kind of birth id want!

[BekZ]

In recent months I know of 3 ladies using the same very exclusive private hospital and ob. I made an observation ...All 3 were told that their bubs may be bigger, all 3 were induced at around 39wks, all inductions happened on a Sunday evening for a Monday delivery. This made we wonder if the Ob has golf or some thing on the other days of the week and likes to scedule his births.

BTW all bubs were under 3.8kgs!!!!

[sunshine_sieben]

BekZ, I think you are not giving this OB enough credit. 3.8kg is a huuuuge baby that is quite obviously way too big to deliver naturally at full term (or whenever things happen without intervention)!!!
Sorry, I hope everyone realises that that comment was tongue in cheek.
A friend of mine had a baby girl at almost 3.9kg. Which if you ask me is a nice size (she and her husband are tall people). She had her naturally at the BC. When she went back to her original OB (she had seen him before being accepted into the BC), and he heard that her bubba was this big, he said: Oh, are you sure you didn't have Gestational Diabetes? Because a baby this large is not normal. What the???

Sasa

[Trillian]

You've got to be joking? He would think I was a medical freak then, my smallest baby was that big! I hope she rolled her eyes and didn't listen to that!

[Melbournemumma]

I have to say I think I've been really blessed with my Ob as well. He is very anti intervention as well. Even given that my bub is in the 75 - 90% size wise he keeps telling me I'll be fine and he won't be inducing me unless he has to. He would much rather I go over and go into labour naturally. Even when my BP rose the other day he was like, "we might put you on blood pressure medication if it continues to stay up and then if that's not doing anything we may induce you!" and I was 39w1d at the time. So it's not like I've still got weeks to go. I'm glad that he's been so supportive and encouraging. It can be a rare thing in an Ob

[berrme]

I am all for birth centres! Unfortunately, despite my VBAC being a breeze, I don't think one would take me. As it turned out, my ob was really only in the room with me for about 5 minutes during labour and then to stitch me up after. I completely agree that IS how it should be until there is a problem.

I am still stumped as to why a baby's weight is such an issue. Obviously people should stop thinking about it so much, but if we are going to freak out about anything surely it should be head circumference, not weight. The chub round the middle isn't the bit that is hard to get out. Personally I think we need to stop scans late in pregnancy simply to estimate weight. I didn't have any scans after 20 weeks so wouldn't have had a clue about bub's size except for fundus height. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

[Roryrory]

Wow, 3.9kg is big huh? That is crazy! Both my boys were 3.9kg and I had no problems (not that the same goes for everyone, but I hear that size isn't always the issue). But it goes back to my point - not every woman should be lumped into the same risk category.

[Midwifemum]

I am a hospital based midwife who has seen it all. The birth disasters caused by hospital/midwife/Dr incompetence. I have participated in lots of beautiful, empowering hospital births.I have looked after woman brought in after home birth disasters. I have cared for women who have had terrible medicalized (hamburger with the lot) births who have been very happy, some very unhappy. I have cared for women who have had very straight forward normal births who have been very traumatized by the whole thing.
Everyone makes choices about birth that are right for them given the information they are given.
I believe in making informed choices. The information may come from many varied sources.
I am a childbirth educator keen to help women prepare for birth. The biggest factor I see that undoes the best laid out birth plans is an inability to cope with labour pain and the choices surrounding pain relief.
Unfortunately some of the women entering hospital to give birth are like lambs to the slaughter.
I am offering workshop based, small group, childbirth education to anyone interested in preparing for birth. I can't promise a perfect, normal, intervention free birth, but I can help women avoid some of the pitfalls associated with hospital based births. My email is francesj@dcsi.net.au if anyone is interested. The classes are held in Warragul.