One World Birth videos

[unlinkedstudent]

...The risk may be too much for some mothers to consider.

 

AIMS is a pretty good organisation and when I took part in the campaign to get Wendy Savage her job back shortly after giving birth to my own son, I got to know some of the main women involved in the organisation. AIMS do gather their information from peer papers and the like. Can't provide a link (or be bothered to look for one since I've just come back from the Blues Festival - great night down at the Ness Boating Club), but I remember reading about research has shown that you are more at risk of picking up an infection in a hospital when giving birth than you are with a home birth. I think there was a lot of research carried out by the Dutch and their medical professionals reckoned that home births, even for a first born, was okay and didn't have as many risks as many other medical experts would have us believe.

[Silvercloud]

Homebirths are not right for everyone, but for some women they are, even for some which may have some perceived risks suggested by some medical staff ,what those risks are depends on the womans own indvidual obstretic history.

 

If a woman makes an informed choice to homebirth after she has considered any risk factors (even if its her 1st baby if she decides) , she has a right to birth at home with a midwife in attendance .The midwives have to attend under their duty of care from the NMC guidelines.

It is a woman's right to have a homebirth set out by the European Court of Human Rights and under UK law.

Staffing issues are not an excuse not to attend a homebirth. No medical professional can tell you whether you are allowed or not allowed to have homebirth in the UK.

However midwives and some Trusts will use any excuse to try and not do them as I said see AIMS.

 

It's important that women know they do have choices even if they decide not to choose to exercise some of them.

[mucklejo]

I think silvercloud is doing a good job. if i knew then what i knew now, then i feel my births would have been a lot different. I have a facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/189040037834142/ which I hope helps to inform people about their choices during pregnancy and childbirth, as well as provide them with information to help make those choices and a chance to meet other people etc. The early cord clamping scenario is something that I feel very strongly about and there are several links on my page about it. As for the title of the post. The moderators do tend to change any future ones you may choose, if they think it's the same subject, even though they may be different. A lot of women go into birth without much knowledge about what is happening to them and what they can do to help them to have a better experience. Like myself

[Silvercloud]

The Birth Place Cohort Study - key findings can be found on page 2 .

 

Silvercloud

[Silvercloud]

Hi, following sucessful screenings of the Freedom to Birth around UK and the rest of the world which took place 20 th September 2012, demonstrating human rights issues in pregnancy and childbirth. Basically stating European court of Human Rights upholds a woman right and choice to birth where she wishes to birth, as well as other pregnacy and childbirth issues.

 

A new legal charity is about to launch in Autumn 2012 providing lawyers and legal advice to help women to get the birth they want whether in hospital or at home and this service will be available to all in the UK. The charity will be providing legal advice to all mothers who may require help.

 

Here is the link below

 

http://www.birthrights.org.uk

 

Silvercloud

[Silvercloud]

The above charity BirthRights is providing FREE legal help to those mothers who may require help with some of their childbirth issues.

 

Below is a link Human Rights In Childbirth.

 

http://www.humanrightsinchildbirth.com

[Silvercloud]

The Freedom to Birth film will be available on the web from November for free, it is a shortened version of the original film. If you can get to see the full length film it is very good .

 

The hope now is that every woman and mother knows her basic human rights in pregnancy and childbirth through the films. So mothers know yes they do have choices and options and they have freedom to exercise those choices should she make an informed choice to do so FREE from harassment, bullying and coercion from the medical profession.

So for example once a woman has made informed choice to have eg, VBAC, homebirth after considering any potential or suggested risks (do your research on your own indvidual obstretic history and carefully look at the % risks etc) those women must be supported in their decision should the mother decide. If any mother is having difficulties BirthRights charity will help via any legal means deemed necessary.

A woman has the Right of how she births and where she births and is her human right as set by the European court Of Human Rights.

 

Mothers are going to have to research their options some of them themselves because not all the options /choices are being presented to women in their pregnancies and or their Rights going along with whatever is being suggested or told by some medical estabishments.

Your not always told clearly your rights in antenatal appointments which where AIMS ,birthrights and various other organisations are now trying to get the message across and with help One World Birth.

[Silvercloud]

Hi ,

 

It is worth mentioning to be absolutely clear, for example, if woman decides for herself she wants a VBAC and she wants to birth here in Shetland she most definately can, after she has carefully considered any risk factors presented to herself (do reserach on your own indvidual circumstances ). Those mothers could before, but mothers are often told you want a VBAC you must go to Aberdeen.

This is not true. Scare tatics are often employed to get mothers to back down, change her mind and pressure is often kept up. The guidelines are just that a guide, not cast in stone, one size hat cannot fit all. Only mothers who are well informed in their subject, know their rights, tend to get the delivery AND place of birth they want eg VBAC, homebirth, but it does mean you have stand up for what you want, but don't battle alone seek help from AIMS. Even if you see a Consultant in Aberdeen (and that your choice too ) if you do not agree or some risk factors are questionable even a Consultant cannot force you to deliver in Aberdeen he well advise it, but again the mother needs to look very carefully at those risk factors and how much actually really applies to themselves and how much possibly is being presented to persuade the mother to change her mind about her own place of delivery.

No one can force you to go to Aberdeen, and depending how much a VBAC means to that mother, you can just state in writing to your midwife you plan to have your baby via VBAC here, you considered any risk factors, that should be end of it, ( see AIMS). Some may choose Aberdeen which is fine .Some risk factors to that particular indvidual woman may be better off delivering in Aberdeen. This is where you ask for any risk factors and you research those risks, there is a good article on these pages about VBAC The Myths Exploded as a starting point.

We don't do VBACs here, can not be used as an excuse or staff shortages etc.

If the mother has made that carefully informed choice she has the right to birth how and where she wants.

 

It's these rights that every single preganant mother needs to be aware of. The law is no different for Shetland .

[Silvercloud]

Every pregnant woman wants a good relationship with their midwife, after all they will be providing your care over the 9 months. Nobody likes to get off side with their midwife. However when you ask certain questions or challenge certain ideas or options/choices being discussed it can be difficult for some mothers to go against their midwife, leaving mothers to feel arkward or feel they must follow what their midwives have told them which can leave a strained or frosty relationship sometimes.

A mother must be able to do what she feesl is right when comes to her informed decision making even if sometimes that goes against medical advice, without the mother feeling pressured or made to feel arkward.

Anything that a midwife states eg. you cannot do, follow or have this, must be written down in the mother's notes, otherwise it can be denied later. The attitude sometimes is "if it's not written down it wasn't said", especially if you need to discuss your care at later point,.

Also if your told their is going be eg. staff shortages or you cannot have specific option it needs to be written so that everybody is absolutely clear. Sometimes things are said or suggested to mothers that some health professionals would not be prepared to put in writing.

It can be difficult for mothers to say can please put what you said in writing but mothers need to to be able to this to get the birth experience/option /choice. It can be difficult to raise questions, challenge guidelines, and manangement know this, within close knit community, hoping therefore mothers do not challenege the guidelines and options.

Mothers should not feel arward asking to have any that is said to be written in the notes and still have a good relationship with their midwives.

AIMS would also clearly advise any mother to have any phrases or comments refusing options/choices also to be put in writing if they not prepared to write down it leaves suspicion that they probably should not have said it in the first place eg your not allowed homebirth,vbac we have staffing issues too many staff on holiday .

[Silvercloud]

Hi,

 

One of the topics discussed on One World Birth amongst birth experts was the importance of delivering in the right enviroment that would most enhance labour.

This is deemed as extremely important because if you get the enviroment right, a mother in labour is going feel more relaxed, calmer, think more positive and can require less pain relief, which also equals less stress and labour is less likely to stall, keeping the oxytocin levels high with less interruption to the delicate orchestra of the hormones.

We know for a fact mothers that labour at home usually require less pain relief, mothers are much calmer and less stressed due to the fact they are very comfortable and relaxed in their own home enviroment.

 

Now for women who do not want to homebirth, an enviroment as close as possible to some home comforts goes a long way, almost as good as, can be achieved with some careful conciderations to the delivery rooms.

 

Many units, especially low risk units /wards have already taken the research on board and many have updated their suites. Many have moved away from the stark white or cream walls, a standard delievery hopsital bed or birth pool stuck in the middle of a room, with little room to move freely around. Many now have the bed pushed to one side, used soothing decor rather than stark walls and introduced mood lighting. They have created and given thought to space to allow a woman to be able move away from the hopsital bed if she desires to use floor mats, beanbags, a rocking chair and furniture so they can move from position to position as they please. They can get in and out of the pool depending how they feel and take up position on the floor mats, ball etc. at will.

 

It's important to think carefully about the enviroment your about to birth in beforehand. Travelling to hospital whislst in labour, whether early or established, for some women is highly stressful, not knowing also the midwife whose about to deliver your baby or only met her couple of times, adds to this and we know from good evidenced based research that any interruption can affect oxytocin levels. Stress also affects this hormone. The labouring body can shut down or delay labour or indeed stall labour not necessaily for long, it just depends. So the more we do reduce the likelihood of this happening the better on the labouring body.

Animals in the wild, and some domestic, will naturally choose a secure, safe enviroment, usually darkened, in which to birth. They seek a quiet sanctuary. Many labouring women left to their own devices will often seek/adopt similar or want this kind of enviroment. It's a built in primal instinct when woman is left unhindered .

 

White stark clinical rooms with little colour and no floor mats, room to freely move around, no large beanbags to lean or support on, no use of for example a rocking chair or hanging rail is now seen as out of date and more in line of a vets surgery with a delivery bed acting as vet's table and a birth pool replacing the hydro pool for a dog. Lighting is also a very important factor. We know from research and evidence that dim lighting helps increase oxytocin levels.

Rooms that look clinical and cold with little colour, other than having a bed or a birth pool and couple of pictures does very little to promote a feeling calm, secure sanctury to encourage and stimulate the hormones required for good labour.

 

The enviroment does not need to cost huge amount to Trusts to provide some simple home conforts and subtle decor. Some things obviously you can bring in yourself to help at the time of labour eg. massage oils, music, sponges and drinks etc.

Now for delivery rooms to have labour mats on the floor, large washable beanbags (probably at least a couple of these), a rocking chair and some kind of hanging rail (some units use suspended rope) for a woman to pull on will not necessaily break the bank and neither does the thought to some soft colour on the walls .

Here are a couple of links below to show what is possible, and of which many units now have as standard in their delivery rooms .

One NHS hospital has now even designed a pool room for " high risk " women so that they can also benefit from such an enviroment.

 

So really give some thought to your enviroment because it's so often overlooked and it's surprising what a difference it can make to yourself by being prepared. Obviously it's easy to achieve at home, maybe more difficult in a more clinical setting of some older outdated delivery rooms. The best thing to do here try bring things from home to help, and ask for birthing mats, different height birth balls, beanbags and plenty of pillows. These are just some basic aids to help labouring women and should at the very least be always available/offered if required.

 

http://www.jentlechildbirth.org.uk/?portfolios=pool-room

 

http://www.practisingmidwife.co.uk/files/newburn.pdf

 

Silvercloud

[Silvercloud]

Here is a fine example of what can be achieved with a little thought, many of the items such as mats, balls, comfy chairs, rope, birthing stool etc can easily be put into any delivery room and should be provided if requested and would be considered a minimum along with some soft decor.

Obviously when planning such rooms these should have been given careful consideration to aids for the labouring mother. Many delivery rooms have adapted their rooms more in line with the current research even where space is more limited. Mothers will need to ask what equipment is available for their use, so they can consider their enviroment and make decisions on where and how to birth, possibly bringing in items from home to create a more homely feel or indeed consider homebirth if right for them and hospital enviroment is not right. Perhaps consider asking to see the delivery suite before going into labour, which many units offer, so women can decide what to bring or make some important decisions on where to birth, that feels right for them.

 

Here is the link

 

http://www.westmidmaternity.org.uk/wm3_c03b.php

[Silvercloud]

Hi,

 

Many women are being lied to, manipulated and bullied about their birth options and choices.

Never more so for those women/mothers who choose the option to birth at home. Many health professionals do not always understand fully the principles of informed consent which is concerning.

 

When a mother has chosen a certain option/choice she must be supported in her choice even if its against medical advice after being given any perceived risk (s).

 

If a mother is not supported in that choice for homebirth the midwives are in breech of their NMC code of conduct (see link below). KCND (Scottish guidelines) also states women must be supported in their choice with an indvidual plan for that woman put in place.

 

The ruling from the court of European Human Rights stating that a woman has a right to choose where and how she births (Ternovszky V Hungary ), this would suggest that covering of homebirth is not acceptable using emergency service only (often said to scare monger women out of choosing a homebirth and usually they get their planned homebirth with more than just an emergency service put in place ), and should be achieved using a homebirth service using local midwives.

 

Pleas note when a mother calls in labour and is at home and if that mother decides for whatever reason to remain at home a qualified midwife MUST attend the home address they cannot use the excuse of sending an ambulance to the home if they do, you have right to refuse that service and insist on a midwife to attend you whether in emergency or planned sometimes they will say they cannot send a midwife because of staffing issues .

 

In this situation you remain stong, state that you wish for a midwife to attend you and your in labour, then hand the phone to your partner/friend relative. Do not be bullied or get into conversation that you have to go to hospital SEE AIMS what to do in this situation.

They can send an ambulance as well if they like so long as a midwife also attends when mother requests .If when you call in labour requesting a midwife they fail to do that the midwife you speak to is breaking her code of conduct.

Birthrights was established by a human rights lawyyer here in UK to start to address these problems and other pregnancy childbirth issues.

Experts now agree its time for serious discussion of our maternity system, birthing options and how its being delivered.

 

There is a very good book well worth a read about homebirthing for those interested and is quite an eyeopener to some, as to how some mothers are bullied ,lied to etc by midwives.

 

Homebirth - The Politics Of Difficult Choices by Mary Nolan.

 

Below is a link of the NMC regarding Homebirths, for those mothers interested in this option its a useful link to which you can refer back to and make sure if you make informed choice to birth at home the NMC code is followed by your midwives, if it is not or your in doubt that it is being followed contact either AIMS or Birthrights who will be on hand to advise you further.

 

http://www.nmc-uk.org/Documents/CouncilPapersAndDocuments/Committees/MC/14July2010/M_10_15_Annexe2SupportingWomenInTheirChoiceOfHomeBirth.pdf

[Silvercloud]

The above book The Politics Of Difficult Choices - mentions how women are lied and bullied by midwives and the maternity system not just when booking a homebirth, but also when women make other informed choices about their care too, so its a very good read for all mothers . You can see large extracts from the book online by typng the title of the book for anyone who maybe interested.

[Silvercloud]

It's been mentioned that women are not always given all their options and sometimes persuaded, put loosely, to agree to managements choices.

It can be very cleverly done and subtle and some women may want to know how this achieved for there own information.

 

AIMS for example have known for a long time how these tatics can be applied to some women in pregnancy and childbirth there has also been articles and books written on the subject eg. like the book I mentioned in the above post and in orther articles. Just search AIMS site for a starting point.

 

It is often suggested by health professionals they don't do this, we just want to ensure a woman fully understands all risk(s) etc. However to be clear there is a big difference to telling someone of any risks and harassment, pressure and scaremongering that is sometimes applied to women who question risks /guidelines and then after careful research to make informed choice that might not agree with that of the health professional/ guideline or head of midwifery, unit /hospital.

 

If the risk is genuine there is no need for such underhand tatics. When any risk is put sensibly with evidenced based information that is up to date and a balanced approach given, a woman is more likely to go away do some of her own research ,think about what has been said and will get back to health professional of any informed choice she has chosen.

 

A woman does not need to sign any risk assesments if she chooses not to there is nothing in law that say a woman must sign. Read them, sign if you like, but you* don't have to* especially if you are unsure of any particular risk.

 

Some of the tatics that are often employed are subtle and very persuasive and can make it appear that some pregant women do not fully understand risks, rather than demonstrate exactly with up to date evidence based research ,studies etc that they are at risk. They just use their guidelines

and pep talk and some women just follow whatever is being suggested which fine if your happy with that.

For those women that want to be more informed or who are more informed greater pressure is often applied to persuade women to follow the guidelines, option, choice that the maternity mangement would prefer.

 

Sometimes risk factors can be over exaggerated to try and demonstrate a point to keep you within their guidelines.

If you have genuine risk(s), after doing your own careful up to date research, and various organisations will help you research eg. AIMS, Royal College Gynaecologist and Obstreticians , NICE guidelines, NMC, NCT. Research using eg. the Cochrane library where you can, which is considered the gold standard for research, there are others like medline etc. The chances are the risk will also be evident to yourself after doing your own findings. So you can make informed choice.

 

Sometimes there is a big difference between the risk factor(s) that the suggested guidelines say eg Keeping Childbirth Natural and Dynamic (KCND guidelines for Scotland) say you have, that are generally applied, and then same risk when its applied to your own uniques personal obstretic history.

Where there is a conflict it,s important to do your research. It's in this particular area where women will often be most pressured/ persuaded, possibly harassed, bullied, lied to even, so that you conform with their guidelines. Pregnant women when tired or stressed, placed under pressure, are there greatest vulnerbility and it's easy just to give in after all they always know best, they are the health professional.

Scare mongering tatics can be applied with phrases like:

"we don't want dead baby do we ?"

"Have you ever seen post partum haemorrage because I have ."

These kind of phrases said to a mother leave her to think she in the wrong and placing utimate power to the health professional who would never dream of writing this conversation/phrases in the mother's notes. The old adage sometime is "if it wasn't written down, it was never said" -so easily denied later and the closing of ranks will happen - it leads it open to abuse and proving it is extremely difficuly unless recorded). So be aware of such pressure techiques/ phrases.

When researching risk factors it maybe necessary to read medical notes, for example you may be told "oh it says in your notes you had this problem, that problem in your last pregnancy and that why you can't have this option/choice etc" . Simple answer here is you need to see for yourself where it says so. Do not just rely on a health professional to say it does.

You can see your medical notes even if their stored at another hoispital for a fee, if they are stored locally you have right to see your medical information and you can make appointment.

It has not been unknown shall we say, for some health professional to bend the truth a little and its surprising what some women have actually found when they read their medical notes then some discover that not what they were told.

 

You might find when researching a particular risk factor presented to yourself under the guidelines, the risk % wise is actaully a lot lower when you take in your personal obstretic history -.If your not sure about undertsanding the data, stats etc. in research, organisation like AIMS will help you.

 

To be fully informed you need information from various sources so you can make balanced choice, free from pressure, harassment etc. Women don't need scaremongering tactics to demonstrate their guidelines. To do this could be deemed as harassment and bullying .What is needed is balanced information and where necessary be pointed in right direction and/ or shown the up date evidence of risks pereceived by some to make their informed choice.

Antenatal appointments can be busy and not a lot of time to be had sometimes and it's easy for tired, perhaps heavily pregnant mothers just to give in to whatever is being suggested which why they are so easily pressured .

If you feel it necessary take someone along with you, it is much harder to pressure someone with someone else in the room who will support you.

Take your time over decisions and choices and always remember for somethings you can change your mind perhaps later.

Tell your professional YOU will get back to them with YOUR informed choice over any options /decisions. Don't feel pressured to make a decision there and then if your unsure, try and seek further advice outwith the maternity department from various pregnancy and childbirth organisations if necessary.

 

Midwives have duty of care to the mother and should always respect her choices and give that support, but because she also has a contractual duty to her employer midwives can be placed in difficult positions. Where a conflict of interest arises the midwife must seek advice from her supervisor but you the mother should not take on that stress and be pressured to make choices to feel less arkward or appear less irritating to staff.

AIMS contiues to receive calls from women and it's only when women become more aware /informed about what can happen either to themselves or to other women that it is going make management look at how they deliver choices and options to the women in their care.

 

Here is a link below

A Universal Fear, look part way down, about the UK.

http://www.rcm.org.uk/midwives/features/home-birth-a-universal-fear/

[Silvercloud]

Women are now fighting back against bullying and unnecessary medical interventions, One World Birth has made a significant impact into raising awareness to mothers.

We know that bullying and harassment from some midwives, doctors, consultants and management staff can happen in very small maternity units just as much as some of the larger hospital units, we also know it can happen during antenatal visits/appointments, labour and postpartum.

Below is a link quoting AIMS, Birthrights and One World Birth of the information that is giving women more confidence to stand up against bullying and harassment about choices they make, I am also going add some more links demonstrating how and where the bullying/harassment is happening and some advice from some of the links what to look out for so mothers are aware and the organisations like BIRTHRIGHTS can now help these women in the UK.

No pregnant woman should put up with unnecessary comments or made to feel arkward or appear irritating when questioning their options even if they choose to go against medical advice or prefer a different option/choice or asking for the latest up to date evidence research. Its surprising how much of the latest up to date research is not available to mothers because either some of the midwives are not aware or kept upto date themselves, or don't know and have to go and find out themselves what the latest research is or managments would rather women didn't know so women comply to what they would prefer.

The link below is long but very good read for evry pregnant mother a few more links will also be added.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/dec/16/mothers-fighting-against-birth-intervention