The introduction for the SBS documentary says this:
"Every minute of every day a baby is born in Britain. One Born Every Minute is an eight-part series that celebrates what it really feels like to become a parent, by taking a bustling maternity hospital and filling it with 40 cameras.Filming from the reception desk and neo-natal ward to the operating theatre and birthing pool, this groundbreaking new series observes the dramatic, emotional and often funny moments that go hand in hand with bringing a new being into the world, from the perspective of the soon-to-be parents and family, as well as the hospital staff".
I was very bothered by this documentary. I was bothered because the lead photo (shown below) showed a baby on a resuscitation trolley, having oxygen via a respirator.
The implication and subliminal message of this photo is that birth is dangerous for babies.
That implication is wildly untrue and is a mean, cruel and dangerous association to put into the minds of people. That association undermines women's sense of self and sense of safety around birthing their babies. I know sensationalism is what brings 'ratings' but good grief, preying on people's insecurities is despicable.
I was bothered because the assumption was and is, that the sort of maternity care that was shown in this documentary is 'normal'.
Yes, this maternity 'care' is normal if you think that women in labour should:
- be apologetic
- be treated like a nuisance
- be told how busy everyone is
- be surrounded by noise: telephones, pagers, beeping machines, talking
- be confined to the bed
- be strapped to monitors
- be left with only their partners and other support people
- have intermittent surveillance
- be attended by a technician that gives pain modifiers as requested
- be spoken to rudely
- be threatened
- be positioned in a way that ensures fetal distress
- have their babies handled roughly
- be separated from their babies
That view of normal maternity 'care' is what is at the back of the current wave of anxiety and mental health disorders in our population. How can I claim that? Our culture has been interrupting, disturbing and derailing mother-baby bonding and attachment processes for many decades now. Evidence is accumulating that early experiences shape personality, health and wellbeing. Early emotional experiences have the most profound impact. There is nothing as emotional as birth. The corruption of the most primal and important experience in life, as evidenced in this documentary is startling in the way that such cruelty is accepted without any comment.
I have a very different view of maternity care and what is 'normal' during labour and birth.
In my world, a woman in labour is:
- continuously supported by a midwife she knows and trusts
- in an environment conducive to optimal physiological functioning - quiet, dimmed lighting, warm, private
- free to move, be mobile and adopt positions that feel right
- spoken to encouragingly
- free to focus on themselves and their babies
- supported by her partner and family as desired
- free to drink and eat as desired
- continuously monitored only if there is an indication to do so
- treated kindly and with respect
- able to expect her baby will be handled gently
- able to have the benefits of skin to skin with their babies at birth
What's your view of 'normal' maternity care?
10 comments:
Hi Carolyn
I watched the episode last night and also found it disturbing. It seemed that no one was listening to the mums distress or anxieties. I am facilitating antenatal classes at the moment and while watching the program was praying that no one was watching it from my class otherwise they will turn up next week with lots of fears and anxieties.
Hi Julie, thanks for your comment. The program is disturbing isn't it, for the reasons you say and because it shows the worst of what midwifery can be, sadly.
Perhaps though, the program could be a good discussion point? Many of the couples may well have seen it and so talking about the problems - asking the couples their views on what was depicted, could flush out a lot of unhelpful preconceptions etc. That discussion would five you an opportunity to present and explore ideas and strategies that are optimal. What do you think?
Hi Carolyn
Yes you are right. It's a great group and already we have had some interesting discussions.
Julie
The fact that you are having good conversations shows that you possess wonderful faciltation skills Julie! Well done. They are fortunate to have you. Not everyone is able to leave the well tramelled path for discussion unknown. Yet, that unknown is usually where the learning is greatest and no one has to be the expert.
I have noticed many times in hospital and particularly in NICU, that mothers are very grateful if staff are "nice". They often use words such as, "They let me..." I find that quite disturbing. I've replied to women that "nice" should be a minimum expectation from any staff member whilst they are in hospital. Sad that women are grateful for crumbs at a time when they are most vulnerable.
Mary, that is a really important observation you have made. Do you have any solutions? What can we as educators and midwives do to turn that around?
While I agree that a mother should be able to expect a pleasant experience from the staff in maternity ward, the truth of the matter is that in our society, people are very judgmental -particularly when it comes to their personal views on child birth and caring for baby. These types of people wait until you are completely vulnerable- emotionally, physically and hormonally - and guilt you into doing things their way. When we can have all midwives giving the same information during the labouring, and especially after when learning how to breastfeed and settle your baby, the experience will be so much less stressful. Having said that, there are many wonderful, supportive caring and lovely midwives who do a FANTASTIC job!
You have raised some very important points Trina. Consistency of information is crucial, as you say. I'm delighted to hear that you have met some wonderful midwives. Sharing your experience, as you are, is great to help women feel safe and encouraged, ready for their maternity care journey
Carolyn, I could have written this blog. I agree with everything you have said and it is for that reason that I do not watch this programme.
This is not midwifery, this not maternity 'care', this is just awful.
Obem is in an ideal position to change our cultures' attitudes and beliefs that birth is laying flat on your back and screaming.
Where is the empowerment, the sensitivity, the beauty of birth?
I know that when I qualify I will be a sensitive, compassionate midwife.
The culture needs to change!
I'm so glad there are student midwives like you lmr1985 who are observant and passionate about providing the sort of environment that helps a woman feel safe and supported with kindness and appropriate attentiveness. The way that women and birth are portrayed in shows like OBEM is very undermining. The way the partners are portrayed is also very destructive and belittling. From the reports, Call the Midwife seems to be a little better, certainly the book was good, so it will be interesting to see what it's like. The fascination with birth series is interesting - do you think it could be a way of the population trying to get over how they were treated in hospital - either through being born or giving birth themselves?? ... the preoccupation is certainly interesting from a psychodynamic view point.
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