In a message dated 9/19/98 12:24:48 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< Dear Roni,
 I guess it would be a good thing to post on Lactnet the letter you are
 sending to Oprah Winfrey. I am from Canada and we have not only this
 show but some others that are similar. I do agree with you that this
 type of show has power.... >>

Louise and all interested,
Here is the letter I have been sending to Oprah. As I mentioned before, I have
been sending this to her since last October, via snail mail, email and posting
it on her boards often. I have given the letter out at conferences, meetings,
etc. I have sent copies of it to MCN, Childbirth Educator, ILCA, Lamaze
International, ICEA, requesting they distribute it to their membership to
mail.  I have been very disappointed in the professional organizations for not
responding to me, nor taking any action on their part. In all I would imagine
about 100 to 300 letters have been sent over the last year.
I do believe it will have an effect if enough letters are sent. Please feel
free to copy it and mail, or to change it. I have  the response going to
Lamaze International for contact, but feel free to change this also.
Thank you to all who have sent out letters, and to all who will in the future.
Roni M. Chastain, RN, LCCE, FACCE


Oprah Winfrey/Harpo Productions
PO Box 909715
Chicago, Il 60607

Dear Oprah,

You are such a powerful voice to our nation, I am requesting that you present
a show on Birth is Normal. By the power of agreement women were made to
believe that birth is painful and drugs are necessary.  Human beings are the
only species that believe in this distinction, every other mammal in our
universe just goes into labor and delivers  their baby. They weren't told that
birth is painful. Women make noise in labor and may even scream, this was
interpreted as pain. I'm suggesting this was an inaccurate interpretation,
that women scream, and birth is power and intense hard work, hence the word
labor.

To empower women to labor and birth their babies, unmedicated, empowers them
to have a huge bond with those babies. Think of it in terms of a marathon
runner, they prepare for the race, run 26 miles, experience the fatigue,  pain
in their legs and feet from running, but reach the finish line with an
overwhelming sense of accomplishment. If someone on the starting line said,
"Listen, I can give you drugs to put you to sleep and you can wake up on the
finish line." Do you think that person would have the same sense of
accomplishment about finishing the race?

 If we empowered women to labor and birth their babies, their attachment to
those babies might be so much greater. Animal mothers are so protective of
their babies, they would die to protect those young. Human beings don't always
have that same sense of attachment to their young.

I think it's time to empower women to believe in their bodies, to fully
support them in this process with encouragement and provide the skills to
birth their babies and to nourish their young. Every other species of mammal
has that right, let's give it back to women.

Thanks for your time. Contact Lamaze Inernational at (800) 368-4404, for
further information.

Sincerely yours,