My hero, Linda Smith, wrote

<<Birth drugs and practices DO affect the baby. However, often the mother
(1)
didn't know, (2) needed the intervention anyway, or (3) the baby has a
problem despite every thing "going right." The research is only now
surfacing that will tease out the specific risks of drugs and procedures,
the specific nature of the consequences, and specific strategies to minimize
the impact of any compromises to the mother and baby on long-term
outcomes.>>

And sometimes, it's the most simple intervention that causes the most
problems - mother-baby separation.

We are being taught (in nursing school) to get all sorts of procedures done,
in the first hour. It's frustrating, because there is a long list of things
to "get done" and it all interferes with the mother-baby dyad. As a doula
and LLL Leader, I know separating the baby and mother is the worst thing to
do, but as a student nurse, I am pressured to get this list done.

But, looking at the 85% induction rate, 95% epidural rate, 40% cesarean
rate, the roughness of wrenching the baby out by the head, the mother-baby
separation doesn't really seem all that much of an issue. Despite "all good
intentions" we're looking at a recovery from a difficult birth, however that
birth came about.

Best wishes,
Heather "Sam" Doak

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