Cynthia writes:
<<My chapter, "The impact of traumatic childbirth on health through the
undermining of breastfeeding," in the edited book, "Integrating Trauma Practice
into Primary Care," is in press. In the course of researching the topic, I
asked women to share their experiences with me so that I could include their
voices in the chapter in the hope of making all the statistics I was citing
develop a human face: that of a mother who experienced birth as traumatic. I have
received pages and pages of grief-, horror-, and anger-filled descriptions
from women.>>
Cynthia and others, on the way home from a wedding yesterday, I was reading
my latest copy of JOGNN (July/August, 2006). There is an article entitled
"Nurse-Physician Communication During Labor and Birth: Implications for
Patient Safety." Cynthia, if you haven't read it, please do so. The objective of
the study they did was to "describe communication between nurses and
physicians during labor within the context of the nurse-managed labor model in
community hospitals and its relationship to teamwork and patient safety."
Participants were 54 labor nurses and 38 obstetricians.
Primary focus was on how the nurses used pitocin and how the physicians
wanted it used and communications thereabout.....plus how they communicated with
one another.
Here's one example: "He said, 'Get her delivred. I've got a meeting at 5
pm and she's going to have a section at 4 pm or she better be on the
perineum....your choice."
Another one said, "When I hear I've got a nurse who will go up on the pit, I
know it's going to be a good day."
Another statement: "...most physicians were concerned with increasing the
oxytocin rate to "'keep labor on track' and 'get her delivered.' They
repeatedly used 'aggressive' to describe their preferred method of nurse
administration of oxytocin."
I read this article which has upset me no end, and I read what you have
written, Cynthia, and I basically wonder how any woman ends up with a good birth
experience, and how anyone is successful at breastfeeding. Perhaps a "good"
birth experience isn't something anyone wants any more -- perhaps, as this
article pointed out, we are interested ONLY in a healthy mom and healthy baby
-- and I agree, that is an appropriate goal -- but can't we have an enjoyable
experience along with it? Can't it be a GOOD birth experience with a healthy
mother and healthy baby?
When I started as a lactation consultant over 21 years ago after being in
every aspect of MCH except NICU, I really didn't think I'd be needed for long.
When I read articles like this, I know I won't be able to retire any time
soon.
It is a good thing that breastfeeding is a healing process for the mother as
well.
Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC
Wheaton IL
_Lactation Education Consultants_
(http://www.lactationeducationconsultants.com/)
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