Dear all,  I couldn't help responding to this one...and it is,
intrinsically, breastfeeding related. :-)

>        I can't agree more with the post calling new mothers to advocate for
>themselves to avoid negative hospital-based delivery experiences.  It is
>important for a new mother to find out what all her childbirth options are,
>decide what style she prefers, then find a health care provider who supports
>her decission.

It would be wonderful if all women were able to do this. From what I see
there is a lack of 'consciousness' for a lot of women about life itself, let
alone childbearing and all the considerations that are involved in that
momentous process.  Some are too busy struggling just to survive to think
about anything else much. I also sadly recognise that we women are,
generally, brought up (even still) to accept and not question what those in
'authority' do/say/suggest. I know that positive change to
environment/protocols/practice comes from consumer driven demand,  that
health (so called) care facilities respond reactively rather than
proactively (as do governments) and that the hip pocket nerve provides the
impetus to be reactive.

Sure encourage women to be their own advocates, this needs to start in
infancy (comes back to the parent's sense of autonomy....talking to school
children can help with this), but we also have to facilitate an environment
which supports people to do so.  And all of us health care people have to
minutely examine our own practice and see if we work to validate another's
own sense of self and own power or do we somehow encourage dependency?  We
also have a profound duty to foster a respectful and comprehensively
validating health care system, by working in ways that challenge
debilitating and confidence eroding practices. Those in power have to
recognise the gross imbalance and actively, consciously and conscientiously
work to truly share it.  I have issues with the word empower...it implies
the knowledge and assumption of the power imbalance (right to rule) and the
fact that the powerless are the ones that have to change that...... a tall
order.  We (human beings) also have to *know* that knowledge is power, we
(health care professionals) are the keepers of the knowledge (and therefore
power) and we have to ensure that knowledge is shared and freely available
and in a form(s) that can be readily understood. Ignorance is not bliss, it
is the source of much that is evil. So, educate the health care
professionals, talk to everyone about autonomy, respect, our duty of care
"to first do no harm", organise meetings that get people talking about
practice issues, get friends to write to their local health care
organisations, start women's groups that focus on childbearing
practices...we need to be the advocates of the advocates, minus the
arrogance that often goes with 'knowing' we are right. (if possible...maybe
another tall order!)  Our vision needs to be the development of a sensitive,
proactive and responsive, respectful and validating, evidence based health
care system (that is, of course, cost effective) that truly helps people
stay healthy, avoid illness and provide health oriented services and
practices that assist with healing or making the most out of life when a
person is disabled or has a chronic disease process, and when a person is dying.

A bit wordy, sorry, get a bit carried away with this stuff.... off my
soapbox   :-)

warm regards, Carolyn