Questions and answers

A fellow doula, and a wonderful one at that, asked me an incredibly thought provoking question this morning. It really made me think in what I truly believe in, and what I would justly fight for.

Curious question - how would you feel about a movement in to stop elective caesars (basically by law) - as in for no apparent true medical condition?

Would love to hear your gut reaction and your thought about it reaction.

My instincive response to your question - knowing the risks and so forth of elective c-sections is to say good and it's about time.

THOUGH my experience tells me differently and I feel that I believe more in informed choice rather than pushed choice. I feel that hospitals, healthcare professionals, and medical aids should rather spend their time educating mothers as to the risks of c-sections and the pro's of completely natural birth (none of this epidural stuff) than spending time trying to outlaw elective caesars.

I feel that if ALL mom's are completely educated about birth (and I mean COMPLETELY) then they would intuitively choose natural home based birth. There is so much stigmatism, mystery and mostly FEAR around birth - that if we took that away with education and revelation, then mothers would want to use their primal need to birth naturally.

So if we take away the choice of elective c-section, then I feel mothers would fight for it more - because they want the CHOICE. But education is the key for me!

Primal Mothering in a Modern World by Hygeia Halfmoon

While I comfort my current emotional standing with smoors and a cup of tea, I am thinking about credit due to the above book.

Hygeia addresses the issues of natural pregnancy, our emotional addiction to cooked foods and therefore the solution – fruitanariasm, unassisted childbirth, emotional addiction to destructive relationships, breastfeeding, home-schooling and such. All in all, the whole book is probably the most controversial I have ever read. I am not one to scare away from controversy but somehow this book made me wonder how one can argue by only giving one side of the story.

True, there are many parts of this book that I adore but more often than not, if there is a writer that I adore – I would match my viewpoints to their own. Though in this instance I am somewhat disillusioned in some of the arguments presented not because they are wrong – but they were not correctly debated.

Such as unassisted childbirth, though this would be my ideal birthing situation, unfortunately though it is not a reality. I thought homebirth wasn’t a reality until very recently, though I have thought long and hard about unassisted childbirth, and I believe in the village – I believe in women helping other women to birth. Therefore I believe in my midwife, doula and husband being available to me whilst I am in labour. Truthfully I shall ensure that I am the one to “deliver” my child but should my precious miracle need a little oxygen, I’m not against the midwife working some of her well trained magic.

I love the idea of primal mothering and I will use it in every circumstance that I can – I believe women should have more faith in their bodies and instincts and not rely so much on the medical institution. We are born to be mothers, and everything we need to care for our children is inside of us. Our own mothers need to help us to believe this, as well as our husbands – and most importantly you. Like I say, go against the flow.