"As Long as the Baby is Healthy" Part 1

We all want a healthy baby, there's no question of that, but Sally believes there are underlying beliefs to the common phrase "As long as the baby is healthy" that deserve closer examination. Are we giving up elements of birth that are more important than we realise when we say this?

Sally has identified 6 underlying beliefs to the statement "As long as the baby is healthy", but there are bound to be more. These are:

1. “I am not qualified. Someone else needs to manage my birth.”
2. “My rights and my health and safety are subordinate to my baby’s. I must comply with my carer’s treatment.”
3. “The hospital/my maternity carer wants the same outcome as me.”
4. “Birth is dangerous and needs to be managed medically. Positive births are due to luck.”
5. “Labour and birth are simply painful, pointless torture. My partner has only a limited ability to support the process.”
6. “My experience is irrelevant and women who seek a positive experience are selfish and exposing the baby to risk.”

CLARIFICATION: At 1'16" insert "normal risk" to read "Over 90% of 'normal risk' Australian women go into labour with no pre-existing conditions"

In Part 1 of this 2 part series, Sally covers underlying beliefs 1-3, which focus on women's rights in childbirth and informed consent.

In Part 2 Sally covers beliefs 4-6, which relate to the physical aspects of the birth process: http://www.spreaker.com/user/pregnancybirthandbeyond/as-long-as-the-baby-is-healthy-part-2

Speakers:
Bashi Hazard, Human Rights Lawyer, www.humanrightsinchildbirth.org
Bec Jenkinson, Univ. Queensland PhD candidate and maternity services consumer advocate

References:
* https://ama.com.au/position-statement/maternal-decision-making-2013
* Intervention rates: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129547757
* Australia's Mothers and Babies Report 2014: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129557657
* Rebecca Schiller, “Why Human Rights in Childbirth Matter”, Pinter and Martin, 2016 (https://www.capersbookstore.com.au/product/whyhumanrightsinchildbirthmatter/)
* https://theconversation.com/episiotomy-during-childbirth-not-just-a-little-snip-36062
* Ann Catchlove "Yes I can, No I won't", Birth Matters 14/2 Autumn 2010
* "Rates of obstetric intervention... among low risk women in public and private hospitals" http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/4/5/e004551
* http://www.panda.org.au/news/412-research-reveals-the-alarming-economic-cost-of-postnatal-depression-
* "Birth control: to what extent do women report being informed and involved in decisions about pregnancy and birth procedures? "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3923734/

Further reading of interest:
* Kruske, S, Young, K, Jenkinson, B, Catchlove, A "Maternity care providers' perceptions of women's autonomy and the law" BMC, Pregnancy and Childbirth 2013, 13:84
* www.birthbythenumbers.org

Information and Support Services:
* PANDA National Helpline
Mon to Fri, 10am - 5pm AEST
1300 726 306
* www.maternitychoices.org.au
* Safe Motherhood for All
* www.humanrightsinchildbirth.org
* www.birthrights.org.uk
* www.panda.org.au

Credits: Interviews with Bashi Hazard and Bec Jenkinson (part) recorded at International Normal Labour and Birth Conference, Sydney, 2016. Thank you to Prof. Hannah Dahlen for this opportunity.

Produced and Presented by Sally Cusack
Copyright PBB Media and Sally Cusack 2017
www,pbbmedia.org