Understand

How do you get people to understand the importance of the decisions that they are making and how do you get people to stand up for themselves.

We are taught our whole lives, especially as christians, to stand up for what you believe in. Stand up for God, and his name, and his church, and for the scripture....but what about plainly for what is right. When does it come to where people think for themselves and stand up for what is right, even though the ones around them say it is wrong.

This is what I am struggling with. I'm reading the book Pushed by Jennifer Block, and I am seeing some serious similarities between the Doctors she interviews and the Doctors I know some of those close to me go to. These Doctors are in Austin, and are practicing, despite me not wanting to believe it before.

Right now, the topic is on cesarean sections, "sections" as the medical floor calls them. Sections are over 30% in the US, over 33% in Texas. The World Health Organization says the rate should be no more than 15%, and they have data to back that up. Right around the 15% mark, is when you see MUCH MUCH MUCH more maternal morbidity (trauma) and mortality, as well as infant complications, such as breathing, lungs, jaundice, premature, autism, poor suckling, breastfeeding issues, infection, fever, more time in NICU, and the list goes on and on and on. A woman is 4 yes 4 (I would use a larger font to emphasize, but I can't) 4 times more likely to DIE after a "section" than after a vaginal birth. Now these "vaginal" births are the births that you see on TV, the 6 or more tubes and straps connected to a woman laying flat on her back (the worst position beside dangling from feet for childbirth to be in) anesthesia, pitocin, EFM, and more. Now, all of those interventions have risks, think of a "section" compared to a natural physiological birth, with no interventions. NO one can explain the justification of a Dr. in the same city having a CS (Cesarean section) rate over 40% when there are NUMEROUS midwives with lower rates. One even as low as 1.5% (again would use larger font..)

That is outrageous and I think women need to start standing up for themselves saying "don't cut me again". It is a womans right to give birth, not be given a baby. God has designed the human body in such a way that (if you are healthy, not diabetic or toxemic and such) that,
NO YOUR PLACENTA DOESN"T GET OLD,
NO YOUR BABY IS NOT GOING TO BE TOO BIG,
NO YOUR PELVIS IS NOT TOO SMALL,
NO YOUR FLUID IS MOST LIKELY NOT TOO LOW,
NO YOU CAN GIVE BIRTH PAST 41 WEEKS,
NO YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE INDUCED.
NO YOU DON'T NEED AN IV IF YOU EAT AND DRINK AT WILL
NO DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH WHILE PUSHING
YES YOU CAN GET OUT OF BED AND MOVE AROUND
YES GET OFF YOUR BACK TO PUSH,
YES USE GRAVITY TO HELP YOU LABOR
YES GET IN TUB AND RELIEVE YOUR PAIN
YES YOU CAN WAIT FOR LABOR AFTER YOUR WATER BREAKS
YES YOU CAN EAT AND DRINK IN LABOR
YES YOU CAN HOLD YOUR BABY AS SOON AS HE IS BORN EVEN AFTER A CS



Seriously, what has gone on with us. I thought the feminist movement would still be in effect today, for women to take back their bodies, and their births, and the health of their babies, and make decision with the HELP of a Doctor. Instead of Doctors using fear tactics to get them to give birth when they want.

I get how the more a doctor intervenes in a birth, the less they are likely to lose if they get sued, so yes, I can see how a planned "elective" CS is a hell of a lot safer for them, but what about us. What about those who want to birth, and want to feel every bit of power God has put in them to labor and push a baby out. What if we to breastfeed. What if we want to look back on our births and feel empowered? What if we want to birth at home where we feel safe and where studies show countless times it is safer than a hospital birth. What if we want to avoid episiotomies, infections, "sections", and longer stays in the hospital and more breastfeeding success?

I want this, and I want those around me to want this, and I want them to be informed on all the crap that is going on now days. How do you get someone to understand what is needed and what is not. How?