JenB Was: OT and maybe TMI: Perineal Massage

[Guest guest]

Ina May is truly a gem. Met her in DC this spring. She has inspired my first

birth circle. One of the topics she touched on is one that we know is the

cornerstone of birth but even we 'seasoned' birth care givers sometimes forget:

the gift of patience and the gift to simply have faith - natural labor will

never fit neatly into any scientific graph, chart or box. If you are lucky you

will exercise patience and a mother and baby will one day teach us something

new. Even Ina May hasn't stopped being surprised by laboring mothers and

babies.

 

If you can get your hands on it Mind Over Labor by Carl Jones is an excellent

tool for understanding and accepting the inner workings of labor. Great book

for both moms and dads.

 

Sheila Kitzinger has a book Birth Over Thirty. Explains all of those prenatal

tests in-depth and backs up her position on each of those tests again w/

research and facts.

 

Military hospitals can be very difficult to give birth in. For one thing they

sure aren't into any of the 'fun' stuff like massage and tub delivery???? But

by working on your inner sense of peace and faith in your body you will be able

to stay home as long as possible and avoid a lot of interventions. You don't

have to give them the touchy-feely reasons for laboring the way you choose

to...you know that's what it is....but you can give them all the facts you have

by arming yourself w/ knowledge from Ina May, Sheila Kitzinger and Henci Goer.

Can't go wrong w/ educating yourself.

 

Feel free to e-mail me offline if you need more info or if there is anything I

can pass along. Definitely go to www.gentlebirth.org, www.mothering.com and

look up The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) for more online

information.

 

All the best - there with your family in spirit

 

Dale