http://blog.lunapads.com/2007/06/birthing-choices/ periods, politics & personalities Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:42:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 http://blog.lunapads.com/2007/06/birthing-choices/#comment-224 Liwymi Tue, 17 Jul 2007 02:58:38 +0000 http://blog.lunapads.com/2007/06/birthing-choices/#comment-224 I was home-birthed, and I plan on doing something of that nature when I have children myself. I was home-birthed, and I plan on doing something of that nature when I have children myself.

]]> http://blog.lunapads.com/2007/06/birthing-choices/#comment-223 Madeleine Wed, 27 Jun 2007 21:14:34 +0000 http://blog.lunapads.com/2007/06/birthing-choices/#comment-223 I think that modern birth phobia is on the same continuum as menstruation phobia and the general fear of women's power in any manifestation. I have told Suzanne's homebirth story to so many women, in the hopes that it would provide them with a real life role model and give them confidence that they too could just let their bodies do their thing without intervention. We both know several women who have chosen to have scheduled c-sections, believing that it would be safer and easier than attempting to deliver vaginally. It's interesting to note (at least in my experience) that 2 out of the 3 women I know who went this route did so because their first deliveries (vaginally, in hospitals) were complete nightmare experiences. I think that there is a tendency to blame or stigmatize women who make this choice as simply being scaredy cats, when in cases such as these we can see that in fact the fear came from a real, terrifying, disempowering experience. Stories such as these lead to other women thinking that they can't do it themselves and choosing c-sections the first time around (as with my 3rd friend). We do not do enough as a society to educate women about how their bodies work, and to have confidence in them - thanks for sharing, Suzanne! I think that modern birth phobia is on the same continuum as menstruation phobia and the general fear of women’s power in any manifestation. I have told Suzanne’s homebirth story to so many women, in the hopes that it would provide them with a real life role model and give them confidence that they too could just let their bodies do their thing without intervention. We both know several women who have chosen to have scheduled c-sections, believing that it would be safer and easier than attempting to deliver vaginally. It’s interesting to note (at least in my experience) that 2 out of the 3 women I know who went this route did so because their first deliveries (vaginally, in hospitals) were complete nightmare experiences. I think that there is a tendency to blame or stigmatize women who make this choice as simply being scaredy cats, when in cases such as these we can see that in fact the fear came from a real, terrifying, disempowering experience. Stories such as these lead to other women thinking that they can’t do it themselves and choosing c-sections the first time around (as with my 3rd friend). We do not do enough as a society to educate women about how their bodies work, and to have confidence in them - thanks for sharing, Suzanne!

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