Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/855118
Abby's Magazine - Volume 5 Issue 4 | Page 19 5. Question Authority (or Nice girls can ask questions – and say, "No"). Obstetrics practices are not always based on the best science. The September 2011 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the official publication of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), reported that only one-third of all obstetrics guidelines in the US are based on good scientific evidence, one third are based on limited or inconsistent evidence, and the remaining third are based on expert opinion, which is "subject to bias, either implicit or subconscious." So, just because a doctor (or midwife) tells you something is required (lying down in labor, having a vaginal exam, wearing an external fetal monitor for your entire labor, having an IV drip routinely), doesn't mean you have do it unquestioningly — or at all. As girls and young women, many of us learn not to question authority — just be a "good girl," and don't be the geek who asks questions. Many of the procedures done in hospitals are done "just because" they are routine but often not necessary. So, if something is recommended or expected that makes you uncomfortable or you're not sure of the reason, ASK! And if you're not comfortable with the explanation, you can decline. Having an advocate there who can help you sort through decisions, especially when you are otherwise occupied doing the work of labor, is especially valuable. 6. Women should eat and drink during labor. Current scientific evidence has demonstrated that low-risk women who eat and drink in labor are not at significantly increased risk of food aspiration in the event of a cesarean, which has been the much-feared reason for keeping women on an ice-chips and fruit-pops-only regimen in labor for the past few decades. In fact, keeping up your energy with light and nourishing fare has been found, by many midwives and mamas, to facilitate labor and reduce the likelihood of labor petering out, or needing Pitocin or a cesarean. 7. Your body is a marvelous, perfectly crafted force of nature. Believing in yourself is powerful medicine! Yet most of us go into labor believing our bodies might be lemons – the reject in the batch that just doesn't work properly and needs to be sent back to the factory on a recall! The reality is, nature is amazing at creating powerful systems that work. Setting intentions and learning to have confidence in the birthing process – and your body – are among the most powerful tools you can use to go with the natural flow of labor and birth and gain some self-enlightenment in the process. 8. Obstetrics is BIG Business. There is a whole system of medicine out there, called obstetrics, making a fortune off of your body! In fact, there is enormous financial incentive for obstetricians to do ultrasounds (in my community, a doctor's office charges the insurance company $700 per ultrasound), offer endless tests, and big bucks when it comes to doing a cesarean rather than supporting a natural, vaginal birth. Want to avoid unnecessary medical interventions? Then make your body your business by getting educated. Read about birth. Some good places to start: "Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth," Henci Goer's, "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth," and my book, "The Natural Pregnancy Book." birth is a natural, beautiful event