Lauren Derret - 15 Feb 16
Aghhhh I’m raging!!
I’ve just read (and read, and read again) this article from The Independent;
‘Hypnobirthing, placenta eating and the worrying fads that strike fear into pregnant women’
And I feel I HAVE to respond to this (IMO) utter horse shit! These words are my own and when I talk about birth preparation I’m talking from the mouth of Pregnancy and Birth Essex and the way I personally teach. So here I go!!
“Women are told that childbirth need not be a medical procedure, that there are more natural ways. But birth fads make expectant mothers fear the thing that protects them most – modern medicine”
Birth is the most natural thing in the world of course and this is our starting point when preparing for birth BUT, that does not by any stretch of the imagination mean that I as a birth supporter feel that there is no place for modern medicine at birth and spread fear amongst my clients? I educate my clients in all aspects of birth, and that includes the turns their birth may take. When I teach, I teach them that if they choose to use modern medicine and to accept a medical intervention then crack on, embrace it just make sure it’s you who chooses it and that you know all the risks around that choice. I don’t scare monger or make them feel as though they would be going against the ‘good’ birth code should they choose drugs, induction, epidural, caesarean?! Modern medicine saves lives and assists women in birth when needed but it shouldn’t be seen as the main event when preparing for birth, it’s a friendly helper should you need them and I’d fully support their choices.
“The degree of pain felt in these exciting moments varies, but it is an incontrovertible fact that labour pains are never as bad as one anticipates and, indeed, in the thrilling knowledge of the baby’s imminent arrival, they are, in fact, scarcely noticed,” a feature trilled. I’m not yet a mother myself but I can tell you, even without the benefit of experience, that is utter nonsense. That mothers can now benefit from pain relief and other methods that assist delivery and help them cope with the often overwhelming pain it causes – as well as the possible complications that can come from a long and difficult delivery – is something that makes me very happy; if my day on the ward comes, I’m glad I’ll be launching into the great unknown in the 2010s, and not the 1950s.”
Ermmmm, I’ve highlighted the really interesting admission!
I am now speaking to you as a mother….I had 3 induced hospital births, all medicated, all hospital lead, and it was shit! I then had my 4th, spontaneous labour, non medicated, at home.
What was the difference with this 3/4 ratio? On the 4th I used all kinds of crazy ‘fads’ I hypnobirthed and I had a doula, I was so far sucked into the crazy birth shit that I even ate my own placenta….yea I know, all kind of bat shit crazy!! I didn’t need pain relief as I didn’t feel pain. Trust me when I tell you that there was a reason I had pain relief in my previous 3 births and if I had felt as though I needed the wonders of modern medicine to help me get through then hell to the yeah I’d be the first one sucking on the gas and air, but, I didn’t need it.
But do you know what? After the birth of my 4th human, I was chilling in the pool, skin to skin, overloading on ‘fads’ and then I had a postpartum haemorrhage, the pool filled up with blood, the midwife had her finger on 999 and I at that point, as a fully informed woman took the modern medicine (syntometrin) for fear of death, I’m not that fu*king crazy as it turns out! But, when I look back at that birth it was a hugely empowering positive experience, it wasn’t blurred by the turn of events and I don’t feel as though I failed by using the wonders of modern medicine. I totally rocked that birth, blood loss and all!
“hypnobirthing”. The practice, taught in a series of classes, is little more than a bit of relaxation, some deep breathing and a few pages of pop psychology thrown in for good measure”
Just plain fu*king insulting to hypnobirthing teachers and to mothers looking at ways to have a positive birth experience. Not only do I offer the ‘bit of relaxation, some deep breathing and a few pages of pop psychology’ (which I might add is bloody important in the whole birthing process) I offer my clients, support, I answer questions, I debrief any previous birth trauma, I hold their space while they face their fears and I make them feel like they are capable. I don’t only do this in the 4 classes, I do this right up to their birth, I welcome emails after the course has finished and I will happily find them information and resources that will help get both partners birth ready. And then, I hold aloft a glass of fizz when their birth announcement comes saying things such as;
“I gave birth to my 2nd daughter and it was everything I wanted and more and I can honestly say I don’t think it would of been the same if I hadn’t met Lauren. I would definitely recommend this amazing women and she goes above and beyond for anyone who wants to know anything about birth” *words from a previous client
I don’t just offer them the 4 classes and some pop psychology, I offer me wholly and unquestionably and that’s the level of support that will change how they feel about their birth, supported, educated and empowered fu*king birth warriors.
“It is great if some women can say they had a “good” birth experience. But not everyone does, and that’s where the unintended consequences come in. At present, about 60 per cent of mothers choose to have some form of pain relief during labour. The NHS is studying hypnobirthing, monitoring 800 mothers to see if it can reduce this figure. And when women are told that they can get through what may be the most traumatic physical experience of their life just by thinking more positively about it, it can prompt those who need extra help – from the 60 per cent taking drugs for pain relief, to the small number who require an emergency Caesarean – feel as if they failed in some way, even though the medical help they receive is based on decades of research into making pregnancy and birth safer.”
AGGGGGHHHHH I can’t even!!
How dismissive, is she saying you shouldn’t even bother trying? That you should hand yourself over to ‘the most traumatic physical experience of your life’? And this is EXACTLY why I do what I do.
She says;
“It is great if some women can say they had a “good” birth experience. But not everyone does, and that’s where the unintended consequences come in.”
I say;
Please know that the programme I teach does not prepare you for a ‘good’ birth it prepares you for ‘your’ birth. And, however your birth plays out, when you have fully prepared for it there will be no ‘unintened consequences’ because you’ll know that you’ve done all you could, and that every step your birth takes, you’ll be in control and will be safe guarding your experience by using informed choice. And that’s what makes for a good birth!
“Where there is no harm, there is no reason to intervene. But the popularity of these new ideas inflicts subtle but significant blows on women’s trust in doctors to look after them before and during their labour; that other women – even those with no medical training – know better. And that is profoundly frightening.”
No my dear, we do not spend time scare mongering about trust in doctors, instead we use the time more wisely reminding women that our bodies are built to do this, that our bodies know how to do this and that it’s in our bodies we can trust! Of course if you’re bleeding out at your home birth you may wanna take the fabulous medical help that we in this country are fortunate to have and that’s no biggy.
“Coleen Rooney is the latest celebrity to popularise another: having her placenta turned into capsules to consume as dietary supplements. Advocates claim this boosts iron intake, reduces post-pregnancy pain, improves energy levels and makes it easier for women to lose any weight they may have gained while expecting.”
Maybe a placebo effect, may be something more?! Officially we don’t know but when I stopped bleeding after a week, had stable hormones and as much energy as a 2 year old in the weeks after my birth, I totally believe this shit works, as does every mother who I’ve ever met be it through work or in general life. I’ve NEVER heard of any ill effects from any women I’ve spoken to. *I trained with IPEN as a placenta specialist so I had the opportunity to speak with plenty of women who had benefited from placenta consumption.
“So what’s going on? The common theme is fear: women are turning to these new fads for comfort and reassurance. They are being told that childbirth is something that need not be a medical procedure, that there are more “natural” ways of going through this major life event. Even the NHS is looking into offering more home births.”
Women are scared of birth?! Fact! And do you know why women are scared of birth? Because pointless articles like this constantly reaffirm birth is to be feared?! And I’m sorry but isn’t she completely contradicting herself by saying the NHS are offering more home births? Does that mean that these doctors she’s putting all her trust into, actually trust in the birth process so much that they recommend couples do it at home on your front room rug? Interesting!!!
And if that mother feels like she could do with a doula at her birth, someone who has a vast knowledge of birth, a bag full of birth essentials that mum doesn’t even know she’ll need, no agenda and who will comfort her and her partner through every moment in a way that works for them, unconditionally. Would that be such a crazy thing to do? If a doula can eradicate fear, hold space, nurture and support at this life affirming event surely that can only be a positive?
“Childbirth is a dangerous time for mother and child. Even 60 years ago, when that first issue of Mother & Baby hit the news stands, death in labour was not rare. Now, when it happens, it can prompt an NHS case review. That is progress; let’s not see it reversed in the name of fashion.”
This bit I do agree with (to a degree) but maybe it would have been better worded
““Childbirth can be a dangerous time for mother and child. Even 60 years ago, when that first issue of Mother & Baby hit the news stands, death in labour was not rare. Now, when it happens, it can prompt an NHS case review. That is progress; let’s not see it reversed in the name of people who are willing to try an alternative approach by way of protecting their birthing experinece“
This article (to me) seems to be reversing all of the good work that the very crazy fads she’s referring have done, and are still doing. It’s totally reiterating the very fear of birth that we know needs to be eradicated for the sake of mothers their partners, their babies and of course our wonderful doctors.
I would love to know more about your interpretation of that article, did it make you rage or did you see sense in it?
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I’m Lauren, mum of 4 humans, each with their very own birth story. Red wine drinker, keen blogger, trash tv watcher and pretty hard core potty mouth! But, with a good heart and a passion for setting lovely women like you onto a path towards a positive birthing experience, and we’ll have fun doing it; always a bonus!
I teach The Wise Hippo Birthing Programme and am a Doula Uk recognised Doula
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