RNs: 'Stitches, episiotomy, and postpartum complications'(Maternal care learning needs)

RNs: "STITCHES, EPISIOTOMY, AND POSTPARTUM COMPLICATIONS" (MATERNAL CARE
LEARNING NEEDS)

"Stitches, episiotomy, and postpartum complications were the most important
maternal care learning needs during the first 3 postpartum days..."
--Dr. Katherine Bowman. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2005
Jul-Aug;34(4):438-43. PubMed Abstract

OPEN LETTER (archived for global access at http://groups.google.com)

Katherine Bowman, RN, PhD
School of Nursing
University of Texas at Austin
1700 Red River
Austin, TX, 78701
(573) 268-8051


Katherine,

You concluded that "More studies are needed to...produce clinically useful
information for practicing nurses..."

Here is some "clinically useful information for practicing nurses":

It is the year 2005 and the American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists/ACOG is still publishing the fraud that episiotomies prevent
severe vaginal tears.

ACOG's Your Pregnancy & Birth [2005] defines episiotomy: "...a cut to widen
the opening of the birth canal" (p. 88) - as obstetricians CLOSE the birth
canal up to 30%. See below.

ACOG's Your Pregnancy & Birth [2005] also states:

"...to help prevent tears, your doctor may perform an episiotomy" (p. 130) -
this as episiotomized women suffer 50 times more severe tears (tears clear
to the anus) than women who are not episiotomized [Shiono et al. 1991]...

PLEASE WARN PREGNANT WOMEN: By using semisitting and dorsal
(woman-on-her-back/buttocks) delivery positions, obstetricians are closing
birth canals up to 30%.

UNNECESSARY C-SECTION/UNNECESSARY EPISIOTOMY Obstetricians are slicing
vaginas/abdomens en masse (episiotomy/c-section) - surgically/fraudulently
inferring they are doing/have done everything possible to open birth canals
- even as they close birth canals up to 30%.

UNNECESSARY SPINAL MANIPULATION OF BABIES Obstetricians are KEEPING birth
canals closed the "extra" up to 30% when babies get stuck as they manipulate
babies' spines - pulling with hands, forceps and vacuums - sometimes pulling
so hard they rip spinal nerves out of tiny spinal cords.

PLEASE TELL PREGNANT WOMEN: It is easy to allow your birth canal to OPEN
the "extra" up to 30%.

See ACOG's 2005 edition: How NOT to birth
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group...t/message/3606

NOTE #1: Compelling obstetricians to allow birth canals to open the "extra"
up to 30% is not going to prevent all episiotomies, c-sections and forceps
deliveries; but obstetricians have no business closing birth canals the
"extra' up to 30%.

NOTE #2: Yale CNMwifery Prof. Helen Varney (a nurse) ignored my pleas. She
promoted in her midwifery text semisitting delivery - closing birth canals
up to 30% - as well as the obstetrician practice of KEEPING birth canals
closed the "extra" up to 30% (lithotomy) when babies get stuck.

NURSING EMERGENCY: Women need to know this information BEFORE birth.

Thanks for reading.

Sincerely,

Todd

Dr. Gastaldo
Hillsboro, Oregon


PS You wrote regarding INFANT care learning needs: "feeding and illness
were the most important infant care learning needs during the first 7
postpartum days."

In regard to INFANT ILLNESS, closing birth canals up to 30% may be causative
and so might the bizarre obstetrician and nurse-midwife practice of
immediate cord clamping/cutting which robs babies of up to 50% of their
blood volume. This latter is happening to EVERY CESAREAN BABY, according to
retired obstetrician George Malcolm Morley, MB ChB FACOG.

See again: ACOG's 2005 edition: How NOT to birth
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group...t/message/3606

Copied to: 300+ RNs with email addresses listed at...
http://www.awhonn.org/images/Awhonn_..._directory.pdf

This Open Letter to Dr. Katherine Bowman will be archived for global access
in the Google usenet archive.

Search http://groups.google.com for "RNs: 'Stitches, episiotomy, and
postpartum complications'"