Birth story

Hi,

I posted a birth announcement of our son Jens a couple of days ago but I
didn't see it show up so I guess it got stuck somewhere. Anyway, I
promised I'd post the birth story later, so here it is. It is, happily,
not al long story :-).

First the 'essentials': Jens was born on august the 10th, 4 days before
my due date. Weight was a whopping 3900 grams (which is I believe about
8 pounds 10 ounces). I gave birth at home as I had wanted to.

About three in the morning I awoke to pee (for the umpteenth time). With
a full bladder I usually get BH, but when I got back in bed I felt a
differrent kind of contraction - a real one. It was not very strong, and
I got back to sleep. The contractions kept waking me up every 15 or 20
minutes or so, they were too strong to sleep through but still very
manageable. I decided to let DH sleep and see what would happen, I was
quite convinced that the 'real thing' hadn't started and it might all go
away again. At the alarm went off and DH went to shower. On wednesday
DD always goes to daycare, and I went to get her dressed. This proved
less easy than I thought, when I was out of bed these contractions which
were still nagging me were quite bothersome. So I left the rest to DH
and got back in bed. lying on my left side and dosing through the
contractons I was quite comfortable there. DH took DD to daycare and we
decided he'd not go straight to work but check in with me first to see
if things were progressing - to me it still seemed they were not. He
left at about 8, got back at 8:30. At that point I thought the ctx were
getting more regular so he decided to stay at home. I wanted mainly at
that point to be left alone and lie in bed on my side, nice and warm
under the duvet, 'catching' a contraction every 5 or 10 minutes. I still
could talk through them easily and I had the feeling they weren't
'doing' anything yet.

At about 10 am I told my DH to go to work, things were still not getting
any stronger and I still thought it might all go away :-). His office is
only a 3 minute walk from my house, so I knew he'd be home soon enough.
I emailed my mom that things had possibly started (at that point I was
convinced enough that they had but because the ctx were still not very
regular and strong I was expecting things to take a long time). She
called back a few minutes later to tell me she was coming over, she did
not want me to be alone in case things went differently than I thougt.
About 20 minutes later she got here. I was in bed again, I was most
comfortable there. At this point the ctx were stronger but I still felt
as if they weren't actually doing anything, they were very easy to
handle. The next two hours are hazy, I was on the bed dozing and coping
with the contractions in between, but wasn't exactly sure at what
interval they came. My mom was leaving me in peace and going about her
own business downstairs.

At 12 I decided that maybe I should call my midwife to tell her that
things had started so she knew she would have to come over at some
point. During the call I got a ctx I couldn't actually talk through, and
she said she'd be over soon. I called DH to get back. At that point I
suddenly had no doubt at all that things had started - the contractions
picked up and suddenly came every 3 minutes and I could almost feel my
cervix opening with every one of them. I could manage them by sort of
'riding along' with them and breathing, vocalising if necessary.

The midwife got to my place at about 1pm. At that point the ctx were
strong and came at every 3 or 4 minutes, I was at that point very happy
with the few minutes in between. After a few contractions we decided on
an internal (the very first one this pregnancy) to see how far things
were along. I was already 9 cm dilated! She helped me breathe through my
contractions for the next half hour while I squeezed DH to pieces every
time (well, why should I be the only one in pain :-)). Then I suddenly
started to get an urge to push and grunted with every contraction. She
told me to breathe the pushing urge away for a few contractions till it
got very strong and then she'd check me again. I obediently did as told,
and when the pushing urge started to get very hard to breathe away she
checked me - I was fully dilated.

I was still on my left side at this point, but moved on to my back so
she could do the internal. I was allowed to push in any position I
wanted, but felt quite comfy on my back so decided to stay in that
position (I was not thinking of Todd at that point :-) ). I absolutely
did not feel like getting out of bed, and somehow did not feel like
turning back on my side.

After half an hour of pushing I felt the baby crown, and after that
follewed the mw's instructions so he'd not come out too fast. His head
was out in no time.

After that things suddenly got hectic.
Some background on the Dutch system - as you usually give birth at home
or in the 'short stay' dept of the hospital (in hospital but with your
midwife, and you're discharged right away), you get a sort of doula for
the first week to help you with the baby and the household, and make
sure you rest enough, and take care of the other kids etc. We call it
'kraamhulp', I have no translation but will refer to her as Marina, that
was her name. Normally they arrive during labour to assist the midwife,
but because I was already at 9 cm when the midwife arrived Marina
arrived a bit late, just as I was pushing out the head at 2pm.

Anyway, as I was saying things suddenly got hectic. The mw told me to
turn 90 degrees so my legs were in the air and she had better access.
She told me to push push with all my might, and Marina got on the bed
and pushed my belly. Turned out that Jens had one arm over his head, and
his other shoulder was stuck behind my pubic bone. When we did not
manage to dislodge him this way she stuck her hand in and unhooked the
shoulder. Whole thing probably took no more than a minute, but because
Jens' head was already born and he had already started to breathe there
was not that much time. I did not know exactly what was happening, it
was mainly the sudden urgency of the midwife that made me realise
something was wrong.

He was pretty blue, but after some rubbing pinked up and started to cry.
He was put on my belly so I could admire him and gaze into his beautiful
little eyes. He did not want to nurse straight away. After a while the
cord was cut, we were both cleaned up and stitched up (just a small
tear).

I was mightily proud that I had managed to push him out by myself (DD
was a ventouse delivery) and at home as I had wanted!

Jens is doing really well so far, nurses really well, on day 6 he was
already over his birthweight! He want to nurse every three hours or so
which comes as a bit of a shock to me as DD wanted to nurse every other
minute :-). But as he's already over his birthweight he seems to know
what he's doing...

Kind regards,
Cath
Mom to Fenna, born 07/05/03
and Jens born 08/10/05

cath that is a great story, congrats. I am jealous of your near book near
perfect home birth!

well done super mum!

chris


"Cath" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I posted a birth announcement of our son Jens a couple of days ago but I
didn't see it show up so I guess it got stuck somewhere. Anyway, I
promised I'd post the birth story later, so here it is. It is, happily,
not al long story :-).

First the 'essentials': Jens was born on august the 10th, 4 days before
my due date. Weight was a whopping 3900 grams (which is I believe about
8 pounds 10 ounces). I gave birth at home as I had wanted to.

About three in the morning I awoke to pee (for the umpteenth time). With
a full bladder I usually get BH, but when I got back in bed I felt a
differrent kind of contraction - a real one. It was not very strong, and
I got back to sleep. The contractions kept waking me up every 15 or 20
minutes or so, they were too strong to sleep through but still very
manageable. I decided to let DH sleep and see what would happen, I was
quite convinced that the 'real thing' hadn't started and it might all go
away again. At the alarm went off and DH went to shower. On wednesday
DD always goes to daycare, and I went to get her dressed. This proved
less easy than I thought, when I was out of bed these contractions which
were still nagging me were quite bothersome. So I left the rest to DH
and got back in bed. lying on my left side and dosing through the
contractons I was quite comfortable there. DH took DD to daycare and we
decided he'd not go straight to work but check in with me first to see
if things were progressing - to me it still seemed they were not. He
left at about 8, got back at 8:30. At that point I thought the ctx were
getting more regular so he decided to stay at home. I wanted mainly at
that point to be left alone and lie in bed on my side, nice and warm
under the duvet, 'catching' a contraction every 5 or 10 minutes. I still
could talk through them easily and I had the feeling they weren't
'doing' anything yet.

At about 10 am I told my DH to go to work, things were still not getting
any stronger and I still thought it might all go away :-). His office is
only a 3 minute walk from my house, so I knew he'd be home soon enough.
I emailed my mom that things had possibly started (at that point I was
convinced enough that they had but because the ctx were still not very
regular and strong I was expecting things to take a long time). She
called back a few minutes later to tell me she was coming over, she did
not want me to be alone in case things went differently than I thougt.
About 20 minutes later she got here. I was in bed again, I was most
comfortable there. At this point the ctx were stronger but I still felt
as if they weren't actually doing anything, they were very easy to
handle. The next two hours are hazy, I was on the bed dozing and coping
with the contractions in between, but wasn't exactly sure at what
interval they came. My mom was leaving me in peace and going about her
own business downstairs.

At 12 I decided that maybe I should call my midwife to tell her that
things had started so she knew she would have to come over at some
point. During the call I got a ctx I couldn't actually talk through, and
she said she'd be over soon. I called DH to get back. At that point I
suddenly had no doubt at all that things had started - the contractions
picked up and suddenly came every 3 minutes and I could almost feel my
cervix opening with every one of them. I could manage them by sort of
'riding along' with them and breathing, vocalising if necessary.

The midwife got to my place at about 1pm. At that point the ctx were
strong and came at every 3 or 4 minutes, I was at that point very happy
with the few minutes in between. After a few contractions we decided on
an internal (the very first one this pregnancy) to see how far things
were along. I was already 9 cm dilated! She helped me breathe through my
contractions for the next half hour while I squeezed DH to pieces every
time (well, why should I be the only one in pain :-)). Then I suddenly
started to get an urge to push and grunted with every contraction. She
told me to breathe the pushing urge away for a few contractions till it
got very strong and then she'd check me again. I obediently did as told,
and when the pushing urge started to get very hard to breathe away she
checked me - I was fully dilated.

I was still on my left side at this point, but moved on to my back so
she could do the internal. I was allowed to push in any position I
wanted, but felt quite comfy on my back so decided to stay in that
position (I was not thinking of Todd at that point :-) ). I absolutely
did not feel like getting out of bed, and somehow did not feel like
turning back on my side.

After half an hour of pushing I felt the baby crown, and after that
follewed the mw's instructions so he'd not come out too fast. His head
was out in no time.

After that things suddenly got hectic.
Some background on the Dutch system - as you usually give birth at home
or in the 'short stay' dept of the hospital (in hospital but with your
midwife, and you're discharged right away), you get a sort of doula for
the first week to help you with the baby and the household, and make
sure you rest enough, and take care of the other kids etc. We call it
'kraamhulp', I have no translation but will refer to her as Marina, that
was her name. Normally they arrive during labour to assist the midwife,
but because I was already at 9 cm when the midwife arrived Marina
arrived a bit late, just as I was pushing out the head at 2pm.

Anyway, as I was saying things suddenly got hectic. The mw told me to
turn 90 degrees so my legs were in the air and she had better access.
She told me to push push with all my might, and Marina got on the bed
and pushed my belly. Turned out that Jens had one arm over his head, and
his other shoulder was stuck behind my pubic bone. When we did not
manage to dislodge him this way she stuck her hand in and unhooked the
shoulder. Whole thing probably took no more than a minute, but because
Jens' head was already born and he had already started to breathe there
was not that much time. I did not know exactly what was happening, it
was mainly the sudden urgency of the midwife that made me realise
something was wrong.

He was pretty blue, but after some rubbing pinked up and started to cry.
He was put on my belly so I could admire him and gaze into his beautiful
little eyes. He did not want to nurse straight away. After a while the
cord was cut, we were both cleaned up and stitched up (just a small
tear).

I was mightily proud that I had managed to push him out by myself (DD
was a ventouse delivery) and at home as I had wanted!

Jens is doing really well so far, nurses really well, on day 6 he was
already over his birthweight! He want to nurse every three hours or so
which comes as a bit of a shock to me as DD wanted to nurse every other
minute :-). But as he's already over his birthweight he seems to know
what he's doing...

Kind regards,
Cath
Mom to Fenna, born 07/05/03
and Jens born 08/10/05

Cath skrev:
Hi,

I posted a birth announcement of our son Jens a couple of days ago but I
didn't see it show up so I guess it got stuck somewhere. Anyway, I
promised I'd post the birth story later, so here it is. It is, happily,
not al long story :-).

Congratulations.

Are you Scandinavian?

Tine, Denmark, mother of Niels and Karen.

LILFORD'S FRAUD (ALSO: DUTCH MIDWIVES/HOMEBIRTHS)

See below.

Cath,

Congratulations and welcome to the world little Jens!

Comment below.

in article , Cath at
wrote on 8/18/05 3:52 AM:

Hi,

I posted a birth announcement of our son Jens a couple of days ago but I
didn't see it show up so I guess it got stuck somewhere. Anyway, I
promised I'd post the birth story later, so here it is. It is, happily,
not al long story :-).

First the 'essentials': Jens was born on august the 10th, 4 days before
my due date. Weight was a whopping 3900 grams (which is I believe about
8 pounds 10 ounces). I gave birth at home as I had wanted to.

About three in the morning I awoke to pee (for the umpteenth time). With
a full bladder I usually get BH, but when I got back in bed I felt a
differrent kind of contraction - a real one. It was not very strong, and
I got back to sleep. The contractions kept waking me up every 15 or 20
minutes or so, they were too strong to sleep through but still very
manageable. I decided to let DH sleep and see what would happen, I was
quite convinced that the 'real thing' hadn't started and it might all go
away again. At the alarm went off and DH went to shower. On wednesday
DD always goes to daycare, and I went to get her dressed. This proved
less easy than I thought, when I was out of bed these contractions which
were still nagging me were quite bothersome. So I left the rest to DH
and got back in bed. lying on my left side and dosing through the
contractons I was quite comfortable there. DH took DD to daycare and we
decided he'd not go straight to work but check in with me first to see
if things were progressing - to me it still seemed they were not. He
left at about 8, got back at 8:30. At that point I thought the ctx were
getting more regular so he decided to stay at home. I wanted mainly at
that point to be left alone and lie in bed on my side, nice and warm
under the duvet, 'catching' a contraction every 5 or 10 minutes. I still
could talk through them easily and I had the feeling they weren't
'doing' anything yet.

At about 10 am I told my DH to go to work, things were still not getting
any stronger and I still thought it might all go away :-). His office is
only a 3 minute walk from my house, so I knew he'd be home soon enough.
I emailed my mom that things had possibly started (at that point I was
convinced enough that they had but because the ctx were still not very
regular and strong I was expecting things to take a long time). She
called back a few minutes later to tell me she was coming over, she did
not want me to be alone in case things went differently than I thougt.
About 20 minutes later she got here. I was in bed again, I was most
comfortable there. At this point the ctx were stronger but I still felt
as if they weren't actually doing anything, they were very easy to
handle. The next two hours are hazy, I was on the bed dozing and coping
with the contractions in between, but wasn't exactly sure at what
interval they came. My mom was leaving me in peace and going about her
own business downstairs.

At 12 I decided that maybe I should call my midwife to tell her that
things had started so she knew she would have to come over at some
point. During the call I got a ctx I couldn't actually talk through, and
she said she'd be over soon. I called DH to get back. At that point I
suddenly had no doubt at all that things had started - the contractions
picked up and suddenly came every 3 minutes and I could almost feel my
cervix opening with every one of them. I could manage them by sort of
'riding along' with them and breathing, vocalising if necessary.

The midwife got to my place at about 1pm. At that point the ctx were
strong and came at every 3 or 4 minutes, I was at that point very happy
with the few minutes in between. After a few contractions we decided on
an internal (the very first one this pregnancy) to see how far things
were along. I was already 9 cm dilated! She helped me breathe through my
contractions for the next half hour while I squeezed DH to pieces every
time (well, why should I be the only one in pain :-)). Then I suddenly
started to get an urge to push and grunted with every contraction. She
told me to breathe the pushing urge away for a few contractions till it
got very strong and then she'd check me again. I obediently did as told,
and when the pushing urge started to get very hard to breathe away she
checked me - I was fully dilated.

I was still on my left side at this point, but moved on to my back so
she could do the internal. I was allowed to push in any position I
wanted, but felt quite comfy on my back so decided to stay in that
position (I was not thinking of Todd at that point :-) ). I absolutely
did not feel like getting out of bed, and somehow did not feel like
turning back on my side.


I am honored to be mentioned in any birth story, of course.

I don't generally criticize birth stories.

But assuming there may be new readers, and since I was mentioned by name, I
feel I must criticize/clarify:

Cath likely means by "I was not thinking of Todd" that she was not thinking
of the fact that staying on her back closed her birth canal up to 30%.

Most babies are born through birth canals senselessly closed the "extra" up
to 30%. I myself was born through a birth canal senselessly closed the
"extra" up to 30% - and I turned out fine - though there are some who would
strenuously disagree. : )

The problem is - an estimated 4.6% of "healthy" babies are born with
unexplained brain bleeds - not to mention - rarely - there is an unexplained
infant death (see Beischer quote below) or an unexplained infant paralysis.

Also there are babies in whom unexplained "lesser motor and perceptual
difficulties" show up a few years later.

I say again: Most babies are born through birth canals senselessly closed
the "extra" up to 30%. Most do fine, but I suspect that many babies might
do finer - some a LOT finer - if the birth canal is allowed to open
maximally.

Please note: My ONLY intent in posting here is to urge women to be thinking
of the "extra" up 30% at the pelvic outlet for their babies when they are
deciding how to be "comfy" as their babies' heads are coursing their pelvic
outlets.

After half an hour of pushing I felt the baby crown, and after that
follewed the mw's instructions so he'd not come out too fast. His head
was out in no time.


Cath wrote (above): "I was allowed to push in any position I wanted..."

I strenuously disagree with this policy. It is like telling women that
"squatting opens" - but offering semisitting as an option - without
explicitly stating that semisitting CLOSES.

See HMOs to help babies? - was Why Bradley and Lamaze suck (also: Sorry
Susan)...
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group...t/message/3802

See also: LILFORD'S FRAUD, below.

I think 100% of babies would want midwives reminding delivering mothers of
"Todd's" message - that pushing a baby out while on one's back - semisitting
or dorsal - closes the pelvic outlet the "extra" up to 30%.

After that things suddenly got hectic.


I submit that before the baby's head comes out - with the birth canal
senselessly closed the "extra" up to 30% - things are ALREADY (potentially)
hectic.

As alluded to above, Australian obstetrician Norman Beischer, MD once wrote:

"10-15% of stillborn infants die just before delivery without there having
been any evidence of distress..." [Beischer quoted in Chalmers I. The
perinatal research agenda: whose priorities? Birth 1991;18(3):137-41]
http://home1.gte.net/gastaldo/part2ftc.html

NOTE #1: Sir Iain Chalmers, MD - who quoted Beischer - was taking Beischer
to task about guessing about such things. Sir Iain Chalmers, MD grossly
abuses science - babies be damned. Sir Iain told me when I called him
years ago that there is no need to tell women that obstetricians are
routinely closing birth canal up to 30% - and lying to cover-up - until
there are randomised controlled trials demonstrating that there is benefit
to doing so. I noted for Sir Iain that the science will likely never be
done - as it - the proposed experiment is already being done. It is
uncontrolled - unethical on its face: Most (all?) women would not knowingly
allow their birth canals to be closed the "extra" up to 30%.

NOTE #2: Prominent British obstetrician Richard J. Lilford
noted in 1989 that obstetrics "amounts to uncontrolled experimentation."
*[Lilford RJ. State of the obstetric art. The Lancet (Nov18)1989:1205-1207.
*Reviewing Chalmers I, Enkin M and Keirse MJNC (eds.). Effective Care in
Pregnancy and Childbirth Oxford: Oxford University Press 1989 Pp 1516 (2
vols) ISBN 0-192615580]

Obstetrics is STILL uncontrolled experimentation...

WOMEN AREN'T BEING ASKED IF THEY WANT THEIR BIRTH CANALS NARROWED

LILFORD'S FRAUD...

Lilford and colleagues [Gupta JK, Glanville JN, Johnson N, Lilford RJ,
Dunham RJC, Watters JK. The effect of squatting on pelvic dimensions. Eur J
Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 1991;42:19-22] compared radiographs taken in the
squatting position with radiographs taken with the woman seated, feet on the
floor, with the trunk 30 degrees from the vertical.

Trunk 30 degrees from the vertical does not guarantee demonstration of
sacro-iliac motion; and this can be verified by placing one ¹s fingers under
one¹s sacrum and leaning back 30 degrees.* The sacrum does not come into
contact with the sitting surface - especially if one "sits up straight"
(extends the lumbar spine) as one leans back.

In an even more flawed 1989 study, Lilford and Gupta concluded that British
radiologist JGB Russell must have been a victim of "subconscious observer
bias" when he calculated that a "massive" (Lilford and Gupta¹s word) 20-30%
of pelvic outlet area is denied when sacroiliac motion is denied. [Lilford
RJ, Glanville JN, Gupta JK, Shrestha R, Johnson N. The action of squatting
in the early postnatal period marginally increases pelvic dimensions. Br J
Obstet Gynaecol 1989;96:964-66.]

Lilford's fraudulent x-ray studies followed Lilford's peculiar "Experiment
of squatting birth" (Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 1989a;30:217-20) in
which he asked women "to recline into a semi-dorsal position at the moment
of crowning" - after informing them of the "putative benefits of squatting."
(!)

Finally, Lilford ("the Lilford Group") afforded Murray Enkin, MD a lame
excuse to censor/delete key x-ray studies - babies be damned...

As I informed an international OB/GYN e-mail list years ago:

Before engaging in his censorship, Enkin told me by telephone that he was
relying on studies by "the Lilford Group" which, he claimed, refuted the
earlier "squatting" radiographic studies - the studies which he ultimately
deleted/censored from the 1995 Guide. Enkin also told me that Effective Care
and the Guide only carry information about randomized controlled trials -
which simply is not true. I pointed out to Enkin that the studies by "the
Lilford Group" were extremely flawed (details on request) and that they most
certainly were not randomized controlled trials. I added that simple
biomechanics indicates that most of the randomized controlled trials in
Effective Care and the Guide were carried out with tailbones jammed up to 4
cm into fetal skulls...Chalmers' and Enkin's brand of obstetric "science" is
actually anti-science - mothers and fetuses be damned. While Beischer,
mentioned above, should clearly label his thinking as clinical impression
not scientifically-tested; lack of scientific testing should not be used to
discourage people from speaking up about what they observe. Routine jamming
of tailbones into fetal skulls may indeed cause some unexplained fetal
deaths. See my letter in the July 1997 Mothering magazine, reproduced
[at]...
http://forums.obgyn.net/forums/ob-gy...9707/0128.html

I informed Lilford's colleague (BJOG editor Thornton) of Lilford's fraud -
to no avail...

See Gastaldo to delight BJOG editor Thornton
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ chiro-list/message/2001

The grisly game of obstetrics is fixed. It is not science.

Some background on the Dutch system - as you usually give birth at home


Dutch midwives Astrid Limburg and Beatrijs Smulders [1992] report shifting
to squatting delivery after being taught semi-recumbent delivery techniques
in midwifery school. They provide an excellent discussion of at-term pelvic
biomechanics. Also, on p. 40 of their text, midwife Agaath Schoon discusses
explicit biomechanical reasons why she shifted to squatting delivery soon
after midwifery school. See Limburg A, Smulders B. Women giving birth
1992 Celestial Arts, P.O. Box 7123, Berkeley, CA *94707. *Beatrijs
Smulders, Gebortecentrum Amsterdam b.v., de Genestetraat 3, 1054 AW
Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS]

From Cath's experience, it sounds like at least one Dutch midwife is not
aware that semisitting and dorsal close the birth canal up to 30% - or if
she is aware - the gravity of that fact has not yet sunk in.

or in the 'short stay' dept of the hospital (in hospital but with your
midwife, and you're discharged right away), you get a sort of doula for
the first week to help you with the baby and the household, and make
sure you rest enough, and take care of the other kids etc. We call it
'kraamhulp', I have no translation but will refer to her as Marina, that
was her name. Normally they arrive during labour to assist the midwife,
but because I was already at 9 cm when the midwife arrived Marina
arrived a bit late, just as I was pushing out the head at 2pm.

Anyway, as I was saying things suddenly got hectic. The mw told me to
turn 90 degrees so my legs were in the air and she had better access.


I hope the midwife telling Cath to "turn 90 degrees" means that she finally
got Cath off her sacrum.

Note: Cath's statement "my legs were in the air and she had better access"
sounds like she was turned to a sort of dorsal lithotomy position. But that
doesn't square with being on her back in the first place, then being turned
90 degrees.

She told me to push push with all my might, and Marina got on the bed
and pushed my belly.

This sounds like the standard suprapubic pressure in shoulder dystocia cases
- usually done with the mother on her back. The problem is, pushing down
closes the birth canal with more force. But sometimes the force of
suprapubic pressure is sufficient to dislodge the baby's shoulder - just as
uterine contractions are usually sufficient to push the baby out with the
birth canal closed the "extra" up to 30%. Cath's mention of what sounds
like suprapubic pressure reminds me - sometimes there are unexplained
clavicular fractures in babies. Suprapubic pressure can no doubt fracture a
clavicle.

Turned out that Jens had one arm over his head, and
his other shoulder was stuck behind my pubic bone.

When we did not
manage to dislodge him this way she stuck her hand in and unhooked the
shoulder.

Hopefully, Cath was off her sacrum - having been (finally) turned 90
degrees.

Whole thing probably took no more than a minute, but because
Jens' head was already born and he had already started to breathe there
was not that much time. I did not know exactly what was happening, it
was mainly the sudden urgency of the midwife that made me realise
something was wrong.


As noted above, Dutch midwives Astrid Limburg and Beatrijs Smulders
indicated in 1992 that Dutch midwives are taught to do
semisitting/semirecumbent deliveries. Perhaps they are still being taught
semisitting/semirecumbent deliveries/closing the birth canal the "extra" up
to 30%?

He was pretty blue, but after some rubbing pinked up and started to cry.
He was put on my belly so I could admire him and gaze into his beautiful
little eyes. He did not want to nurse straight away. After a while the
cord was cut, we were both cleaned up and stitched up (just a small
tear).


Breathing in the birth canal (see above) - and crying once born - with
delayed cutting of the umbilical cord - means that little Jens likely got
the "extra" up to 50% of blood volume (placental transfusion) that is
routinely denied so many babies.

That cord/placenta blood has stem cells - and stem cells likely help babies
heal from much birth trauma they encounter.

I was mightily proud that I had managed to push him out by myself...and at
home as I had wanted!


The Dutch maternity system is renowned for homebirths.

In 1991, British research statistician Tew teamed up with Dutch physician
Sonya Damstra-Wijmenga, M.D. to publish statistics demonstrating that
independent, non-nurse Dutch midwives, practicing in homes and hospitals,
were associated with 10 times fewer perinatal deaths than Dutch
obstetricians. Tew and Damstra-Wijmenga noted that high risk patient
selection bias could only account for a small part of the obstetricians'
ten-fold greater perinatal mortality rate.

Wrote Tew and Damstra-Wijmenga: *"Though unlikely, excess risk might
conceivably have been high enough to account for threefold or, at a
stretch a fourfold discrepancy between obstetricians' and midwives'
perinatal mortality rates; it could not have been nearly high enough to
account for the ten fold discrepancy actually experienced...[The
obstetricians'] higher perinatal mortality rates at all identified grades
of predicted risk...support the...hypothesis...that obstetricians' care
actually provokes and adds to the dangers." [Tew M, Damstra-Wijmenga SMI.
Safest birth attendants: recent Dutch evidence. Midwifery 1991;7:55-65.
SMI Damstra-Wijmenga, M.D., van Ketwich Verschuurlaan 5, 9721SB
Groningen, HOLLAND; Marjorie Tew, 121 Bramcote Ln, Wollaton, Nottingham
NG8 2NJ ENGLAND]

In part as a result of Tew and Damstra-Wijmenga's work, a Select
Committee of the British government was formed to survey the world
literature regarding maternity care. *The Select Committee discovered
(and reported in 1992) that women have been getting biased information:

"[A] 'medical model of care' should no longer drive the maternity service
and women should be given unbiased information...including the option,
previously denied to them, of having their babies at home..." [House of
Commons Select Health Committee, Second Report 1992. Quoted in Department
of Health (Britain). Changing Childbirth HMSO Publications Centre, P.O.
Box 276, London, SW8 5DT.]

In a recent telephone conversation with Sheila Kitzinger of Great
Britain, Ms. Kitzinger noted that the Cochrane Center is finding that Tew
and Damstra-Wijmenga "compared apples and oranges." *In other words,
according to Ms. Kitzinger, the Cochrane Center has determined that one
cannot conclude from Tew and Damstra-Wijmenga's 1991 study that homebirth
is safer than hospital birth.

I noted in reply to Ms. Kitzinger that if Dutch midwives are routinely
offering sacroiliac motion - and if Dutch obstetricians are not - it
doesn't matter, from the perspective of sacroiliac motion, whether the
findings of Tew and Damstra-Wijmenga indicate that homebirth per se is
safer. *Some factor (or factors) caused babies to die 10X more frequently
under obstetric care. *Routine obstetric use of semi-recumbency (jamming
tailbones up to an inch into fetal skulls) may be causing more than
"asymptomatic" brain bleeds.

Ms. Kitzinger closed our conversation by saying she would correct a
relevant error found in her 1994 text:

Ms. Kitzinger wrote (erroneously): *"[b]oth the width and the size of the
opening from front to back are increased in 28 percent of women when they
switch from lying down to a squatting position." *[Kitzinger S. The
Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth. "conceived, edited and
designed" in London by Dorling Kindersley Limited; published in New York
by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1993:264]

In fact, the radiographic evidence indicates that ALL women are
susceptible to having their birth canals closed up to 28% (after Russell, I
round this
up to 30%) in the semi-recumbent position - and this fact (as indicated
above) is noted by
Dutch midwives Astrid Limburg and Beatrijs Smulders in Women giving birth
1992 Celestial Arts, P.O. Box 7123, Berkeley, CA *94707.

[DD was a ventouse delivery]


Most ventouse/vacuum deliveries are performed by the obstetrician with the
mother semisitting or dorsal, the obstetrician closing her birth canal up to
30% as he pulls.

Again, most babies nicely recover from birth trauma caused by
ventouse/vacuum pulling (and pulling with hands and forceps) - but some
don't do so well.

Obstetricians have NO business though pulling on a tiny spine with the birth
canal senselessly closed the "extra" up to 30%.

Jens is doing really well so far, nurses really well, on day 6 he was
already over his birthweight! He want to nurse every three hours or so
which comes as a bit of a shock to me as DD wanted to nurse every other
minute :-). But as he's already over his birthweight he seems to know
what he's doing...


Cath, if Jens had not been doing well, I would likely not have remarked.

Some have indicated that I should NOT remark critically on birth stories -
perhaps they are right - but my sense is that part of the reason that the
"extra" up to 30% is still routinely denied is precisely because no one
remarks critically when women say they labored on their backs. After all,
most babies seem to do fine - even "healthy" babies with brain bleeds...

Obstetricians and midwives are relying heavily on nature's built in birth
trauma recovery systems.

I say again: In 1991, British research statistician Tew teamed up with
Dutch physician
Sonya Damstra-Wijmenga, M.D. to publish statistics demonstrating that
independent, non-nurse Dutch midwives, practicing in homes and hospitals,
were associated with 10 times fewer perinatal deaths than Dutch
obstetricians. Tew and Damstra-Wijmenga noted that high risk patient
selection bias could only account for a small part of the obstetricians'
ten-fold greater perinatal mortality rate.

With some babies dying unexplained deaths...

The mother's comfort as her baby is traversing her pelvic outlet must be
secondary to the baby's comfort.

I am adamant about that.

I think midwives ought to be adamant about that too.

Paraphrasing Cath's birth story, MIDWIVES should be "thinking about Todd" -
or rather - they should be thinking about - and reminding the mother about -
the "extra" up to 30% that will be denied if the mother goes to her
back/semisitting/dorsal.

Sincerely,

Todd

Dr. Gastaldo
Hillsboro, Oregon
USA


PS I was astonished when Dagny wrote on misc.kids.pregnancy that when she
asked about the "extra" up to 30% during her birth, her homebirth midwife
right here in good ol' USA refused - as she snidely mentioned my name to
Dagny...

It's rather obvious assault and battery for birth providers to knowingly
deny babies up to 30% of pelvic outlet area.

Offering babies the "extra" up to 30% is not going to prevent all birth
problems - but we have no right to deny it. Cath's midwife should have
reminded her.

snip a lot of comments

Todd,

How do you find time to write so long posts? :-D

Tine, Denmark

TO AGSF

See the postscript...

I wrote:

Lilford's fraud (also: Dutch midwives/homebirth) - was Birth story
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group...t/message/3811

Tine replied:

snip a lot of comments

Todd,

How do you find time to write so long posts? :-D

Tine, Denmark

Tine,

Obstetricians and midwives find time to close so many birth canals the
"extra" up to 30% - so I find time to write about the grisly travesty.

Time saver for Todd: If information I have written in the past is
applicable, I cut and paste it.

For example, I wrote the info about Lilford's fraud years ago, when I first
discovered it.

I myself had forgotten the grisly details - so re-reading it - and cutting
and pasting it - refreshed my memory.

I am still astonished.

Todd

PS To AGSF... You said you were still confused about what I meant by my
ship never came in. I am a doctor of chiropractic. Part of the job of
EVERY doctor - whatever his professional stripes - is to expose the fraud
and deception of doctors. See the AMA's Principles of Medical Ethics. My
ship never came in - I still have not been paid for my job with
recognition/success. Worse, babies are still being subjected to the
gruesome (sometimes fatal) massive spinal manipulation crime of
obstetricians - because - for example - instead of simply ending the grisly
obstetric birth-canal-closing fraud - Enkin used Lilford's fraud to
cover-up/censor.

Medical doctors persist in their gruesome massive birth frauds; so I persist
in my unpaid job.

See again: Lilford's fraud (also: Dutch midwives/homebirth) - was Birth
story
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group...t/message/3811

Eventually my ship will come in.

Congratulations and welcome to Baby Jens!

Sharalyn
mom to Alexander James (9/21/01)

Congrats, Cath! That sounds like a lovely birth. Being
at 9cm already on your first internal sounds just wonderful!

Emily

(Cath) wrote in news:1h1hndc.96s8mp1cd84i2N%
:


First the 'essentials': Jens was born on august the 10th,


Congratulations!

Be sure to remember to enjoy your new motherhood in spite of having two
small children to care for. And remember to get some sleep!


BTW: Nice name. My firstborn is named Jens ;-)


--
Inger Marie Brunsgaard
Please remove "nospam_" from my email adress if you reply to my message

Thanks Cath for sharing your birth story. How wonderful. Congratulations
on your new son.

FWIW I think the Dutch system sounds great. I wish we had a similar
situation here in Australia.

Larissa