urgent reply needed to TEEIBLE Times article about homebirths

[nicewarmslippers]

Not sure where to post this so also posted in breast feeding section as that is where I spend more time.

See Page 26 of The TIMES today. There is an article by Melanie Reid with the subtitle " Women who think they can have a baby without 21st Century medicine are spoilt and complacent" Now I am no home birth advocate (had both in hospital and very happy with that) but this article made me furious. Yes there may be a valid debate to have here but she is so so rude about women who chose to have home births-suggesting they are all "sandal wearing homely principled types who go on the breast feed untill their child is in secondary school" (all her words!) and any sensible debate is hidden in ill informed vitriol

She claims that women in the Netherlands which has a higher home birth rate are "at odds with the mass female consensus everywhere which is that hospital is where they want to be when they give birth"

She claims that the NCT have 'appointed Davinia McCall as their portentous sounding ambassador for home birth and got her to gush that "I gave birth to all three of mine at home and it was truly amazing"'

Can anyone imagine getting Davina to do anything she didn't want to? It al makes the NCT sound like some nutty militants. I am not a member but appreciate what they do.

I haven't time to type all up as have a hospital appointment (and baby with chicken pox so manic day) but it is really very rude and I am sure lacks basic facts.

If anyone has the time and knowledge at finger tips to write a rebuttal to the times letters page please please do. My understanding is that home births for most cases are as safe and have reduced interventions which is part of that. She doesn't go into any of that just calling home birthing women complacent and spoilt!

This is a call to arms!

Ooh spooky

just linked to this on another thread

well I thought I had....

here is the link to the article
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/melanie_reid/article6101189.ece

wow HumphreyCobbler-the wonders of technology. There was I imagining mumsnetters all over the country having to bundle babies into prams and rush to the newsagents and here you go just saving everyone time and 70p! Well done you.

I read this at lunchtime and I also got a bit .

I wonder what her problem with home birth is really, no one is forcing anyone to give birth at home, and as far as I know home births have no negative impact whatsoever on other people.
Quite the contrary in fact as their non-presence at the hospital means that the medical staff can get on with dealing with pregnant women who actually need assistance during birth.

Is she worried about nationals statistics for any particular reason?

If women decide to give birth at home, how does that impact on her life exactly?
Why get so wound up about it??.

She did also sound like she did not like the NCT. As far as I know no-one is forced to listen to their advice either??

She is actually implying that pregnant women are not able to weigh the advantages and disadvantages and make decisions for themselves.
I do not know her background, in journalism or otherwise, she sounds like an intolerant person borderline wannabe dictator.

For the record I have not had home births nor am I considering it, I just really don't see why it should bother me that some women choose this path.
I actually think some women will have chosen to do so because of the way they have been treated by the NHS hospitals resulting in a complete lack of trust in the current system.

You don't have to google for very long to find articles pointing out the problems, like this one taken from the very same newspaper.

I think you are over-reacting.

Melanie also says this: "We should resist any pressure to turn childbirth into a fashion. Home births may be fine for the tiny minority that want them - no woman should be denied the choice - but for the vast majority of us the only intelligent, progressive, logical place to give birth is within shouting distance of the benefits of 21st-century medicine."

And this: "If nothing else, we owe it to those millions of women, who over thousands of years died or lost their babies from infection and puerperal fever, from breech births and haemorrhage, to take advantage of every last damn thing a hospital can offer."

And I think she has a point.

I don't think she is saying that pregnant women aren't able to make a sensible choice. On the contrary, she says the vast majority prefer to play it safe.

Don't worry 'arms' have already been taken in 2 other threads! here and also one in the pregnancy section I think.

But the important thing that is always missed is that homebirths are statistically safer. This seems to be a point that is constantly brushed over.

Most homebirthers have been "screened" and anyone with a slight risk is not encouraged/allowed to have a homebirth (here in Canada you are not allowed to have a hb if you don't pass the screening)

The important issue is that we all have the right to choose, and in the event when our preferred choice of birth location/method is not possible (due to ours or our babies health) the healthcare providers should work WITH the mother to create a birthing experience that makes the best of the situation.

She'll be sneering the other side of her face when c.difficile sweeps a maternity hospital one day, annhialating otherwise healthy newborns, as I predict it will do if we carry on stockpiling people into shared wards with shared facilities and running hospitals as cheaply as possible.

"I don't think she is saying that pregnant women aren't able to make a sensible choice. On the contrary, she says the vast majority prefer to play it safe"

Whereas those of us who choose homebirths prefer to deliberately put our babies lives at risk so we can get back into our own beds after giving birth.