Women's rights in childbirth .. further reading suggestions

[Thecathouse]

After a traumatic birth 2 years ago I am finally coming to terms with it and realising that when I say no to a procedure, even during labour, it should be respected. Also preparing for another child in the future.

I recently read "give birth like a feminist" by Millie Hill and found it brilliant learning about the rights we have. It was a very empowering read.

Does anybody have any suggestions of similar books looking at women's rights during pregnancy and labour?

[pitterpatterrain]

I would agree FricasseTurnips. In the middle of labour there is a lot of stuff done that I suppose the medical team believe needs to be done so the framing is not articulated in a way you can say no.

You can ask for things also but they get ignored. Or “there wasn’t enough time” or “the anaesthetist wasn’t available” and frankly who knows what is actually true.

When they tried to sew me up after birth (and started...) with zero pain medication I shouted the house down until it was given. The impression I got was that I should have just dealt with being stitched feeling every piece of it and why was I such a pita.

[Thecathouse]

@Babdoc

I’m a little puzzled, OP. Informed consent is already a requirement for all medical or surgical procedures in the UK. The consent can be verbal, particularly in an emergency where there isn’t time to faff about with signing consent forms.
If you were forcibly operated on against your wishes, that is a major breach of criminal law and your obstetrician can be prosecuted and/or struck off.

I know that now, at the time I had very little awareness that I had the right to say no. I am in Northern Ireland

I was given no option other than hospital birth

I went into labour naturally but it stalled when I got to hospital due to being so tense

I had my waters broken while I was begging her not to

I had a headclip monitor I refused to give consent to
I had an episitomy without being told it was going to happen

I had multiple examinations through labour and was injected with drugs I didn't want

Informed consent was not part of labour for me, it was all this is what must be done, we are now... It's procedure... We have to, you can't say no

My partner tried to advocate for me and his attempts were also brushed aside, I had my legs forced into stirrups and was made to give birth on my back, I wanted to walk and wasn't allowed despite there being no reason given

There is still a hell of a lot of work to be done on ensuring women are listened to during birth, from what I have read it's not unusual for women to experience this sort of treatment

[FricasseeTurnips]

Babdoc I had a lot of "I'm just going to do X" and "it's time to do Y" and "you have to do Z now" - when these are things I knew nothing about or had said I didn't want earlier. It can be very difficult to say stop or no (again) mid-labour to someone in a position of authority and power.

In one labour, the midwife asked if she could "have a feel" mid contraction - I consented by saying yes. The next thing she said was "I've just broken your waters" - bit late for me to refuse at that point. My notes say just say "sac broke at 8.45" - excellent use of the passive tense.

[Babdoc]

CharlieB93, did you raise a formal complaint at the time? Unless the obstetrician can justify it as essential to save your life and there was literally no time to obtain your consent or you were unconscious (ie acting in patient’s presumed best interests) then that is an assault.

[dontcallmelen]

@Thecathouse this happens all to often unfortunately & knowledge is power, my dd has a podcast ( I think she is doing a podcast with Millie Hill fairly soon) runs various courses & has lots of information & support around women’s rights in childbirth you can find her on Instagram & various other platforms moonandstarspositivebirthing
💐

[SuseB]

Also, Why Birth Trauma Matters by Emma Svanberg, and Birth Shock by Mia Scotland who is a perinatal clinical psychologist would be worthwhile reading.

[CharlieB93]

@Babdoc I had a horrific experience where a consultant put her hands in me after I’d had over 100 stitches and didn’t stop regardless of me begging her to. Trust me it happens.

[Heidi1982]

You're absolutely right Babdoc, but anecdotally a lot of women report things being done to them without consent, or without properly informed consent, during childbirth.

OP I'd suggest you look at Birthrights too, a really fab organisation that does a lot of work in this area.

[Babdoc]

I’m a little puzzled, OP. Informed consent is already a requirement for all medical or surgical procedures in the UK. The consent can be verbal, particularly in an emergency where there isn’t time to faff about with signing consent forms.
If you were forcibly operated on against your wishes, that is a major breach of criminal law and your obstetrician can be prosecuted and/or struck off.

[Heidi1982]

"Why Human Rights in Childbirth Matter" by Rebecca Schiller.