Hannah Barnes article on traumatic birth

[JeannieDark]

This was a tough read but I'm so glad it's being discussed:

www.newstatesman.com/politics/health/2024/04/trauma-ward-childbirth

I had my babies in the 1970s. At that time, the Medical Defence Union (doctors’ insurance organisation) said that the moment a woman set foot over the threshold of a maternity unit/hospital she had given implicit consent to any treatment she was given. What that meant in reality was that there was no need for explicit consent, no explanations, no information, routine episiotomy – they just did what they decided and you just had to accept it.

That was, of course, some fifty years ago, and none of those working then will be in post now. But they would have taught students, who would have taught students, and by the sounds of it there’s still a lingering after-effect of “doctor knows best”.

(As for pain relief: while in labour with my first, I got jabbed with a needle and don’t remember much after that. In the post-natal ward, the woman in the next bed was a nurse who had asked the question – apparently, all patients under the care of that particular obstetrician were routinely given a cocktail of pethidine, morphine, and chloral. Slowed down labour, forceps delivery, floppy baby. Yes, I’m still angry.)

Omg- was this in the US?

looking back at my birth in 2006 it’s no surprise we then used our savings to pay for a private midwife home birth two years later. Couldn’t have been more different. Didn’t complain because slightly busy with a baby - but that’s why we don’t complain…

fucking appalling behaviour and I’m angry still.

This was in the UK.

Same here, I suffered for years and eventually had therapy which included EMDR which helped so much. I never had another child partly due to the way I was treated during the birth of my one and only.

This is a horrific article, sparring no punches. What particularly upset me was that birth injuries are so downplayed e.g. by NCT etc, and the drive for a 'normal birth' that is without medical intervention. I belong to the generation that had children in the late 70s and the 80s. I remember a female doctor telling me I was having too much gas and air, and I bloody well ignored her. But I was not ignored in the way this article suggests. I also was not expected to have a normal delivery if that was not practical. The entire process was designed to have a healthy (or at least alive) mother and baby. Now the process seems to be to have a normal birth, but sadly one or both participants died was badly injured - but we did not use drugs or medical intervention so hey! it's wonderful. Childbirth is dangerous. Women used to write their wills beforehand, or write letters to their child/children in case they died. Husband actually made sure they said a proper goodbye in the sixteenth century because of the chances of their wife dying. We used to know this and now we don't. So women tear so badly they are doubly incontinent and no-one seems to care. Women do not matter, of course.

Excellent article. Great about the APPG enquiry- although note this is not as high profile as a select committee inquiry so it will be up to women to write to MPs to make sure the results are acted on. And hope the Women’s Health Strategy delivers for women of course, that is really essential. Thanks Hannah Barnes for your excellent reporting if you see this.

Excellent article. Great about the APPG enquiry- although note this is not as high profile as a select committee inquiry so it will be up to women to write to MPs to make sure the results are acted on. And hope the Women’s Health Strategy delivers for women of course, that is really essential. Thanks Hannah Barnes for your excellent reporting if you see this.

If you’re in the Sussex area, you can self refer for physio.
They do ask for gender instead of sex though 🙄
ETA link https://sussexlmns.org/forms/pelvic-health-physiotherapy-referral/