I struggled to read that without getting mad. I am currently 27 weeks pregnant and have not had one doctors appointment, I am planning a free birth so I can just close out the noise and listen to my intuition. If I need them, I know where they are. My first pregnancy the dating scan was way out. I told them it was impossible that I conceived at that time because my partner and I were a few thousand miles apart. I was travelling in India alone. They said their technology was rarely wrong and refused to change the date. They took their machines calculations over my own knowledge which of course lead to pressure and coercion to be induced when I didnt need it. I refused.
That is so frustrating that you were treated like that. I don't think these people realise how much this sort of behaviour erodes women's confidence in them.
Keep me up to date with your birth plans. Have you thought about an independent or private midwife? xx
For sure, I am lucky to have some amazing IM's that live near me, but when I called them early on in my pregnancy they all said the same thing. Their insurance had been revoked and they wouldnt be able to come to the birth. Going solo has felt surprisngly liberating though, and I find myself feeling very in alignment with freebirth. But the great news is, those midwives are about to get their insurance back so they can keep doing what they do which is wonderful and about time :-)
Oooo so much came to mind whilst reading this - all currently on my radar... I recently read a novel about a ‘man midwife’ in 19th century Edinburgh - gruesome and a mix of obstetricians version of history and midwives but a good story - The Way of all Flesh by (husband and wife pseudonym) Ambrose Parry - husband is writer wife doctor (I think) - anyway - a book that holds truth about allopathic medicine that is fabulous is Green Pharmacy by Barbara Griggs. And... the whole issue of ‘all that matters is a healthy baby’ once again reinforced by another celebrity birth (Richard and Judy’s daughter) in OK magazine (I only stumbled on on YouTube) - struck home with me as I was once on Richard and Judy’s show as an Independent Midwife and bless them they were so on the side of midwives and natural birth - the irony of their granddaughter’s birth a CS. As for intuition (obviously it’s real...IMO) I’ve been reading about Morphic Resonance from Rupert Sheldrake - which isn’t that far from the idea of intuition - but as a man and a scientist is all about theories and research...;) oh - and I have next to me a book I’m reviewing - written by Robbie Davis-Floyd (she’s written so many fabulous anthropology books on birth) but she actually wrote ‘Intuition: the inside story’ - how’s that for a bit of synchronicity? I’m enjoying your blog Milli - I guess that’s obvious...
I have the Davis-Floyd book about 'authoritative knowledge', it's so interesting. But totally not on the radar of the safety campaigners who don't seem to want to think about nuance - they just want a production line it sometimes feels! I'm enjoying your feedback and knowledge! xx
I have Rupert Sheldrake books on my current audible wishlist. looking forward to learning more about morphic resonance. I only came across this for the first time last year when I trained as an EFT practitioner and keen to know more :-)
I struggled to read that without getting mad. I am currently 27 weeks pregnant and have not had one doctors appointment, I am planning a free birth so I can just close out the noise and listen to my intuition. If I need them, I know where they are. My first pregnancy the dating scan was way out. I told them it was impossible that I conceived at that time because my partner and I were a few thousand miles apart. I was travelling in India alone. They said their technology was rarely wrong and refused to change the date. They took their machines calculations over my own knowledge which of course lead to pressure and coercion to be induced when I didnt need it. I refused.
That is so frustrating that you were treated like that. I don't think these people realise how much this sort of behaviour erodes women's confidence in them.
Keep me up to date with your birth plans. Have you thought about an independent or private midwife? xx
For sure, I am lucky to have some amazing IM's that live near me, but when I called them early on in my pregnancy they all said the same thing. Their insurance had been revoked and they wouldnt be able to come to the birth. Going solo has felt surprisngly liberating though, and I find myself feeling very in alignment with freebirth. But the great news is, those midwives are about to get their insurance back so they can keep doing what they do which is wonderful and about time :-)
Free birthing is a particular philosophy of birth I believe in and respect (as a midwife).
Oooo so much came to mind whilst reading this - all currently on my radar... I recently read a novel about a ‘man midwife’ in 19th century Edinburgh - gruesome and a mix of obstetricians version of history and midwives but a good story - The Way of all Flesh by (husband and wife pseudonym) Ambrose Parry - husband is writer wife doctor (I think) - anyway - a book that holds truth about allopathic medicine that is fabulous is Green Pharmacy by Barbara Griggs. And... the whole issue of ‘all that matters is a healthy baby’ once again reinforced by another celebrity birth (Richard and Judy’s daughter) in OK magazine (I only stumbled on on YouTube) - struck home with me as I was once on Richard and Judy’s show as an Independent Midwife and bless them they were so on the side of midwives and natural birth - the irony of their granddaughter’s birth a CS. As for intuition (obviously it’s real...IMO) I’ve been reading about Morphic Resonance from Rupert Sheldrake - which isn’t that far from the idea of intuition - but as a man and a scientist is all about theories and research...;) oh - and I have next to me a book I’m reviewing - written by Robbie Davis-Floyd (she’s written so many fabulous anthropology books on birth) but she actually wrote ‘Intuition: the inside story’ - how’s that for a bit of synchronicity? I’m enjoying your blog Milli - I guess that’s obvious...
I have the Davis-Floyd book about 'authoritative knowledge', it's so interesting. But totally not on the radar of the safety campaigners who don't seem to want to think about nuance - they just want a production line it sometimes feels! I'm enjoying your feedback and knowledge! xx
I have Rupert Sheldrake books on my current audible wishlist. looking forward to learning more about morphic resonance. I only came across this for the first time last year when I trained as an EFT practitioner and keen to know more :-)