Did you experience Obstetric Violence?
- Danielle
- Mar 12, 2022
- 3 min read
Welcome,
When you think of your birth does it leave a uncomfortable feeling in the body and maybe you don't know why?
Do you know that you were abused / neglected during pregnancy and birth but you don't know what to do about it?
Are you petrified by the stories of childbirth you have heard?
Do you feel left in the dark by your care provider and feel disempowered?
This is the blog for you!
For more listen to this podcast episode
I want to take the time to make some connections from the herstory of childbirth to the present day. I will not even scrape the surface but it wakes something up inside of me as we explore how we’ve come to the point of needing to reclaim our power as mothers.
What happened to make us think that other people know better than we do about how to birth our child?
Since when has childbirth been deemed as unsafe?
Firstly what does Obstetric violence mean?
The term “obstetric violence” originated in South America in 2007,Obstetric violence is usually defined as the medical appropriation of women's bodies and reproductive processes during childbirth which causes a loss of autonomy and denies women their rights to make decisions about their bodies and sexuality.
How has it come to this when history show matricentric communities were thriving?
When women, mothers and children were the heart of the community, when every woman knew how to attend births and midwifes were there is their was a complication, midwifes were their to oversee the birth and protect rituals and everyone else had their own role to support the mother.
The shame and guilt that remain within our physical body and the memories the catch us like splinters, can be loved when we understand that we have been groomed, manipulated and controlled by a patriarchal and capitalistic system.
In the 1800 century huge shifts started to take place, the history is so vast and we will soon go into this with a guest speaker !
Men attempted to run the show, distorting the people minds to think that childbirth was unsafe and they could save the mother and baby from the body of a woman. Mothers were tied to the bed, drugged and the baby was removed using Forceps!
By the 1950s, 88% percent of births occurred in a hospital with a physician
In the 1970s, the natural birth movement emerged. Mothers began experimenting with home and waterbirth. The movement, however, has been criticized for making women who want to use doctors and epidurals feel like their births are less “natural” or like they never experience “real” childbirth.
Every mother has the right to choose their path and it starts with understanding what happens in birth and how it can be naturally supported.
What is the spectrum?
Obstetric violence happens on a wide-ranging spectrum, and includes the following:
Vaginal exams without consent
Forced cesarean surgery
Physical force to prevent birth while waiting on the doctor to arrive
Physical restraint during birth
Sexual comments or sexual assault during exams or procedures
Bullying into procedures, like induction, episiotomy, or cesarean, without medical reason
Failing to get consent
Being treated/spoken to disrespectfully and/or without regard for autonomy
Gaslighted
What do you do when you realise you experienced Obstetric Violence?
Be very gentle with yourself.
Talk to someone your trust.
Join a mother's community to share stories
Connect to an expert
Heal through touch with a loved one
Write a letter of complaint without expectation
How to prevent Obstetric Violence?
Create a birth plan
Connect to your birthing tribe
Be ready to ask questions!
Know this is your birth rite and a sacred ceremony
A feeling of being safe comes from awareness, understanding what is happening and feeling safe to ask questions.
There is no routine intervention or investigation which doesn’t deserve your consent
We are here to remember our innate wisdom and to let our children we wildlings . To live a reality we believe in and let that ripple into the world around us!
Deepest Blessings,
Danielle
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