Had A Baby In The Last 6 Months?

My friend, Dr Amy Brown is looking for participants in a research survey.

The point of the research is to look at women who did or did not use alternative therapies during their pregnancy and then look their birth outcomes.

We need your help.

So, here's the information you need:

          Complementary and Alternative Therapies in Pregnancy and Birth outcomes

Swansea University Research Study: Complimentary and alternative therapies during pregnancy and birth and postnatal outcomes

We are looking for mums with a baby aged 0 – 6 months old to complete a questionnaire exploring their use of complementary and alternative therapies during pregnancy and possible associations with birth and postnatal outcomes. For example we would like to compare experiences for mothers who did or did not use treatments such as osteopathy, reflexology and homeopathy during pregnancy. Specifically we are interested in examining whether there is any difference in birth experience and postnatal health and well-being of you and your baby postnatally.

We have a particular interest in the use of osteopathy and physiotherapy during pregnancy but would like to explore any outcomes for chiropractic treatment, acupuncture, reflexology, homeopathy, massage and the Bowen Technique. We are also examining the impact of psychological support in working with a doula. This study is a small piece of pilot work. We hope to be able to explore any significant associations in more depth in the future.
The study is run by Dr. Amy Brown and Ross Johnston (MSc BSc (hons) OstMed ND DO) at Swansea University. It is completed using a questionnaire mainly of tick box answers with a few extra questions looking at your thoughts in more detail. It should only take around 10 - 15 minutes to complete at most. The study has full ethical permission from the research ethics committee.

We would be very grateful for responses from mothers who did or did not use any such therapies during pregnancy (or who indeed used a combination). If you are interested in taking part in the study or would like to take a look before deciding, the questionnaire can be found here. If you would prefer a paper copy please email Amy at a.e.brown@swansea.ac.uk

Thank you for your time

www.surveymonkey.com/s/childbirth 

 

Many thanks,

Don't Ask Me To Save You

Earlier today I was reading another doula's blog and a post entitled:

"What Not To Ask Your Doula"

Here's the link if you want a peek: http://yorubadoula.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/what-not-to-ask-your-doula/

But it was the title of this post that resonated most with me.

And I thought to myself:

"What is the one thing that I, as a doula, don't want you to ask me?"

It's easy.

Don't ask me to be your saviour.

You may not even realise that's what you're asking me. I understand that.

When a woman has suffered during birth, had a birth that didn't meet hopes and expectations, felt like birth was something done to her and not that she gave birth, then who wouldn't go looking for a saviour?

It's perfectly reasonable when you think about it. Having spoken with many women, I know that a lot of thoughts around deciding to have a doula go something like this:

Negative birth experience → Fear → Wanting to avoid a repeat experience → Who can make this go away? → Ask around now I'm pregnant again  → I need a doula

And I totally understand why women might feel like this.

I get exactly why pregnant women might feel they need a protector, a body guard, a saviour.

It's just that I can't be any of those things because if I am, I put you straight back into the cage you're fighting so hard to escape from.

Let's face it, when most women talk about birth trauma and bad birth experiences, when you dig down to the root of the emotions, more often than not, it's about loss of power and control over your own physical body. It's about having your decisions and choices questioned, ignored and over-ruled. Sometimes it's about things, to which you never consented, being forcibly done to you against your will. It's about being made to feel stupid and insignificant for believing you had choices at all.

It's such a fundamental loss, such a blow to the person we recognise as our 'self' that makes the damage done so far-reaching, long term and completely unexpected.

It can manifest in PND, in PTSD, in panic attacks, fear of having another baby, in fear of birth. It can change who you are forever.

Even so, I cannot be your saviour.

Because I cannot, I will not, be the person to put you back into a cage.

Even if you ask me, I cannot, I will not, take over and disempower you just as you were disempowered before by others.

I will not disrespect you as a human being.

I do have something even better to offer, though.

What I will do is hold out my hand and help you step out of your cage.

What I will do is show you how to become your own advocate, so you can slam that cage door shut with you firmly on the outside.

What I will do is show you how to access the information you need to make your own informed choices.

What I will do is support you in whatever birth choices you make because I know, implicitly, that you want only the best and safest options for you and your child.

What I will do, when you make that leap of faith, is jump right alongside you.

But.......

What I will never do is be your saviour.

I'm In The Mood.....

.... for writing.

I find stress kills my creativity.

I can't sing.

I can't write.

I can't think.

I can't breathe.

But, now, the dark time is almost over and I am stepping from the tunnel, back out into the light.