Many years ago, Dr. Babnick was a home birth doctor in Portland, Oregon. He did not fear breech or twins. He taught many naturopathic doctors about natural home birth. Then we used a simple fetoscope to listen to the babies heart. Now, unfortunately, there is so much reliance on Doppler and Ultrasound.
For perspective here’s an old friend, Midwife Sarah Taylor’s blog
Thank you for this wonderful interview with Dr Stuart Fischbein, and for covering the topic of childbirth. I have a daughter and daughter-in-law, both of who recently chose birthing centers in hospitals to give birth to their first child, and they were pressured hard (but thankfully declined) to take vaccines and did end up getting coerced into numerous ultrasounds. Expectant mothers experience so much scaremongering, even in a "birthing center", that it's mind boggling.
One of the most fundamental practices at childbirth is women laying down to deliver their baby. The mother should have her feet on the ground, utilizing gravity to put pressure on the pelvis. This pressure softens the bones and lets the baby's head and shoulders glide out easier. I always think of the hours and hours of unnecessary pain mothers would avoid if they were on their feet and not lying down.
Some comments from Canada. I used midwives for my three births (two at home) before midwives were legally recognized. Dr. Michel Odent was one of my heroes. In the 90’s, the provinces began a process of “certifying” midwives and setting up a 4-year university program for new midwives. There are certainly benefits - the costs of midwifery care are covered and the midwives are given hospital status - but so much has been lost. The midwives are trained within the medical model and, as part of the system, must recommend the protocols for vaccination during pregnancy and for the newborn. What I see with the births of my daughter-in-laws and niece (all of whom used midwives within birthing centres) is the medicalization of the births - it’s become the “lite” version. Very sad.
Thank you for covering more of the childbirth topic! When you did so a few months ago (unassisted childbirth), I was rather shocked by the negative, sometimes closed-minded responses in the readers' comments section.
I’m trying to remember why I said “There is a big financial interest in preventing midwives from existing” 7 months ago haha I was definitely feeling some frustration when I typed that comment. Maybe that line can be nixed since I don’t know if I have enough hard proof besides the following to back it up. But maybe I meant more “there is a big financial interest in OBs and Big Birth and in making it so so hard for midwives to legally serve women who want to birth at home or in a birth center.” What I can say is there is MUCH more financial backing and huge organizations for OBGYNs than in midwives. And OBs seem very often to opt for surgery and fear when it is not warranted (ie breech births, twins, etc).
Also:
A) We could use way more midwives, especially home birth midwives. There are I think only 2 in my area. Hospitals make a LOT less when people give birth at home. There are midwives in hospitals, but they have to follow hospital rules/policies then (masking anyone?), and it’s far easier for a birthing woman to be coerced into a C-$ection when she’s already in a hospital and nurses and pediatricians walk in and all that jazz, well-meaning or just scared professionals that they are, but hospitals are still bringing in $$ via that midwife method.
B) There are also, of the midwives, plenty of midwives willing and able to deliver HBACs (home birth after cesarean), whether at home or a birthing center, but state laws say nope that’s illegal! You have to birth in a hospital in your situation! So these midwives either have to reject a client or risk a lot and serve a client “underground.” This sort of ban on something usually means it’s actually dangerous, some “expert” backed by lots of money said something, or that someone in policy didn’t do much research and made policy anyways. Maybe there are other options others can inform me of. But it is not dangerous in a majority of situations to home birth after cesarean.
I’ll post this in my original comment too. I hope one day to post “V/HBAC accomplished!”
Many years ago, Dr. Babnick was a home birth doctor in Portland, Oregon. He did not fear breech or twins. He taught many naturopathic doctors about natural home birth. Then we used a simple fetoscope to listen to the babies heart. Now, unfortunately, there is so much reliance on Doppler and Ultrasound.
For perspective here’s an old friend, Midwife Sarah Taylor’s blog
http://sarahsojourner.blogspot.com/2015/03/
Thank you for this wonderful interview with Dr Stuart Fischbein, and for covering the topic of childbirth. I have a daughter and daughter-in-law, both of who recently chose birthing centers in hospitals to give birth to their first child, and they were pressured hard (but thankfully declined) to take vaccines and did end up getting coerced into numerous ultrasounds. Expectant mothers experience so much scaremongering, even in a "birthing center", that it's mind boggling.
One of the most fundamental practices at childbirth is women laying down to deliver their baby. The mother should have her feet on the ground, utilizing gravity to put pressure on the pelvis. This pressure softens the bones and lets the baby's head and shoulders glide out easier. I always think of the hours and hours of unnecessary pain mothers would avoid if they were on their feet and not lying down.
Some comments from Canada. I used midwives for my three births (two at home) before midwives were legally recognized. Dr. Michel Odent was one of my heroes. In the 90’s, the provinces began a process of “certifying” midwives and setting up a 4-year university program for new midwives. There are certainly benefits - the costs of midwifery care are covered and the midwives are given hospital status - but so much has been lost. The midwives are trained within the medical model and, as part of the system, must recommend the protocols for vaccination during pregnancy and for the newborn. What I see with the births of my daughter-in-laws and niece (all of whom used midwives within birthing centres) is the medicalization of the births - it’s become the “lite” version. Very sad.
Thank you for covering more of the childbirth topic! When you did so a few months ago (unassisted childbirth), I was rather shocked by the negative, sometimes closed-minded responses in the readers' comments section.
Great news about your podcast. Looking forward!
Hi, are any of these excellent interviews on tape / regular podcast apps? I normally listen to pods on Podbean. Thanks x
No, but I have just added an audio file to this post.
Way too many C sections done, but we still need to have them available when absolutely necessary.
Wow what a pleasant surprise! Dr Stu!!
I’m trying to remember why I said “There is a big financial interest in preventing midwives from existing” 7 months ago haha I was definitely feeling some frustration when I typed that comment. Maybe that line can be nixed since I don’t know if I have enough hard proof besides the following to back it up. But maybe I meant more “there is a big financial interest in OBs and Big Birth and in making it so so hard for midwives to legally serve women who want to birth at home or in a birth center.” What I can say is there is MUCH more financial backing and huge organizations for OBGYNs than in midwives. And OBs seem very often to opt for surgery and fear when it is not warranted (ie breech births, twins, etc).
Also:
A) We could use way more midwives, especially home birth midwives. There are I think only 2 in my area. Hospitals make a LOT less when people give birth at home. There are midwives in hospitals, but they have to follow hospital rules/policies then (masking anyone?), and it’s far easier for a birthing woman to be coerced into a C-$ection when she’s already in a hospital and nurses and pediatricians walk in and all that jazz, well-meaning or just scared professionals that they are, but hospitals are still bringing in $$ via that midwife method.
B) There are also, of the midwives, plenty of midwives willing and able to deliver HBACs (home birth after cesarean), whether at home or a birthing center, but state laws say nope that’s illegal! You have to birth in a hospital in your situation! So these midwives either have to reject a client or risk a lot and serve a client “underground.” This sort of ban on something usually means it’s actually dangerous, some “expert” backed by lots of money said something, or that someone in policy didn’t do much research and made policy anyways. Maybe there are other options others can inform me of. But it is not dangerous in a majority of situations to home birth after cesarean.
I’ll post this in my original comment too. I hope one day to post “V/HBAC accomplished!”