tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post666940451262407702..comments2024-03-05T11:36:50.299-05:00Comments on Stand and Deliver: Too fat and too oldRixahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07908864785513937876noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-50624792657244279262007-10-18T09:14:00.000-04:002007-10-18T09:14:00.000-04:00Wow. The idea of a 50% c-section rate is going to...Wow. The idea of a 50% c-section rate is going to stick with me for a while. Thanks for a great, disturbing post.tanya@motherwearbloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09484586523103045315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-66679272722145829112007-10-17T13:19:00.000-04:002007-10-17T13:19:00.000-04:00ps--Kmom, I love your site! It has tons of great i...ps--Kmom, I love your site! It has tons of great information that applies to women of any size.Rixahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07908864785513937876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-55144621586247757062007-10-17T13:18:00.000-04:002007-10-17T13:18:00.000-04:00I think if we (speaking very generally here) were ...I think if we (speaking very generally here) were *really* concerned about obesity's effects on pregnancy, why not:<BR/>- help make organic, locally grown food available and affordable to everyone who wanted it<BR/>- fund free or reduced price health clubs (with on-site childcare for members) so that everyone who wanted to exercise could do it, especially women with small children<BR/>- research into causes of obesity rather than treating/reacting to symptoms as they emerge<BR/>- enable adequate social support so that women have the time, money, and freedom to treat their bodies right and to live healthy lives<BR/>- work on eliminating the cultural bias towards anyone over a size 10! <BR/><BR/>Any other ideas?<BR/><BR/>This is not to say that being overweight is something *bad* that we need to eradicate across the board...so I don't want to offend any of you mamas out there...but really, how is increasing cesarean rates doing overweight or obese women any good? It will only increase their health problems and complications (as it would with any woman, large or small). <BR/><BR/>Barb Herrera (aka Navelgazing Midwife) writes a lot about women of size. I don't know if she reads this blog, but her blog archives have a lot to say about this topic.Rixahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07908864785513937876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-10307786657796937902007-10-17T13:09:00.000-04:002007-10-17T13:09:00.000-04:00I hate all the fatphobic generalizations and stere...I hate all the fatphobic generalizations and stereotypes.<BR/><BR/>What I hate more is the willingness of fat women to accept the blame for a system that is failing all women, but is making special considerations to further set up women of size for disaster.<BR/><BR/>ugh!<BR/><BR/>this was an AWESOME post.Pamelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12740691730251268494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-7170054270540229702007-10-16T23:44:00.000-04:002007-10-16T23:44:00.000-04:00My goodness. That's depressing. I'm going to lin...My goodness. That's depressing. I'm going to link to your blog post. So glad an ICAN member made me aware of your post. I would like to receive a copy of the ppt. I'll e-mail you.<BR/>~ KimberlyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-53725510655057543622007-10-16T21:03:00.000-04:002007-10-16T21:03:00.000-04:00Yes, doctors are very much "blame the woman" when ...Yes, doctors are very much "blame the woman" when talking about the c/s rate. That way they don't have to defend their outrageous policies or acknowledge that the huge c/s increase over the years is largely THEIR responsibility, their mismanagement. <BR/><BR/>Instead they can blame it on the women being too old, too fat, too short, wanting that premium baby, whatever is most convenient.<BR/><BR/>Historically, fat women did not have high cesarean rates. If being fat truly prevented a vaginal birth, it would have prevented it then too. Fat women have been having babies for eons; why suddenly now do they need to be cut open to have their babies? Size bias and interventionist management protocols, that's why. It's how they are perceived and "managed" that has changed.<BR/><BR/>Fat women can have babies vaginally. Older women, short women, you-name-it women can have babies vaginally. The key is to choose a true midwifery model of care, don't induce labor, and to promote a well-positioned baby for the birth. <BR/><BR/>--kmom<BR/>www.plus-size-pregnancy.org <BR/>(fat, old and short and had vaginal births anyhow!!!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-80675871978630165772007-10-16T19:23:00.000-04:002007-10-16T19:23:00.000-04:00Ugh. It turns my stomach. Not only that this disgu...Ugh. It turns my stomach. Not only that this disgusting propaganda is being preached to women as if it were gospel, but that women are dumb enough to blindly follow along with it. I want to make a thousand smart remarks as is my trademark, but I'm just too sad. :(Jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17475112158639748154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-28728859567710904242007-10-16T18:10:00.000-04:002007-10-16T18:10:00.000-04:00Heya!A fellow member of the ICAN email list sent o...Heya!<BR/>A fellow member of the ICAN email list sent out a link to your blog... all I can say is thank you. One in three women end up cut today, and the numbers are only going up. The US is 41st in the world in maternal/fetal birth outcomes. <BR/><BR/>Fat, old, young, wealthy, poor, white, black... it doesn't matter. We see every single category listed as a reason for cesarean. The bottom line is, if you go to a surgeon (OB is a surgical specialty) to manage your birth, you are more and more and more likely to end up cut.<BR/><BR/>Maybe we're radicals, and freaks, and whatever else, but we've got to keep talking. Woman-to-woman support is the only way this train is going to stop. Thanks for standing up. <BR/><BR/>~~L! (Publications Director, ICAN)Laureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12481258874805195562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-48717459550135053362007-10-16T17:56:00.000-04:002007-10-16T17:56:00.000-04:00I am personally offended by this being a plus-size...I am personally offended by this being a plus-sized woman myself. I took excellent care of myself during pregnancy- I only gained 10 lbs and immediately lost 15 lbs after delivery. If I had gone to a doctor who had told me that I would never be able to have a baby naturally because I was too at risk because of my size I would have been devastated. Instead I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy, 7 lb 5 oz. baby girl naturally with plenty of pelvic room to spare! She didn't even have a cone head! I wouldn't change a thing about my labor and delivery and I think that doctors should assess each person as an individual instead of clumping them into a category- "old" or "fat" or whatever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-19909173973454302582007-10-16T17:38:00.000-04:002007-10-16T17:38:00.000-04:00I would love to see the presentation, please. (rob...I would love to see the presentation, please. (robin at robineliseweiss dot com) THANKS!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-46100960880271265052007-10-16T14:58:00.000-04:002007-10-16T14:58:00.000-04:00I am wounded and I appreciate your post, Rixa.I wa...I am wounded and I appreciate your post, Rixa.<BR/><BR/>I was tricked and lied to and cut and abandoned. Twice. It hurts everyday.<BR/><BR/>Dr. Odent was so so right. I know I can birth naturally if I am in a safe environment. I have done it before.Housefairyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07158143680987249710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-67290610077968603982007-10-16T12:37:00.000-04:002007-10-16T12:37:00.000-04:00Yay Wendi!! (Is this the Wendi I interviewed a few...Yay Wendi!! (Is this the Wendi I interviewed a few months back? If so, then congrats on your new little one!)Rixahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07908864785513937876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-79216638903698482362007-10-16T12:36:00.000-04:002007-10-16T12:36:00.000-04:00Another addendum: I do what I do because I CARE!! ...Another addendum: I do what I do because I CARE!! I want women to come out of birth feeling victorious and powerful and elated. Now the route to achieving this is different, and some women might come out of their induction/epidural birth feeling fantastic. Good for them. But so many women are wounded. Physically, yes, but also emotionally and spiritually. Women should never come out of a birth with PTSD, which does happen fairly often! They should not ever feel like they were lied to, manipulated, coerced, abused, or even just treated like crap because they wanted something different.Rixahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07908864785513937876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-73433111998852761112007-10-16T12:33:00.001-04:002007-10-16T12:33:00.001-04:00Glad I didn't fall prey to this misogynist line of...Glad I didn't fall prey to this misogynist line of thinking. At 38yo and well over 200 pounds I should have been destined to a c-section but instead I had a beautiful four hour UC with only my family and best friend present. My baby joined us underwater in dim lighting being only touched by loving hands. My baby is lucky I can see through this thin veil of deception and disempowerment. Praise the perfection of the female body!<BR/>WendiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-50618314802075679822007-10-16T12:33:00.000-04:002007-10-16T12:33:00.000-04:00Yes, it's frustrating that some people aren't even...Yes, it's frustrating that some people aren't even interested in learning about the reality of childbirth or what their range of options are or even what the full set of risks and benefits of their choices are. I'm not just saying these things to be annoying or alarmist. I'm not making it up! And knowledge is power--it can't hurt to do your research and have a realistic picture of what you're getting into. I mean, a 30% cesarean rate isn't going to magically go away if you say, "but I trust my doctor. He only does cesareans when they're necessary." You can't escape the consequences of your decision, no matter how much you'd like to ignore them or pretend they don't exist or think you're the special exception. Okay, I must stop ranting and get back to writing my dissertation!Rixahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07908864785513937876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20642800.post-41494084131703626142007-10-16T11:52:00.000-04:002007-10-16T11:52:00.000-04:00Wow! And what is really sad is that women are acc...Wow! And what is really sad is that women are accepting this load of rubbish they are being fed about birth. It makes me very sad whenever I talk to a pregnant woman who has no clue what can, and probably will, happen to her when she walks in those hospital doors to give birth. Unfortunately, as soon as they know my views, they discount me as a radical, and quit listening when all I really want is for them to enter motherhood on a positive note, rather than being scared, traumatized, and defeated. Do you find the same thing to be true?Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16703334707738126703noreply@blogger.com