Loire Valley pictures

We took our students to the Loire Valley this weekend. You're seeing the chateau Chenonceau in the background.

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Chateau and ropes course

I have more pictures coming, but in the meantime here are a few from last week:

The Kangaroo: Eric helped a group of students do a ropes course while I played with Zari. It was located right on the beach and the weather was cool and windy. She was pretty cold by the end of the afternoon, so he snuggled her up inside his shirt.

Chateau de la Roche-Courbon: Last weekend's excursion was to a privately owned chateau about 45 minutes away. A family still lives in the chateau and opens it up to visitors. Zari particularly liked watching the swans and ducks.

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Labor and marathons

Disclaimer: In case anyone feels inclined to post a huffy comment about how childbirth and marathon running are NOT the same in every respect, please read this. Of course they are not identical. Of course the analogy breaks down at a certain point. I think the biggest difference between birth and marathons is that birth is something within every woman's capability, while marathon running is admittedly an extreme endurance sport.

I’ve often wondered why we don’t approach pregnancy, labor, and birth like we do marathon running. Pregnant women encounter so much negativity and fear: your baby might be too big or too small. You might develop toxemia. You are gaining too much or too little weight. You might hemorrhage and die. Your pelvis might be too small. Your baby’s head might become trapped. Your baby might go into distress. You probably won’t be able to handle the pain so you should consider an epidural. You don’t get a medal for having an unmedicated birth. All that matters is a healthy baby anyway.

What if we were as pessimistic about marathon running as we are about childbirth? Here’s my imagined scenario for a hopeful marathon runner, Ann:

Ann was in reasonably good shape and could run several miles, although at a fairly slow pace. She ran cross-country in high school and enjoyed it, even though she was usually one of the last to finish. She was inspired by several friends who had recently run marathons and decided she’d prepare for one.

Ann started researching how to run a successful marathon. She wanted to find training schedules, nutritional requirements for runners, and advice on good running shoes. She went to her local public library, which had a shelf of books that focused on the risks of marathons. Most discussed in great detail the various injuries common to marathon runners and only included short segments about success stories. They warned that although marathons can be empowering, most people cannot successfully train for or complete them. The books also emphasized the tremendous amount of pain that marathon runners experience. Ann knew that certain injuries were possible and although she appreciated the information, she preferred to have more information about how to prevent the injuries in the first place through proper training, stretching, and nutrition. She also wanted to read books that motivated her and assumed success rather than failure.

She knew that there must be more useful information out there, so she pulled up a chair to the library’s computer. She waded through pages of results, but she finally stumbled upon a small but vocal community of marathon runners who had successfully completed the race and who raved about the experience. Their stories were generally ones of triumph, confidence, and exhilaration. They talked about the hours of mental and physical preparation, the extensive research they did into ensuring they were in top physical condition, and the ways to prevent common injuries such as shin splints or knee problems. They supported each other when a runner didn’t reach her desired time, or when physical problems forced her to drop out of the race. They cheered each other on as race day grew nearer.

Ann posted her training schedule around the house so she would see it every day. She decided to maintain a positive outlook, knowing that top athletes considered mental preparation as important as their physical training. She dedicated time every day to meditation and visualization. She imagined what it would feel like to line up, waiting for the gun to signal the beginning of the race. She visualized her heart beating strongly, her blood supplying oxygen to her muscles, her breath even and steady. She repeated positive affirmations to herself, such as “It will be exciting and hard at times but I know I can do it.”

A few weeks later, Ann’s training was going well. She had missed a few days, but usually accomplished her daily goals. While the running itself was sometimes tedious and uncomfortable, she loved how she felt afterwards. Ann mentioned to a friend that she was training for a marathon and was surprised when her friend told several horror stories of marathon runners who suffered lifelong injuries—even one about a runner who drank so much water that he died during the race. Ann replied that she had carefully researched both common and rare injuries and that she was sure that she could either prevent them, treat them herself, or seek help if something serious arose. Her friend said, “But how can you be sure? You might die of a heart attack while you are running—you’d have no way to know it’s going to happen until it is too late. It’s just not worth the risk.”

Ann’s family thought she was crazy. Shouldn’t she be doing something more useful with her time? What if something went wrong? What if during the race she is in too much pain and can’t finish—then how would she feel? Anne told her family that she had done her research and that it was an important goal. She asked that they either speak positively about her upcoming race, or that they refrain from saying anything at all.

Ann noticed that the media always focused on the sensational stories of marathon running turned ugly. When TV crews covered races, they showed runners limping along, looking like death warmed over. They usually interviewed runners who had to drop out, giving them several minutes to tell their stories. Then, almost as an afterthought, they would give 30 seconds to a successful runner who looked exhilarated, if a bit tired and sweaty. Of course, after that runner was done speaking, the TV host would remind the audience that most people cannot complete marathons and that it was best not to get your hopes up. Good grief, Ann thought. I know plenty of people who have completed the race without dying or breaking a leg or permanently injuring themselves.

Somehow—maybe it was when she ordered a few pairs of her favorite running shoes—marathon support companies got hold of Ann’s address. Almost every day her mailbox had a new glossy ad for “pain-free, effortless marathons.” One company’s slogan was: We do all the work—you just come along for the ridetm. Inside the brochure, Ann learned that:

Marathons are a lot of work. The pain is excruciating. The risks of running so many miles are numerous. Why suffer when you can do it the Pain-Fretm way? For only 12 monthly installments of $199 each, you can finish your marathon in comfort and style in our patented Pain-Fre(tm) motorized vehicle. Our chauffeur will personally pick you up as soon as you feel too much pain. Once you are settled in your EZE-Ridetm seat, you will enjoy the view in comfort and luxury as you are driven to the finish line. You will receive a complimentary photo of you crossing the finish line on foot. Beverages not included. Runners will be assessed a $10/mile fee for any miles they run themselves. The fee is waived if you take the EZE-Ridetm in the first 5 miles. Due to liability concerns, rides are not available the first 4 miles or after mile 23.

Ann stacked these fliers beside her fireplace. After her long runs on Saturday, she’d run a hot bath, start a fire, and toss the fliers into the flames, watching the edges curl and twist. She imagined all of her fears melting away with those glossy advertisements.

Ann’s training continued. She enjoyed her changing body—seeing her leg muscles become more toned, noticing the articulations of each muscle group. Preparing for the race also gave Ann a heightened appreciation for good, nutritious food. Her body craved proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and complex carbohydrates. She ate sweets every once in a while but no longer enjoyed them.

Several months into her training, Ann heard of a disturbing new trend in marathon running: elective bone breaking or EBB. She knew that stress fractures were a common injury among runners, not to mention the rare but drastic broken bones from accidental falls. Apparently some people were advocating a new “preventive treatment,” which consisted of wearing bone fracture monitors while running. The monitors were touted for being able to predict bone fractures. Using information from the monitors, surgeons could then carefully finish breaking the bone (to ensure a clean, even break) and repair it in a controlled setting. The monitors were quite heavy and occasionally caused runners to fall and suffer extensive injuries. However, they were the hot new thing in running, touted as “every runner’s safety net.” One surgeon promoted the new technology as making the leg bones “better than new.” Has the world gone mad? Ann wondered. Why anyone would choose to have their bones broken before a serious problem even developed was beyond her. Fliers started arriving in her mailbox describing EBB. Ann had to smile when one company named itself EBB—Even Better Bones.

As race day grew near, Ann experienced a mixture of confidence and trepidation. She knew she had prepared thoroughly for the race, but she had never run 26 miles before. She decided that if something “went wrong” during the race and kept her from finishing, she would accept it calmly, knowing that she had done everything to ensure success. She continued her daily visualizations, imagining how empowering it would be to finish. The race would end in a beautiful river valley. Ann often swam in the river and knew that the cool water would feel incredible after the race. She kept this image in her mind: lying on her back floating in the clear water, her body suspended between water and sky.

On race day, Ann was surprised how crowded it was around the registration tents. There were almost as many marathon support companies as there were runners. She talked to a seasoned runner who warned her that it was just as bad even when the running began. Motorcyclists would drive alongside runners, asking them how much pain they were in, if they would like to drop out. Bystanders would hold signs saying “It’s never too late to give up.” “Drop out or drop dead.” “You don’t get a medal for finishing.”

One of Ann’s running partners, who had finished her first marathon a year ago, handed Ann a package while they were standing in line to register. It was a t-shirt with the slogan Drug-Free Zone. “You’ll need it,” her friend said, “especially around mile 22 where the race’s sponsors are handing out morphine pills. They know better to stay away from people with these shirts on, otherwise they’ll get an earful and the occasional well-aimed punch.” Ann grinned.

While she stretched, she turned inward, visualizing the stages of the race and repeating her affirmations. I can do it. I am strong. I am ready.

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Walking!

Zari figured out how to take steps when we were in the Mediterranean, and ever since then all she wants to do is walk around (with help, of course). Here's a short video taken in the cloister of St. Emilion.

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France pictures

In the cloister at St. Emilion

Playing in the fountain at the Place de la Bourse in Bordeaux
Place de la Bourse
Then & Now: 5 days, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8 months.

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Vive la france!

I am still here, but quite busy working. Zari has been a good "assistant"--she comes everywhere with me, including the office. (She's here with me now, trying to eat the mouse pad.) We've been having unseasonably cool and rainy weather for this area of France (Charente-Maritime) but our students are still enjoying themselves anyway.

More later...

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Request for UK readers

I am trying to get a copy of Grazia that published reader's responses to the article about my UC. If anyone has a copy and would be willing to mail it to me (and I'll happily reimburse you), please contact me at stand.deliver at gmail.com. I'd like to have a copy for sentimental value, I guess. (I already have a copy of the original issue).

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I see London!

Zari will be your tour guide of London today. Note the handy Second Womb sling.

Parliament buildings and Big Ben

Globe Theatre

Westminster Abbey (your tour guide got tired and decided to take a nap)

Tower Bridge

St Paul's (okay, technically it's the rose gardens in front of the cathedral).
Nap time yet again. Being a tour guide is a lot of work.

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I see France!

We just did another 7 hour drive today, from Hyeres to Bordeaux. Whew! We took a long break in Carcassonne, which is best known for its medieval double-walled fortress (the castle in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and just about every other movie that shows a walled fortress). Eric lived there for several months, and we've visited it several times as a couple. The first time we stayed in Carcassonne was the summer that we hitchhiked all over France, with our backpacks and musical instruments. We spent a wonderful 8 days in Carcassonne in a nearby campground. Every day we swam in the pool (yes, most campgrounds in France have pools, and often restaurants), watched the Euro Cup games, walked around the medieval city, and played our instruments. Ahhhh, what great memories.

Pictures are from a swimming pool in Allevard-les-Bains (foothills of the French Alps), along the Mediterranean coast near Hyeres (the Presqu'ile and the fortified island of Port Cros to be exact), and two of Carcassonne.

Allevard. You might be wondering why Eric is wearing a speedo. They are required in all French swimming pools. They believe it's more hygenic. Don't ask me why.

Picking flowers in downtown Hyeres during the Fete de la Musique.
The next three pictures are from the Presqu'ile of Giens near Hyeres.
The island of Port Cros, which is now a national park.
There are 3 forts that you can hike to.
It also has some of the best snorkeling in all of Europe.

Carcassonne

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London!

After a hair-raising drive to the Marseilles airport--we got there with about 2 minutes to spare--we arrived in London this morning. We must have walked about 10 miles today, with Zari in the sling. Life is easy when you 1) have a sling 2) breastfeed and 3) have a Baby Bjorn Little Potty in your backpack: no need to pack food, haul around a stroller, or worry about running out of diapers.

We're taping the show tomorrow morning, and it will air on Wednesday. All 3 of us will be on the show (unless Zari is fussy). I think you can watch the program at GMTV's website.

I bought a copy of Grazia magazine at the airport, and I was quite pleased with the article, although a few of the changes I suggested didn't make it in the final copy. There are some great photos of me and Zari. I don't know if this is a praise or insult, but the end of the article is next to a photo of Paris Hilton (ugh, please, can't we read about someone else??). I'm going to contact Grazia about putting a copy up on this blog, since my North American readers can't buy the magazine.

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Travel

After a 7 hour car ride to the airport, an 8 hour flight (which of course was delayed), and a 7 hour drive from Paris to Grenoble, I am tired of traveling. Zari has done quite well considering. We're visiting some friends for a day or two, then heading to the south of France for a week of relaxation in Hyeres: snorkeling, swimming, and walking around the beautiful medieval city.

Then work starts: we run a study abroad program for high school students on the Atlantic coast. The students stay with host families, take 3 hours of French every day, and participate in several workshops (cooking, sailing, painting, etc) during the afternoons. We organize optional excursions and activities every day and several evenings a week, on top of what the students already have scheduled. July will be insanely busy, especially for Eric, as I will be less able to help out chaperoning during afternoons and evenings.

Grazia magazine in the UK just published an article featuring my unassisted birth story. I haven't seen it yet, but I am excited to read it. It's in first person, but I actually didn't author the article, just gave it my final thumbs-up. I talked to the writer for several hours, and she also read through my blog and corresponded via email. From all of this, she put together a narrative for the magazine.

Most exciting of all--we are going to London next week to appear on GMTV and talk about my birth! More details later, but I am quite looking forward to it. Plus I've never been to London before.

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Cabin fun

We've been enjoying hot, sunny weather at my family's cabin in northern Wisconsin. My whole family is here, including 3 of Zari's cousins.

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Where did FPMama go?

I just noticed that the FPMama blog is gone, and now there's some inane post about Angelina Jolie instead. What happened? I am quite sad--she had some great stories and fantastic insights.

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Dispense with Disposables

This blog post, "Dispense with Disposables," has some great ideas on how to replace disposable products with reusable ones. I already have implemented some of her suggestions--cloth diapering being the most predominant one for me--but I could easily do several others without too much hassle. I really should sew myself a few canvas grocery bags. I hate coming home with piles of plastic bags.

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News

My last day of internet access for a little while...So here is all the latest news:

• Zari just got her first tooth yesterday!
• I think I have mastitis, but it's getting better. The fever/chills are pretty much gone now.
  
• We found a dog sitter last minute. Whew!

I'll be without internet for a week, then once we arrive in France I'll have occasional access. So this blog will be a bit quiet over the summer.

I am hoping to bring back lots of beautiful sling fabrics from France. I'll post them to my Second Womb site when I return in August.

I'll leave you with this quote from Gloria Lemay, a midwife in British Columbia:

Attending births is like growing roses. You have to marvel at the ones that just open up and bloom at the first kiss of the sun but you wouldn't dream of pulling open the petals of the tightly closed buds and forcing them to blossom to your time line.

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Last minute stress

We were all set to leave on Wednesday to go to a family reunion up north, then to France for the summer. I called Air France this morning to confirm a few details, such as seating arrangements and bringing our dog, which we have done for the past 2 years. Good things I called--it turns out they've raised their prices for bringing large dogs to $1,000!!! And they didn't tell me that when I called a month ago to ask about prices.

So now we are stressed: what are we going to do with our dog over the summer? Can we find a good dog & house sitter with only one day's notice? Ack!!!

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6 months

A bit late, since Zari is already 7 months old:

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Request from Laura Shanley for photos/footage

"I am in the process of creating a DVD that will contain photos and footage of unassisted births set to music. The DVD will be sold on my site. I will also be sending it to television production companies, news programs, and magazine and newspaper reporters who express an interest in writing a story or airing a program about UC. The couples who contribute to the DVD will retain their rights to the footage. They will also receive a percentage of the profits. To contribute please contact me at laurashanley @ comcast.net."

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Pregnant women are second class citizens

A fundamental right of all adult Americans is that of physical self-determination and informed consent to medical procedures. During a 1914 court case (Schloendorff v. Society of New York Hospital), Justice Cardozo articulated a patient’s right to self-determination:

Every human being of adult years and sound mind has a right to determine what shall be done with his own body; and the surgeon who performs an operation without his patient's consent commits an assault for which he is liable for damages. This is true except in cases of emergency, where the patient is unconscious and where it is necessary to operate before consent can be obtained.

Our current understanding of informed consent is based largely on that 1914 decision. Today, before any medical procedure can occur, a patient must be fully informed about the procedure, including potential risks and benefits as well as reasonable alternatives. The person obtaining consent must be sure the patient has understood what was explained, and the patient has to document in writing that she understands the risks and agrees to the procedure.

Except pregnant women, that is.

There are several examples of court-ordered obstetrical interventions—usually cesarean sections—where a woman’s fundamental right to determine what happens to her own body is blatantly disregarded. Even more disturbing, a large percentage of physicians and lawyers support forcing procedures on pregnant women despite their expressed refusal. A 1987 study in the New England Journal of Medicine surveyed heads of maternal-fetal medicine department. 46% of the respondents supported court-ordered obstetrical interventions. A 2007 study of attendees at the annual meetings of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Health Lawyers Association found that “51% described themselves as highly likely to support a court order.”

The following story from Dr. Marsden Wagner’s new book, Born in the USA, illustrates the degree to which fundamental human rights are now at stake in the realm of maternity care. (Dr. Wagner was contacted by the family and their lawyers, reviewed the case, and followed the progress of the litigation to its end.)

A woman in northern Florida we will call Ms. P had a normal vaginal birth with her first pregnancy. Her second birth, however, ended with a C-section that she believed was unnecessary, so when she got pregnant a third time, she sought a local midwife and signed on for a planned home birth.

Ms. P had a normal pregnancy, and when she went into labor, her mid­wife came to her home to attend the birth. The labor progressed nicely, but after some hours Ms. P was having a hard time keeping fluids down. Since the local hospital was only a couple of blocks away, her midwife suggested that they go over to the emergency room for a short time to get an intra­venous drip (IV) to hydrate her, and then return home.

In the ER, Ms. P told the staff that she was giving birth at home and would like an IV for a short time. She was put in a room and told to wait for a doctor. When the doctor arrived, he asked if she had had a previous C-section, and when she replied yes, the doctor said that he wanted to admit her for an immediate C-section. Ms. P said, "No thank you, I just want the IV, and then I'm going home." The doctor became adamant, telling her that she "must" have a C-section, and said that he would con­sent to give her the IV only if she consented to the C-section. When she refused his attempt to coerce her, the doctor said that if she did not con­sent to the C-section, the hospital would get a court order to do the C-section. The doctor then asked her to wait, and left the room.

As is typical in any hospital, word of what was going on in the ER spread among the staff. After a few minutes, a nurse ducked into the room where Ms. P was waiting and whispered, "If you don't want to have a cesarean sec­tion by force, you better get out of here quick. There is a back entrance to the ER if you go out and turn right."

Ms. P escaped by the back entrance and went home, where she contin­ued her labor without the benefit of an IV. (Note that the hospital never offered Ms. P the option of having a vaginal birth in the hospital with a staff doctor handy.)

Meanwhile, the chief of obstetrics called an emergency meeting with the hospital administrator and told him that the woman's baby was in grave danger of dying due to a ruptured uterus if an emergency C-section was not done quickly. What he said is not true. Studies have shown that Ms. P's C-section meant that she had a slightly higher chance of uterine rupture than a woman who had never had a cesarean, but the risk was still small—espe­cially since labor was not being induced with drugs—and the chance that the baby would die was even smaller. The hospital administrator, however, was not an obstetrician and had no idea whether or not the information was accurate. He called a local judge and told him to rush over, as it was a life-and-death situation. The judge came to the hospital and was told the same story by the obstetrician. He signed a court order for an immediate C-section—by force, if necessary.

Ms. P was continuing her labor at home when there was a knock on the door. She opened the door to the local sheriff, who was a friend of hers and a member of her church. The sheriff said, "I'm really terribly sorry, Ms. P, but I have here a warrant for your arrest." Shocked, Ms. P said, "What on earth for?" The sheriff answered, "I'm terribly sorry. I don't know what the hell is going on. My orders are to take you to the hospital, in handcuffs if necessary."

Against her wishes and the repeated objections of her husband, Ms. P was taken to the hospital, taken to the surgery ward, tied down on an operating table, and given a forced C-section. The story doesn't end here. Ms. P and her husband sued the doctors and the hospital. However, in Florida a judge must decide if a case deserves to go to trial, and another local judge decided that Ms. P's case was not worthy of proceeding, so her case never went to trial—a shocking miscarriage of justice, given the serious violation of Ms. P's basic rights. Since then, Ms. P has had another baby, born vaginally at home with no problems. Needless to say, there was no visit to the hospital during the labor.

It is important that women in this country become aware of the danger to birthing women and join the movement to protect them. Ms. P's fam­ily's wishes were not honored, and her body was invaded against her will. Her human rights were violated.... Treating pregnant women in this manner goes against the Nuremberg Code and the Helsinki Accord, which explicitly state an individual has absolute rights over her or his own body and no medical treat­ment can ever be forced. Cases like this indicate a dangerous trend in U.S. maternity care toward totalitarian control of a woman's reproductive life by doctors.

References:

Samuels TA, Minkoff H, Feldman J, Awonuga A, Wilson TE. “Obstetricians, health attorneys, and court-ordered cesarean sections.” Womens Health Issues. 2007 Mar-Apr;17(2): 107-14.

Veronika E.B. Kolder, Janet Gallagher, and Michael T. Parsons. “Court-Ordered Obstetrical Interventions.” NEJM 316.19 (May 7, 1987): 1192-1196.

Patient’s Rights: issues in Risk Management

Marsden Wagner. Born in the USA: How a Broken Maternity System Must Be Fixed to Put Women and Children First (University of California Press: 2006).

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Busy working

It's been busy around here--we're installing a fence in our backyard and getting ready to leave for France next week. We'll be gone until the end of July. We hope that Zari learns lots of home improvement skills from all of the time she spends in the backpack watching us work.

In the meantime, here's a thought-provoking essay for you to read: "Childhood, Industrialized."

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