http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/-t1.htm Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:31:29 GMT 10 http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh232/sammicambray/001-1.jpg http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/-t1.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/birth-and-human-rights-t473.htm Sammi here


Do you think that birth is an area that human rights is applicable? Do you think we uphold basic human rights in birth, and if you don't, what rights are being violated?]]> The Soapbox Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:31:29 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/birth-and-human-rights-t473.htm#2646 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/birth-and-human-rights-t473.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/balancing-motherhood-and-other-roles-t457.htm Sammi
I thought this would be a great topic of discussion here.

What roles and responsibilties make up your identity? And how do you combine, or juggle them with motherhood? Is there anything that feels inauthentic? Or anything that works really well with your mothering tasks and being?]]> The Soapbox Thu, 07 May 2009 06:45:05 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/balancing-motherhood-and-other-roles-t457.htm#2557 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/balancing-motherhood-and-other-roles-t457.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-12-march-09-midwife-and-obstetrician-conflict-t427.htm Sammi
So you believe this conflict exists? Have you witnessed it? How do you feel it impacts on you as a birthing woman? Do you believe "collaborative care" can work?]]> The Soapbox Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:44:58 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-12-march-09-midwife-and-obstetrician-conflict-t427.htm#2418 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-12-march-09-midwife-and-obstetrician-conflict-t427.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/just-a-whinge-t405.htm Morgaine One of the womyn who lives in the boarding house next door to me currently has her daughter staying with her. This womyn has had 5 homebirths in NZ but her daughter thinks that's KOOKY - and her husband won't agree to them anyway - oh PLEASE!!! BUT ... she took her mother to the hospital with the first 3 births and her mother threatened to mainstream any hospital staff who touched her and the births went as smoothly as a hospital birth can. Anyways, she recently had surgery for her 4th and ... The Soapbox Sat, 31 Jan 2009 11:05:14 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/just-a-whinge-t405.htm#2312 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/just-a-whinge-t405.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/medication-and-ptsd-pnd-birth-trauma-t404.htm Sammi It occured to me last week we haven't really addressed medical treatment of birth trauma, PTSD and/or PND on this site. Were you prescribed any kind of anti-depressant/anti-anxiety/other medication following your birth experience? What led to you decision to take them, or not? What other treatments did you use to assist in recovery from the event? How did you find the medication- did it help- and did it have any side effects? Do you continue to take it? If not, how did you decide to finish ... The Soapbox Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:40:32 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/medication-and-ptsd-pnd-birth-trauma-t404.htm#2307 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/medication-and-ptsd-pnd-birth-trauma-t404.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/maternity-services-in-your-town-suburb-t379.htm Sammi In a perfect world, we would all have access to a range of maternity service options that suit and resonate with us. Unfortunately, many of us don't have a range of services to choose from. What services are available in your town? Were you able to choose an option that suited you, or did you have to make concessions? How did this affect your birth and the attitude you went into in? Were you able to make the choice work for you? What did you learn as a person from the experience? If ... The Soapbox Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:54:14 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/maternity-services-in-your-town-suburb-t379.htm#2133 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/maternity-services-in-your-town-suburb-t379.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-11th-november-2008-alternative-healing-modalities-in-treatment-of-birth-trauma-t345.htm Sammi
What therapies have you tried? Was it useful, and would you recommend it to others? What would you like to or plan to try?]]> The Soapbox Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:55:02 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-11th-november-2008-alternative-healing-modalities-in-treatment-of-birth-trauma-t345.htm#1917 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-11th-november-2008-alternative-healing-modalities-in-treatment-of-birth-trauma-t345.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-support-people-at-birth-t201.htm Sammi
What makes a good support person? What do you see as their role?

Should a partner be a support person, or are they to enmeshed in the process?

Are doulas your idea of good birth support? What about independant midwives?

Do you have any stories about good or bad support people?

What about birthing alone?]]> The Soapbox Wed, 16 Apr 2008 04:16:26 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-support-people-at-birth-t201.htm#1013 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-support-people-at-birth-t201.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-7th-november-2008-support-t341.htm Sammi Heket and I have been having a lot of conversations about support lately. I'll quote myself from another section to start this one off: I would encourage all our members to exercise caution whne using any forum (including this one). The ideologies and opinions of the forum administrators can sometimes effect what is or what isn't included in the site. Forums may appear to be neutral, unbiased and giving correct and full information, but you owe it to yourself and your little one to ... The Soapbox Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:21:50 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-7th-november-2008-support-t341.htm#1885 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-7th-november-2008-support-t341.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/why-is-birth-not-a-feminist-issue-t320.htm Sammi
Do you think this is an area that needs the attention of the feminist movement?

Why is it not more of an issue?]]> The Soapbox Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:54:41 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/why-is-birth-not-a-feminist-issue-t320.htm#1701 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/why-is-birth-not-a-feminist-issue-t320.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-10th-october-2008-what-one-thing-would-you-change-about-the-maternity-system-t305.htm Sammi

A hypothetical: The Federal Government has chosen you, as a consumer, to have a significant impact on the improvement of maternity services in Australia. They have given you an unlimited budget and scope, but this parameter: you can only change one thing about the system.

What would it be?]]> The Soapbox Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:28:05 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-10th-october-2008-what-one-thing-would-you-change-about-the-maternity-system-t305.htm#1607 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-10th-october-2008-what-one-thing-would-you-change-about-the-maternity-system-t305.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/men-and-birth-trauma-t258.htm Sammi
I think it's fairly common knowledge around here that men can suffer from PTSD after a birth.

But I'm wondering, is it possible for the man (or the non-birthing woman, or support person or whatever) but not the woman to have PTSD after birthing?

I'm looking forward to an interesting discussion here.]]> The Soapbox Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:13:14 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/men-and-birth-trauma-t258.htm#1369 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/men-and-birth-trauma-t258.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-11th-march-08-bonding-with-babies-after-neonatal-separation-t113.htm Sammi
Do you think that this impedes bonding, and if so, to what extent? And what can be done to rectify the situation?]]> The Soapbox Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:24:20 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-11th-march-08-bonding-with-babies-after-neonatal-separation-t113.htm#449 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-11th-march-08-bonding-with-babies-after-neonatal-separation-t113.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-3rd-october-2008-bias-in-the-birth-healing-site-t290.htm Sammi Hi everybody! I am currently assessing this site and it's ability to help people afftected by birth trauma, and the way that we do that. I am aware that the site has developed a number of biases towards attachment parenting/homebirth/feminism. I want to know, is this a good or a bad thing for you? If you are not from one of these ideological backgrounds, do you feel it prevents you from speaking up? And if this is the case, what in particular turns you off, and what specifically ... The Soapbox Fri, 03 Oct 2008 04:01:44 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-3rd-october-2008-bias-in-the-birth-healing-site-t290.htm#1505 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-3rd-october-2008-bias-in-the-birth-healing-site-t290.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-31st-may-2008-plastic-surgery-and-caesareans-t236.htm Sammi Today I finally had the chance to watch The Business of Being Born a film by Abby Epstein and Ricki Lake about birthing practices in America and the increasing use of interventions in birth (and what that means for mother, baby and society). One topic that really made me think, that I hadn't considered before, was the increasing acceptance of medical intervention to 'fix' undesirable parts of ourselves. Namely, talking about the trend of celebrities (and from that, the greater population) ... The Soapbox Sat, 31 May 2008 07:20:13 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-31st-may-2008-plastic-surgery-and-caesareans-t236.htm#1244 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-31st-may-2008-plastic-surgery-and-caesareans-t236.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-1st-may-2008-being-listened-to-t219.htm Sammi At a face to face parenting related group I go to, today's topic was "Birth Experiences". It was great to share some of the finer details of birth, and listen to other's birth stories. It was quite emotive at times, but I'm glad it happened . One thing that kept coming up, and in the stories I've read on this site, is the phrase (or something close to it) "But they just didn't listen". It really appears that many mothers (and partners) here, and that I've met ... The Soapbox Thu, 01 May 2008 04:08:38 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-1st-may-2008-being-listened-to-t219.htm#1152 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-1st-may-2008-being-listened-to-t219.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-13th-may-2008-the-effect-of-bt-on-your-life-t231.htm Sammi I want you to invite you to take a wholistic view of the effect birth trauma has had on you, and your life. Not just your health (emotional and physical) and your relationship with your baby, but other areas of your life as well. For example, have your beliefs changed since birth trauma? Do you feel your identity has been changed, or your role in society? Is your conflict resolution style different? Have you changed jobs, or career paths due to your ordeal (or have ambitions to?) Do you ... The Soapbox Tue, 13 May 2008 04:47:06 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-13th-may-2008-the-effect-of-bt-on-your-life-t231.htm#1218 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-13th-may-2008-the-effect-of-bt-on-your-life-t231.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-24th-april-2008-food-and-you-t213.htm Sammi Okay, so this one has nothing to do with birth trauma or healing, but I thought it was time for something a little different. I went to baby group in Bello on Monday, and the topic was "Becoming an Earth Mama in Your Kitchen". And Heket's thread on cooking got me thinking as well. What role does food play in your life? Is it simply a physical source of nutrition? Do you find food comforting? Do you have a love/hate relationship with food? Is there a deeper role that food ... The Soapbox Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:13:34 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-24th-april-2008-food-and-you-t213.htm#1100 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-24th-april-2008-food-and-you-t213.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-6th-march-2008-what-should-a-normal-birth-look-like-t93.htm Sammi This quote from Heket in another thread has got me thinking... And it made me realise that it was a traumatic thing, I was treated appaulingly, but I was told how lucky I ws and how greatful I should be! Some of the stories you read involve far worse human rights abuses, but what happened to me is considered normal!? So, imagining for a moment there has been massive changes in the birth industry, and women have far more choice, empowerment, respect and value. We've achieved all the ... The Soapbox Thu, 06 Mar 2008 07:07:08 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-6th-march-2008-what-should-a-normal-birth-look-like-t93.htm#339 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-6th-march-2008-what-should-a-normal-birth-look-like-t93.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/breastfeeding-in-modern-australian-society-t206.htm Morgaine (Sammi can you repost your article? It got me to thinking.....) Our breastfeeding rates are shockingly low! We know so much about the benefits to both mother and child but it is extremely rare for a womyn to "still" be breastfeeding after 6m and by 2 it's even rarer (anyone got the stats on hand?). The WHO states that a minimum of 2 years is optimal for true health in babies but very few people know that! WHY??? I think it's because hospitals give very poor advice on breastfeeding, ... The Soapbox Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:01:37 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/breastfeeding-in-modern-australian-society-t206.htm#1033 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/breastfeeding-in-modern-australian-society-t206.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-26th-march-2008-code-of-ethics-and-other-guidelines-t172.htm Sammi Hi all, Given this site deals with highly emotive material, and can be contraversial, I'm thinking of drafting a code of ethics or similar to protect our members, be professional and beneficial in our dealings whilst allowing for full exploration of issues (if that makes sense!). Do you think a code of ethics is warranted? What would you include on it? If you disagree that it is warranted, how else could we ensure all debate, communication and website dealings remains positive ... The Soapbox Wed, 26 Mar 2008 06:10:29 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-26th-march-2008-code-of-ethics-and-other-guidelines-t172.htm#828 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/totw-26th-march-2008-code-of-ethics-and-other-guidelines-t172.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/topic-of-the-week-february-21st-2008-birth-and-death-certs-for-stillborn-babies-t62.htm Sammi Hi everybody, Yesterday the Northern Territory Government rejected a bill to provide birth and death certificates for babies born at less than 20 weeks gestation. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/21/2168314.htm What do you think of this? Should birth and death certificates be available for these babies? And what do you think of the terminology "miscarriage" and "stillborn"? The Soapbox Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:24:01 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/topic-of-the-week-february-21st-2008-birth-and-death-certs-for-stillborn-babies-t62.htm#177 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/topic-of-the-week-february-21st-2008-birth-and-death-certs-for-stillborn-babies-t62.htm http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/topic-of-the-week-january-27th-2008-your-hopes-for-this-year-t15.htm Sammi
I'd like to do a "Topic of the Week" section, where we can explore various topics.

I thought I'd start with a fairly positive, general one to warm up with.

If you had super powers, and could change one thing about the world in the next year, what would it be?]]> The Soapbox Sun, 27 Jan 2008 07:50:42 GMT http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/topic-of-the-week-january-27th-2008-your-hopes-for-this-year-t15.htm#34 http://birthhealing.forummotion.com/the-soapbox-f18/topic-of-the-week-january-27th-2008-your-hopes-for-this-year-t15.htm