Checking in

The family have finally recovered from a nasty case of gastro, myself included thanks to my two beautiful children passing it on. Now that's motherly love!



I have been really getting stuck into my doula studies which is great. Finally some motivation. Still a long way to go but I'm getting there.



Back to the topic of gastro, I made a trip to my GP because I had the most amazing rash on my face, complete with puffy eyes. I was a bit concerned about it so thought it best to get it checked out. (I turned out to be harmless!)



A simple trip to the GP turned out to be such a huge drama and I really wanted to kick myself afterwards. It was awful. I felt like a naughty school girl.

I was quizzed about the pregnancy and then he noticed on the computer that I hadn't been to see anyone at the clinic since February. I stated that I had been well and didn't need to. Made perfect sense to me! He then asked who was providing my antenatal care. You see where this is going? I was feeling still rather ill at this point and just wanted to go home. I told him I hadn't booked into the hospital yet. He almost fell over and told me how I was pregnant and needed 'care'. He asked me a million irrelevant questions and then walked out of the room only to return with a Doppler and asked if he could listen and feel the baby. I wanted to vomit on him, I should have.

He continued with his ranting about women needing to have these routine tests and procedures and structured antenatal care because 1 in 200 women will die. Not sure where he pulled these figures or what the women actually died of. LOL.

He did my blood pressure twice just to make sure, asked me why I hadn't had blood tests done or an Ultra sound claiming that 'they need to know these things'.

He printed out all the forms and told me to get them done that day. I actually laughed and said 'yep in between the vomiting I'll do that!'

Argh stupid people!
So I think I'm in the clear, I take the forms home and put them on the shelf. I'm not having anything done. I'm fine, baby is fine but...

The next day I get a phone call from the Hospital antenatal clinic! They had been faxed my details and were following me up as I need to get in and arrange to see them for some antenatal care! I couldn't believe the Dr had faxed them my details without telling me.

I didn't return the call and I don't intend to.

To recover I spent the next few days reading studies and stories on home birth/free birth and VBAmC.

I was so rattled by this doctor and it got me thinking about my choices. It made me so angry that here I am needing that support yet I have to AVOID them because their fear of birth is so ridiculous. It shouldn't be like that. Women should have the access to whatever care she needs, without the fear, the scaremongering and hospital policies.

I'm not irresponsible.
I'm staying away from the hospital because that's where I'm safe. I wont be subjected to fear, to tests and to trauma.

It's not easy.
Sometimes it feels like a constant battle to achieve something that is supposed to be so utterly normal.
My right to birth.