I was intrigued by the long response on meconium aspiration.
It was noted that true MAS is not preventable
because it happens during labor, in utero. However, it was
also pointed out that stress, and indeed DIStress during
labor is a major contributing factor. What I suggest is that
we "treat" the pregnant woman with education to keep her
healthy and allay her fear to begin with; then we "treat"
the laboring woman with gentle, personal care to decrease
the probability of distress. Though medicine has not
acknowledged it (yet), we know that the baby and mother
function as one physiological unit. We also know that birth
is not an event; it is a multi-leveled process that begins
early on in the mind of the mother, climaxes at the moment
of birth, and continues on in the psyche of both mother and
child. Let the process be handled gently, peacefully,
holistically, and I believe the decrease in MAS
will be notable.
-Sharon Thornton, Bradley Method teacher
Reprinted from Midwifery Today E-News (Vol 2 Issue 31 August 2, 2000)
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