Don't Birth Like A Dummy

My newest hobby is finding obstetric training  products for sale online.  Maybe I am reading into things a little bit too much, but it scares me how birth is taught.  Check out the product  picture and description for this "teaching tool."




From the product description:

"This comprehensive teaching system combines the best of our patient care simulators with the Advanced Childbirth Simulator. It is designed to provide a complete birthing experience before, during, and after delivery.

NOELLE Maternal and Neonatal Simulator with PEDI® Blue Neonate Features:

articulating full-body female manikin intubatable airway with chest rise IV arm for meds/fluids removable stomach cover practice C-section and forceps delivery"

Even if I ignore the c-section and forceps delivery practice stuff (yes I realize that they do in fact need to practice these things in order to do them properly) what is most disturbing is the second sentence which I highlighted.

This one sentence is most telling because it shows how commonly it is believed withing medicine that birth is just a physical act.  And, since it is just a physical process, it can be practiced on a mannequin.  Yes, a silent DUMMY can "provide a complete birthing experience."

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT?!  You can learn about the complete birth experience with this "tool"?  I think not. 

Any woman who has given birth knows that the body is just a tiny part of the experience.  Birth is the ultimate mind/body/spiritual experience.  It is sacred and powerfully emotional.  And when it goes wrong or is forced to go wrong, the effects are not gone when the physical body heals.

Yes, one of the biggest problems in obstetrics today is that the act of birthing is not held in reverence.  Instead this powerful and beautiful journey is viewed just like this picture and product description describe.  It is just something to get done with the least amount of fuss and noise.  Is it any wonder that they want women to just lay back and get an epidural?