This was sent to me a couple of weeks ago, but got moved to the back burner by the Time magazine article…but, here it goes: A top obstetrician on why men should NEVER be at the birth of their child (Thank you Carolyn and Claire!) I have many many thoughts, most of which I’ll be getting to in the next few comics, but here’s one: I can make the leap with him about questioning the validity of MEN being at births, but apparently he is using the term Men to mean FATHER. why is he not making the leap to include ALL men? including the Male OB/GYNs? Including himself? I would think that the father of the baby has more of a right to be there than the Dr. who has only met the mother 4 times, for pete’s sake! And if MEN in the form of Ob/gyns hadn’t started attending births the role of the man might have stayed unchanged through time: holding the space, protecting the quiet, boiling the water, just within a helpful, but waiting range. But if there’s going to be a male doctor in the space, why not the father? And the inverse must be true, if not the father, than why still the Doctor?
This is Michel Odent who has attended thousands of births assumably bringing his adrenaline with him, and now we find out he wouldn’t attend his own wife’s births?! Harumph. My father can’t imagine being at a birth, my husband can’t imagine missing it.These are both caring men in different cultural contexts. Remind me to give them both a hug because neither of these men would ever be so arrogant as to believe they should sit in on OTHER women’s births. Oh yes, Ladies, I believe Dr. Odent just crossed my line ;o).

Also, and I’ll be talking about this one directly, what the heck is up with THIS throw away line:

“Of course, it would not be possible for women to give birth alone.”?

huh? wow. okay. How about you try telling that to the millions of women who have!

My thoughts are running away with me, I best get my sharpie pens!

Love,
Heather

This Musing is totally related to this Musing: Michel Odent Didn’t Write the Article!