• The woman is a patient.
Birthing Models
• Birth is the work of doctors, nurses, midwives and other experts.
Definition of Birth
Childbirth is a potentially pathological process.
• Trained to focus on the medical aspects of birth. • Information about health, disease and degree of risk not shared with the patient adequately.
• Little emotional support.
•Hospital, unfamiliar territory to the woman.
• Often a class distinction between obstetrician and patients.
Philosophy and Practice
• Use of medical language.
Birthing Environment
• Brief, depersonalized care. •"Professional" care that is authoritarian.
Medical Birth
•Bureaucratic, hierarchical system of care.
Extra Points • Spiritual aspects of birth are ignored or treated as embarrassing. • Values technology, often without proof that it improves birth outcome.
• Birth is a social event, a normal part of a woman's life.
• The woman is a person experiencing a life-transforming event.
Definition of Birth
• No class distinction between birthing women
• Often strong emotional support.
• Home or other familiar surroundings.
• Shared decision-making between caregivers and birthing woman.
• Familiar language and imagery used.
Philosophy and Practice
• Longer, more in-depth prenatal visits.
• Birth is the work of the woman and her family.
Birthing Environment
• See birth as a holistic process. • Information shared with an attitude of personal caring. Extra Points
• Believes in integrity of birth, uses technology if appropriate and proven. • Awareness of spiritual significance of birth. • Equal relationship.
Home/Natural Birth
• Informal system of care.