The Department of Health wants to tackle the excessive number of cesareans
J. Albarrán Bugié Barcelona ADN, 20/09/2007 In Spain, when a woman arrives in hospital to give birth, it's very common for her to be medicated to encourage dilation and medicated to alleviate the pain. Her pubic area is shaved and a cut is made in her vagina to facilitate the birth. Also, in the public sector, one is four births ends in a cesarean (about 40% in the private sector), a proportion much higher than the 15% recommended by the World Health Organisation and the average in the European Union (18%).
The Ministry of Health wants to tackle this excessive number of cesareans and at the same time encourage natural birth (with a midwife's assistance but without medical intervention) and return the emphasis to the woman in what is often an excessively medicalised process. For this, the Ministry is preparing a strategic plan that will be presented before the end of the parliamentary season. Read on
Birth experiences
Homebirth with Mare Nostrum I had a wonderful homebirth with Inma Marcos, an independent midwife who operates though the Mare Nostrum centre, and a doula called Imma Sarriez from Mares Doulas, both highly recommended. I also visited the Seguridad Social midwives throughout the pregnancy; they orchestrated the blood tests and ultrasounds. I found them clinical and often downright rude, but luckily I was clued up and confident enough to refuse routine (and in my opinion) invasive procedures like internal examinations. They didn’t feel my belly once or check the position of the baby as opposed to Inma who told me late on in my pregnancy that the baby was posterior. Luckily, with special exercises, we turned him. The actual birth was a wonderful experience- considerate, natural and on my own terms. Apart from how I felt, it was important to me that the baby was respected and treated with care- no bright lights, strange people and smells, no unnecessary washing and dressing, and no injections- we opted for the oral doses of vitamin K. I do not understand the desire for a hospital birth, for me hospital is where you go when you are ill, and pregnancy is not a sickness. The homebirth made me feel proud of my body, my experience and my rights as a woman. -- Zoe Read on
• 30th May, 11am Talk about homebirth with midwife Imma Marcos from Marenostrum. Mujer, Carders 28
• First and third Thursday of the month, 5pm-7pm. Dona Llum (formerly El part es nostre) - informative meetings on birth in Barcelona See Links - Birth for more information about Dona Llum Centre Cívic La Magňria Gran Via 247 (corner of Moiančs)
•13th May, 6pm-7.30pm •10th June, 6pm-7.30pm Grŕcia Lliga de la Let Group Providčncia 42 Tel. 93 890 16 75 (Octŕvia)
•16th May, 5.30pm-7.30pm • 0th June, 5.30pm-7.30pm Sants Lliga de la Let Group CAP Numancia, C/Numancia 23 Tel. 639 051 014 (Monica)
• 6th May, 5pm-7pm • 3rd June, 5pm-7pm Drassanes Lliga de la Let Group CAP Drassanes, Av. Drassanes, 19 Tel. 93 311 93 14 (Sonia)
• 8th May, 11am-12.30pm • 5th June, 11am-12.30pm Sagrada Familia Lliga de la Let Group Centre Cívic Sagrada Familia Mallorca 425, pl. 3 sals 3 bis Tel. 93 429 6303 (Mňnica)
• 12th May, 5.30pm-7pm • 9th June, 5.30pm-7pm Sarriŕ/Sant Gervasi Lliga de la Let Group CAP Adriŕ Vallmajor 34 Tel. 93 200 6029 (Helena)
• Every Monday, 4pm-6.30pm. *English speaking* Alba Ciutat Vella breastfeeding group Convent de Sant Agustí C/Comerç, 36
