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LATEST HEADLINES...
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 Mireia from Mare Nostrum I had planned a homebirth from the start as my sister also gave birth at home back in my native Russia and had a great experience. I knew I needed thorough preparation so I researched well the subject, used the Natal Hypnotherapy CDs throughout the pregnancy, swam twice a week, frequently used the birth ball, went to yoga for pregnant women classes, and really looked after my nutrition and generally the emotional and physical state. My husband and I followed the birth preparation course at MareNostrum in Barcelona and were happy with all the midwives we met there. In parallel we went to all our appointments at Tecnon in Barcelona but doctors there were a big disappointment. They prescribed unnecessary tests and antibiotics, and were keen to do a scan at every visit so in the end I just had to refuse them except for the main ones. This was however better than the first doctor that I went to in Sant Cugat where we live – on mentioning that we were thinking about home birth she said that we were irresponsible parents, almost threatened me with a law suit and said that Hospital General de Catalunya (we live right next to it) would not accept me in case of an emergency, which is a complete lie!--Olga Read on
EVENTS CALENDAR
• 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 Magòria Gran Via 247 (corner of Moianès)
• Third friday of the month, 5.30-7.30pm Sants Lliga de la Let Group CAP Numancia, C/Numancia 23 Tel. 639 051 014 (Monica) • First thursday of the month, 11am-12.30pm Sagrada Familia Lliga de la Let Group Centre Cívic Sagrada Familia Mallorca 425, pl. 3 sals 3 bis Tel. 658 253 065 (Ximena) For breastfeeding support in English. Tel. 608 491 791 (Mònica) • Second monday of the month, 5.30pm-7pm Sarrià/Sant Gervasi Lliga de la Let Group CAP Adrià Vallmajor 34 Tel. 93 200 6029 (Helena)
• First tuesday of the month, 5pm-7pm Drassanes Lliga de la Let Group CAP Drassanes, Av. Drassanes, 19 Tel. 93 311 93 14 (Sonia)
• Second tuesday of the month, 6pm-7.30pm Gràcia Lliga de la Let Group Providència 42 Tel. 93 890 16 75 (Octàvia)
• Every Monday, 4pm-6.30pm. *English speaking* Alba Ciutat Vella breastfeeding group Convent de Sant Agustí C/Comerç, 36
