Piagam Pelanggan dan Isu Kelahiran Alami di Hospital Kerajaan

Assalamua'laikum,
Recently I posted these pictures at a forum with a seemingly provocative caption which attracted some interesting comments. My caption was:

"Mustahil utk hospital kerajaan di malaysia? TIDAK SAMA SEKALI. Anda bukan banduan dalam hospital, anda PENGGUNA. Stand for your RIGHTS!"

I was particularly attracted at some of the comments which asked me if I invited "the experts of childbirth: OB-GYNs and midwives" to the AMANI training, since they are the "decision makers" in the hospital.

My point exactly. The decision-makers are the parents, the OWNER OF THE BIRTHING BODY and her spouse, not the hospital's.

That's why they have a "Piagam Pelanggan". But I totally understand why someone would call the OB-GYNs as THE decision-makers for someone's CHOICES and DECISIONS during labor and birth.

Why? Because you're in their turf. You want their assistance, so you would have to comply to a certain amount of their policies. "Hospital policy" is the usual stuff we're up against. But AGAIN, my point exactly - the hospital is NOT a prison. As so ethically stated in their "Piagam Pelanggan" (and also in the Oath of the Muslim Physician), they are to accommodate the requests of CLIENTS. Please notice that I do not refer pregnant mothers as patients. Pregnancy is not a disease.

But even then, I still would understand why they would not accommodate their clients' requests. Because they have a medicalised view of birth, and have near to zero experience of observing and assisting a non-medicalised birth. They were taught and trained and if I may say conditioned by their school, field and even society and times to only look at birth from a 'medical' point of view.

I would like to share what inspired me to write this entry. I shall paraphrase what some moms have shared in The Gentle Birthing Group:

"I asked the doctor about being mobile during labor. The doctor was wishy washy. She mentioned that I can tell the doctor on duty and if the doctor is ok with it than I may proceed. Then she asked me if I have the strength (to be mobile during labor) and where would I like to move to in the labor room? And when i requested for the (use of a) Doppler, she said that we don't use it but I saw that it is written as available on the whiteboard. In their "Piagam Pelanggan", it was stated that we can discuss, refuse, request for treatment but in reality, I think mothers need to be assertive, be knowledgeable about your body and know what you want when the time comes."

"Respectful maternity care should be unbiasedly offered in all types of hospitals, either public or private"

My comprehension of the problem:

1. Some mothers "have no choice" but to remain ignorant about how their body works during pregnancy and birth or some may even purposefully choose to be ignorant and leave everything to the trustworthy field of medicine

2. Some mothers believe that no matter how much they read, learn and know about their body, the OB-GYN is still the absolute and faultless expert of pregnancy, labor and birth.


My take? Since some mothers like to imply that the lack of the implementation of natural and gentle birthing is actually the fault of the ministry and/or government, well....yes, there's many facets to this issue. I, for one, can't be handling all of the facets at the same time or maybe I just choose not to, according to what I feel my ability, talents and strengths are. But before I end this, let me just put into writing how one facet CAN slow and steadily change the face of birthing in Malaysia:


Pasangan yg well informed and well researched / knowledgeable about birth inshaAllah menghasilkan :
 ------>(hasilnya) ibu yang well supported inshaAllah menghasilkan:
----------->(hasilnya) outcome kelahiran yg lebih segar, cergas, sihat. InshaAllah oleh itu:
--------->(hasilnya) lebih cepat boleh discaj dari hospital oleh itu:
 ------------>(hasilnya) kesimpulan :kurang kerja utk staf wad materniti dan kurang katil di gunakan. 

Inshaallah . 

So where do we go from here?

Start here:

www.amanimalaysia.blogspot.com <------educate the masses

"Pakar Sakit Puan" dan "Bidan" di alu-alukan untuk turut serta!