Dear Sarah,
I am seeking midwifes who would be willing to assist in carrying out
research into failure to progress. I feel that there is a great need for
an answer to the following question: As pain does not normally accompany
natural growth processes, but is generally regarded as a sign that pathology
is present, where is the pathology that causes pain in the healthy mother,
with a normal birth?

There are substantial anecdotal observations from many parts of
the world that cultures such as the Bedouin and the Pygmies experience
little or no pain and distress. Other reports of teenage mothers giving birth
in public bathrooms or in their homes unbeknown to parents and friends,
experience minimal pain and their labor is measured in minutes not hours.

I am not advocating unaccompanied birth, I think that the presence of
an empathetic, and trained midwife and doula is essential for a safe and loving birth.
However such anomalies as women who not only do not experience pain
in labor, but but experience great pleasure even during labor, raise questions.
What is different for them? As far as I know little or no research has been
carried out comparing the experiences, and assessing what are the factors
if any that have an effect on the experience of labor that is so radically
different for some women, and some cultures. I think that research
carried out by midwifes would be invaluable in understanding this
phenomenon, and perhaps some strategies for minimizing pain, and
shortening labor safely. But we need hard, well researched evidence.
The kind of observational skills that midwifes are ideally suited for.

My research interests are in chronic pain, that does not appear to have
an organic or traumatic causation. I became interested in researching
acute pain after I helped my wife deliver our daughter.

If you would be interested, I can direct you to some midwives sites
who have printed some of my articles, or I would be happy to send
you some of my observations and speculations.
Rayner Garner.


Sarah Stewart wrote:

> Hi everyone
>
> I am an English midwife currently working in New Zealand as a midwifery lecturer in Dunedin, South Island. Before that, I was working in Gisborne, North Island, as an autonomus caseload midwife.
>
> I particularly wanted to join the list because I have to decide what to look at for my masters thesis. So if any one has any bright ideas, please let me know.
>
> Regards
> Sarah Stewart
> Midwifery Lecturer
> Otago Polytechnic
> Dunedin, NZ



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