[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by peter12

I think that a lot of the time there is a presumption of expertise from doula's or midwives based on their proximity to the mother. I have read, and experienced first-hand that they often feel compelled to give advice based on their anecdotal experience, but with very little recourse to medical advice or diagnostic technology.

A good anecdote from my recent experience: a friend of mine and her husband have different views on birth. He is a science teacher, and she is more of a home hippie type. She insisted on both a doula and midwife. Later in the pregnancy, the doula came over to their place on a Saturday to spend some time with the mother-to-be and give her stomach a massage. She said that based on how the baby felt in the womb that the fetus might have breached. My friend called the midwife, who came over, and confirmed the doula's "diagnosis."

My friend panics, and the doula/midwife combo, instead of taking her for an ultrasound, immediately start going through some of the less-invasive treatments for a breached baby.

On Monday, my friend's husband took her to the doctor, who sent her for an ultrasound, which gave her the all-clear.

Both of the above are being used increasingly as a substitute, and not a complement, to obstetrics medicine.

It is fair to say there are nutcases in all professions. I know a buddy that hurt his low back and the GP told him to lay in bed for 4 weeks and do nothing.

My mother was a midwife for 20+ years after working in emergency rooms as an RN.