Comments on: Scare tactics and sensationalism don’t work http://karenrayne.com/2009/06/15/scare-tactics-and-sensationalism-dont-work/ Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:50:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: karenrayne http://karenrayne.com/2009/06/15/scare-tactics-and-sensationalism-dont-work/comment-page-1/#comment-4794 karenrayne Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:53:29 +0000 http://karenrayne.com/?p=654#comment-4794 Amanda, birth is super, super intense - and the second video did not pull any punches in showing the intensity of the experience. Viewing someone else in such a personal, intense moment can be uncomfortable. Being in such a situation yourself is very different though. Many women are not prepared for the intensity of the experience of what is then the biggest muscle in your body (your utuerus) contracting without being under your control. The sensation can be a little bit scary - which can cause a women to clench the rest of her muscles, which works against what her uterus is trying to do. Keeping your entire body relaxed and letting your uterus do its work takes complete and total focus and concentration, but is not really what most women know they need to do. The woman in this second video is completely engaged by her birth process, and is moving her body in sync with that process rather than fighting it. I am sure that when you are ready to give birth, you will be able to bring the same attention, focus, and strength to bear in the moment. Amanda, birth is super, super intense - and the second video did not pull any punches in showing the intensity of the experience. Viewing someone else in such a personal, intense moment can be uncomfortable. Being in such a situation yourself is very different though. Many women are not prepared for the intensity of the experience of what is then the biggest muscle in your body (your utuerus) contracting without being under your control. The sensation can be a little bit scary - which can cause a women to clench the rest of her muscles, which works against what her uterus is trying to do. Keeping your entire body relaxed and letting your uterus do its work takes complete and total focus and concentration, but is not really what most women know they need to do. The woman in this second video is completely engaged by her birth process, and is moving her body in sync with that process rather than fighting it. I am sure that when you are ready to give birth, you will be able to bring the same attention, focus, and strength to bear in the moment.

]]> By: Amanda http://karenrayne.com/2009/06/15/scare-tactics-and-sensationalism-dont-work/comment-page-1/#comment-4791 Amanda Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:13:09 +0000 http://karenrayne.com/?p=654#comment-4791 As someone who has not yet given birth but who hopes to some day, I'm a little bit ashamed of how uncomfortable the second video made me feel. Birth DOES scare me, and I wish it didn't, but when I hear women talk about the ring of fire, and see just how large a newborn's head is, I become a little-- queasy almost, imagining it. It is nice to see an image of a woman who isn't screaming though. As someone who has not yet given birth but who hopes to some day, I’m a little bit ashamed of how uncomfortable the second video made me feel. Birth DOES scare me, and I wish it didn’t, but when I hear women talk about the ring of fire, and see just how large a newborn’s head is, I become a little– queasy almost, imagining it. It is nice to see an image of a woman who isn’t screaming though.

]]> By: Alice http://karenrayne.com/2009/06/15/scare-tactics-and-sensationalism-dont-work/comment-page-1/#comment-4744 Alice Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:15:37 +0000 http://karenrayne.com/?p=654#comment-4744 I mean, all cultural diversity aside, most teenagers will grow up to get married and have children. Not saying they have to, or ought to! Just most of them will. And even in the sex-ed-pipe-dream where they're virgins when they get married, they'll still need information about sex, how to communicate sexual needs in a loving way, etc., in order to have happy marriages that last a long time. The idea of marriage as a cure-all for love and sex and relationship problems is...how can I say this...dumb...especially given how many marriages are abusive, or even just unhappy, and given the high rate of divorce. Teens need the information before they need it. I think this is one of the most important ideas we have to spread. Also, I applaud you for giving your students their first and possibly only exposure to real life childbirth education. That's worth its weight (7 pounds, 8 ounces) in gold. I mean, all cultural diversity aside, most teenagers will grow up to get married and have children. Not saying they have to, or ought to! Just most of them will. And even in the sex-ed-pipe-dream where they’re virgins when they get married, they’ll still need information about sex, how to communicate sexual needs in a loving way, etc., in order to have happy marriages that last a long time. The idea of marriage as a cure-all for love and sex and relationship problems is…how can I say this…dumb…especially given how many marriages are abusive, or even just unhappy, and given the high rate of divorce. Teens need the information before they need it. I think this is one of the most important ideas we have to spread.

Also, I applaud you for giving your students their first and possibly only exposure to real life childbirth education. That’s worth its weight (7 pounds, 8 ounces) in gold.

]]> By: karenrayne http://karenrayne.com/2009/06/15/scare-tactics-and-sensationalism-dont-work/comment-page-1/#comment-4740 karenrayne Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:43:11 +0000 http://karenrayne.com/?p=654#comment-4740 Alice, the first video is most certainly something you shouldn't watch when you're pregnant! And your point about the problematic nature of sex ed being aimed only at adolescent sexuality rather than life-long sexuality is so true. Alice, the first video is most certainly something you shouldn’t watch when you’re pregnant! And your point about the problematic nature of sex ed being aimed only at adolescent sexuality rather than life-long sexuality is so true.

]]> By: Alice http://karenrayne.com/2009/06/15/scare-tactics-and-sensationalism-dont-work/comment-page-1/#comment-4739 Alice Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:04:36 +0000 http://karenrayne.com/?p=654#comment-4739 I got the impression from your description that the first video isn't something I have any business watching while pregnant, so I didn't watch it. The second video--wow. I cried when the mother took the baby into her arms and then again when the father did it. How beautiful! And PLENTY real enough to convince teenagers that birth is something they want to POSTPONE--NOT eliminate from their lives altogether. (Really, one of my biggest problems with a lot of sex ed is the assumption that these kids will never grow up, they'll never get into serious relationships as adults, get married, have children, and thus never need information about love and sex and communication and family planning and all of that. Because they will be 16 forever and abstinent forever.) (Also? No matter how cool it is to watch--and I'm betting my first child's birth was the coolest event ever--no one is EVER aiming a camera at my vagina!) I got the impression from your description that the first video isn’t something I have any business watching while pregnant, so I didn’t watch it. The second video–wow. I cried when the mother took the baby into her arms and then again when the father did it. How beautiful! And PLENTY real enough to convince teenagers that birth is something they want to POSTPONE–NOT eliminate from their lives altogether.

(Really, one of my biggest problems with a lot of sex ed is the assumption that these kids will never grow up, they’ll never get into serious relationships as adults, get married, have children, and thus never need information about love and sex and communication and family planning and all of that. Because they will be 16 forever and abstinent forever.)

(Also? No matter how cool it is to watch–and I’m betting my first child’s birth was the coolest event ever–no one is EVER aiming a camera at my vagina!)

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