Choosing A More Size-Friendly Model of Care

The traditional obstetric model of care teaches that the obese woman is extremely high risk and must have all kinds of interventions in order to "save" her baby from her defective body. Unfortunately, these doctors rarely actually test their belief that a highly technological approach improves outcome. They simply assume that it is necessary and institute ever-more-interventive protocols without researching them.

But many women of size have actually found that they have better outcomes when choose a less-interventive model of care. They find that by choosing midwives to attend their births, they strongly lower their risks for cesareans and other problems. The midwifery model of care encourages proactive health habits, spontaneous and natural labor; freedom of movement during labor; careful attention to the positioning of the baby and the mother, and intense emotional and physical support during labor. In addition to being safer, these choices also help provide a gentler, more loving birth experience.

Bonnie Alvarez, the cover model for this issue of Without Measure, chose the traditional medical model of care with her first pregnancy. She was induced and ended up with a cesarean and a very difficult start with her new baby. In her next pregnancy, she chose midwifery care and had an empowering and loving birth instead; the birth you see on this cover. Simply by changing the model of care and the providers she chose for her pregnancy, she was able to avoid the complications that occurred in her first pregnancy and birth.

Conclusion

Contrary to popular opinion, fat women DO make love and have babies. And contrary to the scare tactics in the media, women of size CAN have healthy pregnancies and babies. Although there are some risks associated with pregnancy at larger sizes, most women of size do go on to have normal pregnancies and babies.

One way to raise the odds for a normal pregnancy is to be proactive. Making sure you are healthy before conception, plus practicing excellent nutrition and getting regular exercise during pregnancy has been shown to lower risks for complications in women of size. And choosing a size-friendly provider with a more birth-friendly model of care is vital step in avoiding unnecessary complications and having a better birth.

Although the scare tactic websites would have you believe that being fat means you aren't deserving of parenthood unless you lose weight first, the ability to love and nurture is the most important qualification for parenthood, not size. Fat people deserve to become parents as much as anyone else, and they deserve to be treated with respect and dignity along the way, not scare tactics and harassment. The miraculous magic of making a baby can happen in larger bodies too, and it can be a beautiful and empowering experience.

Kmom maintains the Plus Size Pregnancy website at http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org