Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Ranting about Banning

( a reply I posted in my moomy group to questions about why I got banned. )


No explanation, no reply to my email asking for it. I posted my goodbye from another computer, and she deleted the goodbye, and banned that computer too.

Since some of my posts are still there, I put a goodbye on my blog.

You've seen my style, I really try to be respectful here. There I was getting a little more snarky. Her Name is Dr. Amy Tutuer, MD, but I started calling her toots. Toots the I know better than you horn, and bangs the dead baby drum. Just a little humour, no cursing. She maintains, with no evidence to prove it, that homebirth makes more dead babies, but women choose it for 'the experience'. There's even a British Doctor who points to overwhelming evidence in England on the safety of homebirth. They can have a homebirth even on public assistance. 80% of women only see midwives. There is seemless transfer of care with no acrimony like transfers are treated here.

As is typical, she was spouting her personal feelings, and claiming that science, studies and research supported her. We have been having fun poking huge holes in every argument.

Today's complaint is "why do DEMs charge so much" DEM is direct entry midwife, like Brigett who attended the birth of my son Nicholas. She thinks $2500 is too much for the entire cost of prenatal, labor, and post natal services, including testing. In my mind it's not enough to keep them in business. Most DEMs barely scrape by, and some get donations from grateful previous clients.

So tempted to send the hordes of angry internet women from mothering.com after her. They have a forum which supported me through the trials at Northridge when they asked me to refill my bottle with 'free safer formula'.

Does everyone know the differences between DEM, CPM, CNM and sOBs (surgical OBstetricians)? Maybe she was tired of my sOB acronym, but I did spell it out. CNM and OBs view pregnancy as a disease, and rescue the fetus. DEMs and CPMs view birth as normal, and only send you to OBs when things out of the range of normal happen. (beware of Sue's sweeping generalization, there are many good and bad exceptions to my general rule.)

I wouldn't mind so much if she hadn't put it at the top of the page that both sides are welcome. She's banned a few others that I know of. She also made a big deal that she'd stop selectively censoring, and it seems to be happening again. She should have at least left my goodbye up. People will be wondering if I'm okay, I was a regular there, and people were noticing my point of view.

Thanks for listening. Still trying to work through my feelings on this. It makes me angry to see her saying that she won't do any backup care for midwives because they are all unprofessional, and dangerous. That's the trouble with homebirth around here, hostile hospital will start over on arrival, instead of picking up from the midwives direction. many midwives become doulas as they pass through the hospital doors. In Michigan we have no licensing for DEMs, they are not illegal like some states, but their not protected by a license like in others. A woman should be able to choose anything from an elective C to an unassisted homebirth, without worrying about CPS (child protective services) punishing you for child abuse, or a hospital letting the baby die while lecturing you on the evils of birthing, instead of providing the care the midwife decided you needed there.

Oh, and to answer your questions T, I can view the site, but not post. No, she doesn't moderate, only deletes parts that don't support her point of view, after posting. She gave me no warning that I was out of line. I think she was just tired of being called toots, it probably happens to her in real life. (her last name is Tutuer -> toots)

Thanks for listening, I feel better now.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

probably best to abandon the blog any way it just gives her support
I was thinking that maybe toots is too close to home maybe she has gas incontinence as a result of her unmedicated birth...... : )

Sage said...

Delurking to say, I hate not being heard or responded to. It's not a very interesting debate if we all agree.

Also, I had three healthy homebirths and wouldn't have it any other way.

Anonymous said...

Hey Sue.

As of Sep. 11, 06. I too have been banned. It is frustrating!

I also recieved no warning or explination of what I did. I suggested Amy has legal responsibility for 'outing' Wendy and providing public information on her blog about Wendy.

Then of course Amy said publicly that my comment was actually Wendy talking abuot herself in the 3rd person. Which is a lie, since she knows from our computer signatures that we are not the same person.

Well, anyway I'm joining the ranks of the banned. Maybe we should start our own blog. Those banned from Amy's debacle. HA!
Cherrie

k.thedoula said...

Bloodly heck... insert a bunch of nasty words here please.....
I've been lax in keeping up with you, and "toots" snicker snort!
I'll join the fray. Seeing as she won't even engage me EVER... and I'm the one who commented on Neonatal Docs site about avoiding another c/s and having a homebirth. Which led to his "I hate homebirth" post... which led to Dr. Amy getting her knickers in a knot over dead babies.
Another nasty word here please.
In less than two weeks, my daughter will be one. Had she been born in the hospital with an epi, on my back with an OB (If they'd allowed me to vbac that is)... she'd be in a grave at the moment. The neo natal doc wrote that down in her chart. Along with "Efficient and healthy homebirth baby discharged without further complication from cord accident."
For some strange reason Dr. Amy didn't want to hear that.
Strange huh?
Okay, end of novel.
Going to harrass some Doctor butt!
K