Comments on: Of Tact http://smokeythemagnificent.com/2009/08/01/of-tact/ Failing the Turing Test since 1986 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:38:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Kovac http://smokeythemagnificent.com/2009/08/01/of-tact/#comment-441 Kovac Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:02:45 +0000 http://smokeythemagnificent.com/?p=436#comment-441 Lesson 1 : Do not attempt to push the baby back in... Lesson 1 : Do not attempt to push the baby back in…

]]> By: smokering http://smokeythemagnificent.com/2009/08/01/of-tact/#comment-439 smokering Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:39:19 +0000 http://smokeythemagnificent.com/?p=436#comment-439 Although a "What <em>not</em> to do when you see a woman in heavy labour" first-aid course might be worthwhile. As in, "Don't start running around screaming and panicking and telling her not to panic", and "Don't try to coach her Lamaze-style based off an episode of <em>Friends</em> you saw once". Not to mention "Don't do<em> anything</em> you saw them do to labouring women on <em>Star Trek</em>". :p It'd be a fun session, anyway. Although a “What not to do when you see a woman in heavy labour” first-aid course might be worthwhile. As in, “Don’t start running around screaming and panicking and telling her not to panic”, and “Don’t try to coach her Lamaze-style based off an episode of Friends you saw once”.

Not to mention “Don’t do anything you saw them do to labouring women on Star Trek“. :p

It’d be a fun session, anyway.

]]> By: smokering http://smokeythemagnificent.com/2009/08/01/of-tact/#comment-438 smokering Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:34:45 +0000 http://smokeythemagnificent.com/?p=436#comment-438 Well, that makes sense. Childbirth <em>qua</em> childbirth doesn't require first aid: it's not a problem that needs to be solved or an accident, it's something the body can generally manage on its own. Women can even catch their own babies, although that's something a passer-by could probably do to help if necessary. But then, it doesn't really require training to catch a baby. One just catches it. And if something did go wrong, it would likely be something that would require more expertise than the average first aid trainee could provide. I'm fairly sure shoulder dystocia, for instance, needs skill and experience to deal with properly, and most interference would likely do more harm than good. Mara: Yeah, me too... but I can avoid feeling like a hypocrite by rationalising that I'm probably a lot more antisocial during labour than the average woman. Look at all the women who invite their friends and extended families to the birth as labour support. So I figure it's safest to assume that wanting to be left alone during heavy labour isn't a universal phenomenon. Plus, even if she didn't want counterpressure or chanting or anything specifically "labour"-y, she might want someone to call her husband or whatever. (Put the ice cream back in the frozen foods, if she were the frugal type?) Well, that makes sense. Childbirth qua childbirth doesn’t require first aid: it’s not a problem that needs to be solved or an accident, it’s something the body can generally manage on its own. Women can even catch their own babies, although that’s something a passer-by could probably do to help if necessary. But then, it doesn’t really require training to catch a baby. One just catches it.

And if something did go wrong, it would likely be something that would require more expertise than the average first aid trainee could provide. I’m fairly sure shoulder dystocia, for instance, needs skill and experience to deal with properly, and most interference would likely do more harm than good.

Mara: Yeah, me too… but I can avoid feeling like a hypocrite by rationalising that I’m probably a lot more antisocial during labour than the average woman. Look at all the women who invite their friends and extended families to the birth as labour support. So I figure it’s safest to assume that wanting to be left alone during heavy labour isn’t a universal phenomenon. Plus, even if she didn’t want counterpressure or chanting or anything specifically “labour”-y, she might want someone to call her husband or whatever. (Put the ice cream back in the frozen foods, if she were the frugal type?)

]]> By: Kovac http://smokeythemagnificent.com/2009/08/01/of-tact/#comment-437 Kovac Sun, 02 Aug 2009 22:38:18 +0000 http://smokeythemagnificent.com/?p=436#comment-437 Funnily enough, it's not something they equip you to deal with when you attend a first aid course. If the baby was choking I could help out, but a baby being born? Not so much. Funnily enough, it’s not something they equip you to deal with when you attend a first aid course.
If the baby was choking I could help out, but a baby being born?

Not so much.

]]> By: Kovac http://smokeythemagnificent.com/2009/08/01/of-tact/#comment-436 Kovac Sun, 02 Aug 2009 22:36:35 +0000 http://smokeythemagnificent.com/?p=436#comment-436 I think that the safest option would be to at least offer assistance. If it is someone who would rather be left alone the worst you are likely to face is some mild annoyance. On the otherhand, if they were of the sort to want assistance, it's likely that you are going to be shunned and vilified by the general community. If I ran into that situation... I think that I would be the person running to call for an ambulance. I think that the safest option would be to at least offer assistance. If it is someone who would rather be left alone the worst you are likely to face is some mild annoyance. On the otherhand, if they were of the sort to want assistance, it’s likely that you are going to be shunned and vilified by the general community.

If I ran into that situation…

I think that I would be the person running to call for an ambulance.

]]> By: Mara http://smokeythemagnificent.com/2009/08/01/of-tact/#comment-435 Mara Sun, 02 Aug 2009 18:11:58 +0000 http://smokeythemagnificent.com/?p=436#comment-435 THANK you. It is never nice to ask whether a woman is pregnant, for all the reasons you listed. If I were in heavy labor, I'd want to be left the h*ll alone... And yet, I'd probably ask the heavily laboring woman if she needed help. Go figure, right? THANK you. It is never nice to ask whether a woman is pregnant, for all the reasons you listed.

If I were in heavy labor, I’d want to be left the h*ll alone…

And yet, I’d probably ask the heavily laboring woman if she needed help. Go figure, right?

]]>