2012 conventions 2012 election 2013 session 2013 special election arts arts and culture author ballot measures basketball bomb books boy scouts budget bullying business charlie hales children clackamas climate change coal college courts crime culture culture club democrats drugs economy education environment family film fluoride food gay rights guns handguns health health care health insurance high school history housing immigration international internet kitzhaber law legislature lgbt literary arts living marijuana marriage media medicine mental health military minor parties mohamed mohamud movies music native americans news newspaper obama olympics oregon our town parenting pers photography police politcs politics port portland portland business journal president prevention public safety religion republicans rnc romney rural salem sam adams sandy hook schools science shooting sports suicide supreme court taxes technology television terrorism theater third parties transportation union university of oregon washington wildfire women

As a doula I have witnessed a sort of "good girl" phoenomenon at many hospital births: often when a woman is laboring to push, sweaty, grunting, loud - a doctor or nurse will say, "Good Girl!" I'm sure the intention is to encourage, but it is strangely disorienting - and in some cases very distracting to the labouring mother - almost like a reminder to BE a good girl at a time when much "good girl" behavior (cleanliness, quietness, smiling) is not only unnecessary, but almost impossible to pull off.

posted 3 years, 8 months ago
view in context