Wednesday, August 17, 2011

To the small & noisy lynch mob of midwives and doulas who are slandering PowerBirth,

I have been reading your abhorrent attacks on PowerBirth and I am confused? 


It seems to me that there are only a couple of women who are behind this attack and you all had the same midwife.  I find it interesting that you are competing for childbirth clients with the midwife that you had this horrible experience with.  You are competitors in the same field and you are newer to your profession.  You and your midwife that you are unhappy with live in a completely different state than Lydi and you have proven to the world that you haven't read her manual or understood it because you are wrong on your description and accusations of what PowerBirth is.


I actually bought the manual and read it over and over and I can't find anything, NOTHING EVEN CLOSE of your accusations to be true. You keep mentioning that you watched her DVD and you saw her do things.  I bought her DVD  and watched it over and over and It is IMPOSSIBLE to see what you are claiming to see!  I actually really enjoyed the DVD and manual (I hear she has a new book coming out too!  More on that later.) and I suggest everyone find out for themselves before they act like a bunch of sheep and join a Lynch mob by commenting on her blogs without knowing or trying to understand the facts.  

I think it is horrible that people start a lynch mob and everyone and their dog is so quick to jump in with their opinions/judgment and slander when they haven't found the facts.  This is like an internet riot where people feel anonymous and so they join in and bully people because everyone else is.  GROW UP!



If you are familiar with the 10 commandments, the 9th one says "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."  



Why are you attacking Lydi and her techniques when she wasn't even your midwife?

From reading your birth stories, they are sad.  It sounds like one of your problems is you have been emotionally neglected, which can lead to a lot of other problems.  A few examples were, When the midwife was on the phone  while performing a vaginal exam and the other time you were alone feeling ignored while everyone including hubby and friends were in another room having a good time without you.  I would have been mad about that too!  No one likes being treated like that.  It sounds like you had an insensitive midwife, husband and friends who weren't tuning into you.


So why the attack on PowerBirth? Is it because Lydi trained your midwife over 10 years ago?  It isn't like your midwife just walked out the door and you were her first client.  She has delivered over 1000 babies.  This is an experienced midwife.  Not everyone does things the way they were trained.  Just go ask your dentist.  If he practiced dentistry the way he was taught in school he would be sued for malpractice.  People learn things and then personalize it and do it their own way.  There are a lot of crumby dentists out there and I haven't seen anyone slandering the dental school because their root canal  was the most traumatic experience of their life blah, blah, blah.  If you called the dental school to complain, they would support and defend their dental graduate like they should and they would probably tell you to be thankful that you still have teeth to chew with blah, blah, blah.


You should address this problem with your midwife ( the person who actually attended your births) and work it out with her.  In the future I would suggest that you do a better job interviewing for a midwife and maybe come up with a birth plan of what you want and talk it over with her and ask lots of questions so you understand how she practices.  Besides, if you women were as savvy in your field of training, you should have known the proper protocol for interviewing a midwife.  Ask for references from other women who have been her clients.  If she has a lot of unhappy clients she will put herself out of business. Your bad experience isn't ALL her fault.  You have responsibility for your choices during the entire pregnancy and delivery.  You are the one who chose her for your midwife.  Hopefully you  prayed and followed your answers about your choices.  WE ALL HAVE CONSEQUENCES FOR OUR CHOICES. Good or Bad.  Give your problems to GOD so he can heal you.


Just because the 2 or 3 of  you women had a bad experience with the same midwife who claimed to have used PowerBirth on you, doesn't mean she actually did.  I did some research and Lydi has delivered almost 3000 babies with her PowerBirth Technique and I can't find one, not one client of hers complaining of the accusations you are making.  (I personally think there is a conflict of interest going on here.  Completely unprofessional!  This reminds me of political candidates trying to dig up anything and twist it to eliminate the other guy out of the race)  You would think that out of 3000 clients ( over 30 + years) it would be impossible to make them ALL happy. Statistically speaking there should be hundreds of abused clients, BUT THERE IS NOT!  I can't find any.  I saw snide remarks from Lydi's competitors.  I saw women who Love PowerBirth try to defend her PowerBirth technique and express to you how wonderful it was and how grateful they were for her and you wouldn't give them the time of day.  SHAME ON YOU for not looking at the whole picture! 


If you were really searching for the truth instead of on some hateful internet vandalism escapade, you would listen to Lydi's clients and then you would realize that you really don't know anything about Lydi or the way she practices or teaches.


LET WOMEN CHOOSE HOW THEY WANT TO GIVE BIRTH AND STOP TRYING TO CONTROL AND LIMIT WOMEN'S CHOICES AND OPTIONS.  You don't have to like or understand what thousands of other women like and prefer.  


I have been a client of Lydi's and she has been my midwife for my last 3 children and I LOVE LYDI and I LOVE PowerBirth!  Lydi is amazing!   


Lydi is delivering babies for the babies she has previously delivered and onto the next generation.  Lydi doesn't NEED to advertise to stay busy delivering babies.  Her clients are repeat clients and referrals by word of mouth.  We all know that clients refer friends and family to someone they had a great experience with and when they loved the services received.  If Lydi were guilty of your accusations, she would have been out of business a long time ago! "By their fruits ye shall know them."


Lydi is known for her amazing abilities in tuning into the mother and baby.  She has an important gift for helping women have healing births.  If anyone needs a healing birth, LYDI is the midwife you need.  If you ladies can't move on and get past this situation and heal, you should give Lydi a call for your next birth because she is the best midwife and has incredible results.
 
 
I'm sorry you had a bad experience with your birth.  I am praying for you that you can soften your hearts and heal.  HOW MANY YEARS OF YOUR LIFE ARE YOU GOING TO LET THIS EXPERIENCE STEAL FROM YOU?  Reliving and focusing on your negative experience is allowing it to dominate your life.  MOVE ON WITH LIFE AND GET PAST YOUR BUMP IN THE ROAD so to speak.  I'm not saying it will be easy, but I know you can do it.  STAYING IN THE VICTIM MENTALITY WILL ONLY ROB YOU OF YOUR LIFE AND OF YOUR FAMILY'S.  CHANGE YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS TO SOMETHING HEALTHY FOR YOUR CHILDREN'S SAKE .   You have FREE AGENCY and you can place any value you want on anything in your life.  CHANGE YOUR MIND! 

In the meantime, count your blessings, name them one by one and INSTEAD OF SPENDING NEGATIVE TIME ON THE COMPUTER, REDIRECT YOUR ENERGY!  Get off the computer ("You can do it, I know you can. Thumbs up for Rock N Roll!") and spend that time doing something fun with your CHILDREN and family to help you heal by making new memories that you can dwell on.  Enjoy them while you can, because they grow up way too fast :P




12 comments:

  1. I saw Lydi's DVD and I loved it!!!!

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  2. Lydi Owen helped me achieve my home birth after a c-section. She gave constant support amidst negativity from family, including my husband. I couldn't have done it without her. She is very in tune and knowledgeable. She practices safely and will only deliver if she feels everything is fine with mom and baby. Lydi is forever my friend now and I will never forget her kindness. Thank you, Lydi! P.S. I can't wait for your book to come out!
    Becca

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  3. I love this blog letter and empathize totally with you about Lydi and PowerBirth as I've learned about it seeing the PowerBirth DVD twice- it was inspiring; conversing with Lydi openly with many interesting and inspiring conversations of wise woman ways- sensitive midwifery which I'm still learning about. I have been studying and learning about midwifery and natural and spiritual healing for 30 years and agree that Lydi's being slandered and attacked in many dishonest and hateful ways- blame being projected on her for imagined abuse by someone else. Such slander is really revenge at someone else? So, where's the proof of truth in the accusations? It needs to stop- you need to get healed and centered at home by loving your family instead of blaming Lydi like a bunch of control mongers! I'm praying for your healing of the hate, blame, jealousy, and lies. Or is a legal case against the slander needed? There are hundreds of happy mothers delivering at home in natural, loving, and healthy ways using PowerBirth!
    Deeply yours,
    Micheal Sunanda, esp

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  4. Lydi is one of the most selfless, giving, intuitive, gentle woman that I know. She truly is
    'with women'.

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  5. Lydi has done more than 2700 births at home, including labor, and is still active and being requested as a midwife over and over again because she knows what sho does, and she is one of the finest midwives alive.Period.
    She is in a class by herself. It is understandable that some of her competition tries to make big waves, but how many babies has that competition delivered? How many repeat clients do they have? How many years have they been delivering babies succesfuly?
    Plain and simple.

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  6. Thank you so much for defending Lydi! She is as amazing as you
    say she is. She has delivered 6 of my children. I always knew she cared and
    would risk her own skin to do what was best for me and my baby. As her
    apprentice, I witnessed many acts of charity for clients who could not
    afford to pay. I saw her agonize in worry and concern for those who were
    experiencing complications. I heard her sincere heartfelt prayers on behalf
    of her clients and their babies. She is humble and was always uncomfortable
    with praise and glory, being quick to give all Glory to God who she serves.
    I am "THE midwife" who attended those "awful" births. I have tried to
    get them to leave Lydi out of it, but they refuse. It is because they
    know if they openly attack another midwife in their area, then it
    looks bad on them
    and people will see through it, so they attack ME by attacking
    Powerbirth and my mentor
    making it look as if they are doing some great service for womankind.
    This type of nonsense has existed in the midwife community as
    long as it has existed in junior high schools. The "most popular"
    girl is always hated by the others.
    When I first started training with Lydi in 1985, she stood alone
    in the midwife community in Las Vegas. All the others had their
    little support group that met once per month for "peer support." When
    I attended the first meeting, I witnessed more slamming of Lydi than
    any other kind of discussion. Just like Jr high, they tried to get me
    to be popular with them, by participating in the Lydi bashing. I would
    not, so when I was around, they acted differently. I was not going to
    be one of the "Cool" ones if that is what it took. You see, Lydi
    delivered more babies per year than all of them put together. Despite
    her experience, popularity and perfect birth record, they still
    insisted that all of her clients hated her and were flocking to them
    in droves; and that she practiced dangerously.
    While in Nevada, I posed no threat to anyone because I was young
    and inexperienced, but from the first year I came to Utah, I have been
    dealing with the same kind of jealous attacks from other midwives as I
    saw Lydi endure. Why? It can only be for one reason...because I have
    the most experience, deliver the most babies every year and have a perfect
    outcome record. Is that haughty of me to say? Am I boasting in myself?
    No, but in my God, for he is the one who protects my clients as I have faith
    in Him, so why do they envy what they too can have if they are willing to
    pay the price?
    I can't go to their herbal tea parties and I can't associate with them so
    as to give them no ammunition to use against me. How sad? I simply focus
    on my family, my clients and my religion. I limit my midwife associations to
    only those sho possess integrity. I work for the Lord and I let him
    deal with my enemies.
    I would never do anything that is insensitive or hurtful. I love
    birth, my clients and MY babies. Just like you said in your blog. A
    midwife who acts the way they claim I do, would never stay in business
    much less have the MOST business. A midwife who is "dangerous" would
    not have a perfect record after 1200 births, or in Lydi's case, 2700!
    Although both Lydi and I give credit to the Lord for his inspiration
    on behalf of our clients.
    I once heard a successful business man say, "My clients love me
    and my competition hates me." This is true in the midwife world also.
    Every single city I know of has at least one midwife who is loved by
    the clients and
    hated by the midwives who struggle to keep up. The same rumors of how much
    she is hated by her clients go around, yet she works mostly by word of mouth
    referrals. That midwife would be the one who I would choose for my
    own births.
    That is why I chose Lydi. I could see right through the jealousy, as
    most clients can.
    Liz

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  7. From C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters, he writes- "There is an overall movement in the United States towards the discrediting and elimination of every kind of human excellence- morally, culturally, socially, and intellectually. We don't promote academic excellence anymore. The basic principle of education in the 20th and 21st centuries is that dunces and idlers must not be made to feel inferior to intelligent and industrious pupils. What Hell wishes every democratic people to be is a nation without great men (women), a nation of intellectually inferior persons morally flacid from lack of discipline in youth, full of the cocksureness which flattery breeds on ignorance, and soft from lifelong pampering.
    I'm proud to know you, Liz, and know from personal experience that you are a wonderful midwife. I'm sad to find out how many midwives in America in the homebirth movement have turned out to be that which they claim they hate- doctors and the greed of the medical system in this country. But, the sad truth is that they have become what they hate. I never thought that such an honorable and worthy profession as midwifery could be so tainted with as many greedy women as I have found out about since this PowerBirth witch hunt began 2 years ago when Laura Lounsbury threatened to destroy me because I wouldn't side with her against you. She has done as she promised, but the good thing about that is that I have gotten to see the fickleness of so-called midwives- from the popular midwifery magazines to midwives I thought had integrity.
    C.S. Lewis- you were right!
    Lydi

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  8. Let's address this other issue: Someone accused me of "Talking on
    the phone during a vaginal exam?" "Being in the other room while a
    woman is in labor?" Come on, is that the best they can do? I have
    probably done those things many times and so has every other seasoned
    midwife in this world. What about delivering a baby while nursing my own
    baby? Doing a vaginal exam while answering a relative's question? Sleeping
    or eating while a woman is in labor? Watching TV, reading, etc. I've done
    those things too and so does every midwife. Doctors do them, but they are
    out of sight and show up for a few minutes at a time so no one even knows
    about it. We are at the homes for several hours and sometimes days. We
    have others, who need us, too; and we need to eat, sleep, pray etc. and make
    sure our families and everyone else, under our care, is ok. The only one who
    should never leave the laboring woman is the husband, but I make every effort
    to be there when they need me.
    Midwives are masters at multi-tasking. Most of us do not have partners,
    nurses or secretaries. We do everything by ourselves and are solely
    responsible for everything. If I ignore the client on the phone, who
    also may be in labor, then she will be wrongly neglected. If I leave
    the room to take the call, then I abandon the woman in labor. Of
    course, a woman has the right to hire a midwife who has no other
    clients, but would you? No, they want the "best" midwife, but they want
    her all to themselves for a minimal price. These complainers are the
    exception, not the rule. They are the type who can never be pleased.
    They are the type who I hope will go to a different midwife next time.
    Often times, they come back for their next baby after finding out
    that the "vaginal exam phone call" was not that big of a deal after
    getting completely neglected by a "hands off" midwife who has no idea
    how to help them while they scream and whither into complete exhaustion.
    I hope I am not sounding haughty. I am only trying to explain
    the life of a
    midwife. Our critics know this if they have been practicing long enough, but
    they will never defend, if the complaint can be used to their
    advantage. (Jr High)
    Fortunately most women are very understanding and
    appreciative and know that I am one person who cannot be in two places
    at once. They realize that we do not have break rooms and office
    hours like the doctors. Our lives as midwives are completely
    intertwined with our private lives. There is no way to completely
    keep them separate unless we run in and catch the babies and then
    leave like doctors do. Most doctors also have wives at home
    taking care of their kids. We are mothers and midwives 24 hours a day.
    Again, thank you for taking the time to honor and defend Lydi with
    your blog. Hopefully, I have given you some more insight that will
    help you deal with the reactions you may get from your blog. Just
    imagine yourself in Jr high and you will understand why these ladies
    have been so obsessed with "Powerbirth."

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  9. All I can say is what I know, which is: LYDI OWEN HAS BEEN/IS THE BEST AND MOST DEDICATED MIDWIFE THAT I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE AND BLESSING TO MEET!

    She has assisted me with the deliveries of both my son and daughter over 20+ years ago. My daughter was even born on Lydi's very own bed!

    My deliveries were absolutely perfect with zero complications, thanks to God and Lydi's assistance.

    Her Power Birth methods enabled me to have natural home births while allowing Nature and my body to follow its natural course, with the proper guidance from Lydi every step of the way.

    Whatever complaints those other so-called midwives have against Lydi's Power Birth methods must be stemming from their own inexperience and jealousy. It is very sad and frustrating to see women behave so maliciously and immaturely in a field that has absolutely NO room for such unprofessional behavior.

    Lydi is an absolutely mature, experienced, professional and Spirit-driven midwife. She is God-ordained to practice her craft. She is in this world but not of it. Many of those other midwives are in the field of midwifery due to their egos and lust for fame and capital gain. They are totally not even in the position to judge, slander or criticize Lydi.

    Lydi has delivered hundreds of children for over 3 decades and she is STILL delivering children to this very day!

    Those other midwives do not have even a FRACTION of the experience that Lydi has acquired over the years.

    Bottom line is this on Lydi's behalf:

    "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 54:17)

    GOD BLESS YOU, LYDI! I LOVE YOU...

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  10. When are all of , or any of, us, as Utah midwives, going to get our heads out of our butts and start dealing with truth! If I offend any of you,then I guess that is your own problem, I don't care anymore; powerbirth is just what it is! It is truth and a Godsend to every women on this earth! Lydi Owen is saying what we all need to hear; I stand with her in what she teaches; I may have alot less experience than all of of you but to me she tells us what God himself wants us to know and share with women and families!... Come down on me personally, but I know that Christ is behind her!! All of us need to let go of our pride and search for the real integrity of what we are doing! What are we doing? Leslie Gibbons,amongst the most low and base on this earth... I know my writing is probably not correct and I apologize for that but not for what I recognize as light and knowledge. I KNOW that our God is working through Lydi, Liz, and hopefully me and others and pray for His guidance in all that we do! No harm or garbage intended to any of you;I love you all but I have chosen the Rock upon which I intend to stand! Let's all search our hearts...Leslie Gibbons

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  11. LYDI OWENS ROCKS!!! Those women have no clue.. Proof is in the pudding... or the births... count up all your births side by side.. and see who wins.... heres a hint Lydi DOES!!

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  12. "It is unfortunate and unfair that people can
    tell untrue and exaggerated versions of their births, attacking the
    midwife all over the internet, while the defenseless midwife cannot
    tell her story because she is bound by confidentiality laws.

    Many a midwife has heroically saved the life of mother and/or child,
    only to be criticized and blamed because the birth did not go as the
    parents had planned. Often times, the father/mother is unaware of the
    true situation and may remember things differently because of her/his
    mental condition at the time of the birth. For example: She may think
    that the midwife was hurting her, when, in reality, it was the quickly
    descending head of the fetus OR She may be unaware of how truly
    critical the situation was at the time and why the midwife had to do
    what she did to save her baby. Sometimes stories come second or third
    hand from neighbors and relatives who were not even present at the
    birth. There is a common saying among midwives that goes like this,
    "When things go well, and we don't have to do anything, they love us;
    When things go wrong, and we use our skills to keep them safe, they
    hate us." It's pretty ironic isn't it?

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