----- Original Message -----

From: s_susam

To: naturalbirthturkey@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 3:58 PM

Subject: [naturalbirthturkey] questions from a new member on how to contribute

Dear nbt

First of all, apologies for the length of this e-mail!

I am new to this group, although I have participated in Dr Coker's dogaldogum2008 more or less since its beginnings. I am Turkish but have lived abroad for more than 15 years now (England, Finland, now Scotland). I work as a senior lecturer in translation studies at the University of Edinburgh and was a translator in my earlier life. After the birth of my second child at home here in Edinburgh I also decided to become a doula, but the accreditation is a long process, so I'm taking it slowly, on top of my other commitments.

When I became a member of your group, I have gone through the previous correspondence, which indicates that there is a need for published material in relation to natural birth in Turkey; that this material should ideally address both the healthcare professionals and the parents-to-be; and that it might be translations but might also be texts written in Turkish.

As I am settled abroad and as I would very much like to contribute to your efforts, even though from far away, writing and/or translating seem to be the main options for me. Accordingly, could you please tell me your opinions on the following:

1. Which one would you consider more urgent and important: addressing the parents-to-be or the healthcare providers (I do not think that it is possible to address both at the same time)?
2. Which would be more effective: translations or texts written in Turkish? Or a combination of both?
3. Which outlet would be more effective: books or magazine articles? Or the WWW?
4. I see that there had been a suggestion to have a column in the Cosmopolitan publishing birth stories? Has this materialised in the end?
5. Would Kuraldisi be the main publisher which would be interested in a new project on natural birth in Turkey? If I manage to put together sth., whom do I need to contact there?
6. Are you aware of any projects that are currently going on in relation to published material?
7. In my heart of hearts, I would have loved to compile natural birth stories from Turkey and publish it in a short book (sth. along the lines of Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth, but more suitable for the conditions and readership in Turkey and with local birth stories), buttressed by brief statistics and accessible research articles. Do you think there is a need for such a book? In order to ensure Turkish women that birth is natural, that pain is not sth. to be afraid of but to be experienced, that there are ways to negotiate around your birth plan, etc.

Thank you very much in advance for all your feedback.

Best wishes

Sebnem Susam-Sarajeva