Birth Support Bendigo
Summer Newsletter
December 2001
Photo: Jane Cameron
Our Anniversary Edition Sweet 16
Midwives in Independent Practice
Professional Indemnity Insurance
A National Body
editorial
Welcome to the first edition of the newsletter for the 'new' committee.
I have taken on the role of Secretary and have been involved with Birth Support Bencligo, actively and not so actively for some five years. Our family consists of myself, partner Dennis, daughter's Zoe (7 years) and Maiya (born in February 200 1). 1 have been studying for the past few (eight!!) years and have just completed a Bachelor in Social Work, so feel more able to participate in extra curricular activities this year, so hopefully I will do the position justice.
Birth Support Bendigo has turned sweet sixteen and what a time to celebrate our achievements. But who would have thought all those years ago,
when this group started with the aim of promoting home and natural birth choice in Bendigo, that we would still be striving, lobbying and advocating for this to continue?
Midwives as Primary Caregivers (at home and hospital) and their positive results and outcomes' (official jargon)
have provided overwhelming 'evidence' to their amazing 'services'. Those of us that have experienced a homebirth or the support of our own
midwife, speak louder and differently.
We talk of the experience of power, joy, fulfillment, trust and of the journey that we shared. Words commonly used to describe the experience are connection, relationships, rapport, intuition, trust and nurturing. These words can be supported by and with photo's, children's drawings, stories and play, and the shared experience of the family. The incredible sense of achievement and self that can come with the experiencing the power of birth is beyond words and value.
However, our experiences, are not powerful enough and we need to more active in presenting our individual and collective voices to demand that natural childbirth options and midwives are supported to continue in their practice.
This editorial is being written in a time of change. Midwives in Private Practice are being threatened due to the withdrawal of Indemnity Insurance. This issue has been prevalent since September and continues to be unresolved.
This has impacted on our local midwives in a number of ways, one local midwife in independent practice has ceased to offer services for homebirthing and others have the added pressure of more demand for their homebirth services. Some women who planned homebirths have had to birth in hospital.
To provide information and background to this situation, this issue is predominantly filled with snippets of information based on the issues of indemnity Insurance and the current situation facing Midwives in Private Practice. We (the Committee) felt it was important that all members have access to this background information and the opportunity to consider the role they can play in assisting Birth Support Bencligo to show their support.
Included in this issue are the minutes from the AGM and a summary from Jenny's presentation, as well as a current information on the issues and the brochure from Maternity Coalition supporting the Midwifery Campaign.
On a more positive note, welcome to the new committee, particularly Jane Cameron as Coordinator. A big THANKYOU to outgoing Coordinator
Michelle for all her motivation, support and creative spirit within and beyond the role, she continues on the committee, so hopefully she will get to relax a bit! There are still positions vacant, as listed in the front of the newsletter, so don't be afraid to ask questions and put your hand up to help out. Involvement in the committee and with Birth Support need not be daunting or hard work, and many of us find it educational, satisfying and pleasurable, enjoying the opportunity to spend time with like minded people and share ideas. One forum to 'get together' is playgroup. Look for the playgroup dates in this issue and feel free to come along to meet other mums, dads and babies.
Hope to see you soon,
page3
Where to from here?
by Jane cameron..
It's been over two months now since independent midwives lost their indemnity insurance. I find myself feeling increasingly frustrated, angry and at a loss of where to go from here. What can I do to
help to change this desperate situation and not only regain what our
midwives had, but actively make changes in this country to the care pregnant and birthing women receive? The loss of indemnity insurance has been a major backward step, but perhaps it will be the
motivation for greater change, not only for those people seeking home births but for women who desire to birth within the hospital system.
A friend of mine recently gave birth to her first baby, in a private Melbourne hospital. Her birthing story was tinged with disappointment but she was just very happy to have a healthy baby at the end of it all. She had been contracting all day and by evening they were 5 mins apart. This was when she went into hospital. They began to pick up in intensity and were 2 mins apart. Her Obstetrician, after doing an internal (3-4cm dilation), felt that by rupturing her membranes they could speed the labour up. it did, but now she was having rolling contractions. A shot of pethidine was the given, but then my friend found she wanted to push. Another internal (4cm dilation) and an epidural was deemed necessary to stop the premature pushing urge. She thought the epidural was fantastic, she could wiggle her legs but all the pain had gone. She lay awake for five hours waiting for the time for when she could push. She wondered how she would be able to push her baby out without any feeling. Finally she was told it was now o.k. to push and was greatly relieved she was able to birth "naturally". She didn't need the forceps. When she expressed her disappointment at having had the epidural to her Obstetrician the reply was I don't know what you are worried about, what you had was a perfectly normal birth".
It seems that, like many women I know, she did have a desire to have a natural birthing experience, but was prepared to just "see how it all went". So why the disappointment? She was shocked and unprepared for the intensity of the pain she experienced (her partner too) and felt like she had failed by needing drugs. A possibility too that she felt out of control without anyone giving her alternative intervention free options.
When I listen to women relaying their birthing stories (home and hospital) the major factor in whether they feel they had a positive experience was the support they received and if their experience
followed closely to what they imagined birthing to be. I think women are being failed and fooled into believing they can have a birthing experience that is far from reality when the support is just not
there. This is what ultimately creates disappointment, despair and sometimes depression following birth.
Our independent midwives are incredibly skilled in offering the support women need to help create positive birthing experiences and the loss of indemnity insurance is having a huge impact on many people's lives. A number of pregnant women who planned a home birth have had to make alternative arrangements because their chosen midwife is no longer available, for many this means a hospital birth. The number of midwives available as a primary caregiver, in our region, has been reduced to one. Many women seeking independent support in hospital or a home birth will find this service just isn't available (one midwife is just physically unable to care for the number of women seeking independent support).
And what of our independent midwives who have been forced out of practice? These are women who have passion, dedication, incredible knowledge and skill in pregnancy/birthing and postpartum care. They have made many sacrifices over time to be there for us. It's a tragic loss.
How can we expect to see any changes in the way pregnant and birthing women are cared for in Australia when their choices are being eroded and the World Health Organisation recommendations for best birthing outcomes continue to be ignored? individually it is easy to throw up my hands and feel "what difference can I possibly make", but we have the voice of Birth Support Bendigo and many passionate, intelligent people within our organisation. If we can come together and work on some strategies as a group I am positive that we can help make that change occur. I find it impossible to think that our independent midwives will be permanently forced out of practice and that home birthing, in particular, will no longer exist.
My precious midwives jenny and Jane holding my babies shortly after birth, whose support was integral to my positive birth experiences.
page5
Midwives in Private Practice An Overview of the current situation
Jenny Parratt, one of our local independent midwives, was the guest speaker at Birth Support Bendigo's 2001
A.G.M. She gave a comprehensive overview of the indemnity insurance crisis that midwives in private
practice (MIPP) 'Victoria 'are currently facing, how this impacts on MIPP, women seeking their service and
possible future action that Birth Support could consider to help support our MIPP.
To date most midwives have been insured by their employer, with differences from state to state for vicarious
insurance. The Guild insurance company was insuring MMIP until August this year. For most Victorian
MIPP his was not a problem as the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) was their insuring body. However
the ANF soon followed Guild and from September Ist 2001 MIPP were no longer insured. Initially the ANF
thought it wouldn't be able to get insurance for any midwives, but they were able to continue to cover those
midwives who are employed (i.e. through a hospital).
There is another potential crisis facing MIPP in that the Midwives registering body now has a discresionary
clause that if you don't practice with indemnity insurance you could be deregistered. The rationale behind this
clause was that the Victorian Nursing Federation felt it was an important way to help protect the public.
Jenny explained why a written disclaimer from a client is not a legally binding option for women wanting to
use a MIPP for a home or planned hospital birth. The women can sign a disclaimer for herself, but is unable
to sign on the behalf of her unborn baby. Midwives need to keep their records for 21 years post birth as this is
the amount of time a child can seek legal action. Jenny also felt it was an important right of a child to have
access to financial support if something was to happen as a direct result of birthing trauma.
From Jenny's point of view the loss of insurance is impacting on those women planning a pregnancy and
those already pregnant in that their choices are now greatly diminished. She has had planned home births
which she was unable to follow through with, which has caused great emotional anguish for her clients and
for herself As far as MIPP are concerned this issue has a direct impact on their own livelihoods. Someone
raised the question of it possibly being and equal opportunity issue as well.
Jenny explained that there has been some potential for future insurance, however one of the options being put
forward would require her to increase the cost of her service by $250 per birth just to cover the higher
insurance premium costs. This would put her service out of reach of even more women. This option for those
midwives mostly employer based effectively made being a back up midwife for impossible.
There have been some positives that are coming out of this situation. In W.A. there is a group of MIPP who
have state ftinded midwifery service, in the community and in hospital where professional indemnity
insurance is covered by the state. We understand that within the public system we may not be able to choose
who that particular midwife is.
PAGE6
Jenny felt that there are a number of things that Birth Support Bendigo members can do to help MIPP resolve
the insurance crisis. She recommended that BSB join the National Body that is currently being founded. This
would enable a more cohesive plan of action across the whole of Australia. She suggested that we write
letters to Jacinta Allen, Shane Solomon and John Thwaites, with the emphasis on this being not just a home
birthing issue, but one where we want the choice of having a midwife as our primary continuous caregiver.
She stressed that continuous was needed to be highlighted as many Politians are taking the issue and thinking
that group midwifery care is the same thing.
Birth Support Bendigo would like to thank Jenny for her time and her interesting and informative discussion
on the indemnity crisis.
Magical midwives - Jenny(facing) and Nola,
Assisting partner Denis to welcome Maiya to the world.
Page 7
Transcript of radio ABC interveiw
with Julie McCrossin on Thursday 26/07/01
Midwives The Choice for Women to Have a Homebirth is Being Threatened
Summary:
Women wanting to experience the birth of their child in the intimacy of their own home has been a choice but this choice is now being threatened. The last major provider of professional indemnity insurance for midwives has decided to withdraw its cover across the country.
The decision leaves both midwives and expectant mothers totally unprotected should anything go wrong during a homebirth.
Sally Tracy, a Research Midwife, talks about the wider repercussions of this decision and about midwifery as a profession in other countries.
In Western Europe up to 70% of births are delivered by midwives. In New Zealand the costs associated with a homebirth are covered by their health care system. In Australia women must bear all costs for a homebirth, and we also have the lowest homebirth rate in western countries.
Guests on this program: Sally Tracy
Senior Research Midwife with experience in the UK, New Zealand and Australia, mother of four and currently undertaking one of the first Professional Doctorates in Midwifery at the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Health, University Technology, Sydne . stracyp_ozemail.com.au
Page 8
Dear Sally, I heard you speaking on Radio National and was rather disappointed with the way the issue was represented by Julie in her questioning. In many media reports the focus seems to be on the loss homebirths and that because this is a minority, it is no great loss!! The issue has been presented as broader than that to me, that this could effect all midwives. As a member of Birth Support Bendigo, I am supportive of the issues and we as a group are lobbying to do anything we can to help. Currently we are sending letters to ministers to voice our concern. Please advise us of any further assistance we can give you on this issue. Keep battling! Kind Regards, Robyn Trainor.
Dear Robyn
thankyou so much for your support - yes, it all helps at this stage...
you will know about the petition at :
www.matemitycoalition.org.au
And also you may have heard about the idea to pass a resolution at the AGM of your organisation
When the midwives in New Zealand were trying to get the landmark changes regarding midwifery passed into law, they had a clever strategy that we might be able to use here.
The way to make the politicians sit up and take notice is to make it clear to them that these issues about women having the freedom to choose midwifery care and the Government's responsibilities to provide appropriate care are on lots of voter's agendas.
One way to build numbers of concerned voters is to enlist the help of all the women's organisations out there.
This was done in NZ through several steps:
* either midwives joined these groups or sought out a supportive existing member (lots of them had mothers who were members, for example).
* a standardised resolution stating the organisations support of women's freedom of choice for maternity care was prepared and sent to each of these members.
* the resolution was included on the agenda of the Annual General Meeting of each organisation, to be voted on as a matter of principal.
I understand that this was quite easily done everyone could support the resolution as it was worded and noone wanted to see women's rights eroded
* The names of the organisations that had supported the resolution were listed in the supporting documents when presented to politicians etc.
All kinds of women's groups were used:
civic groups, church groups, women fanner's groups, school groups, political groups etc etc.
This might be a strategy worth considering here, given that there is an election in the offing and some of the Health Ministers don't seem to be too interested as yet.
So we are advising as many women's collectives as possible to pass a resolution in support of midwives and women's rights.
This is the wording that is suggested for a resolution to propose at AGMs of any women's groups, as a way of gathering more generalised support.
" that (the group) urges (government/state) to recognise midwives as autonomous practitioners who work for the public good and as such should have access to the same medical rebates and govermnent/state funded professional indemnity schemes as medical providers of the same maternity service".
I hope this helps and all your support greatly appreciated
Sally
----
Sally K Tracy
Australian Midwifery Action Project (AMAP)
/Radio National
page 9
E-mailed to BSB from a Maternity Coalition member
A NATIONAL BODY
Dear fellow consumer activist,Why this E-mail?
in the current climate of lobbying for changes in the delivery of maternity services, practicing midwives, consumers have a vital role to play. our voices will be essential if the current dominance of maternity care by a high technology, medicalised model is to be successfully challenged. Midwifery care, in the true sense outlined by the World Health Organisation, has been proven to produce better outcomes for the majority if not all women and babies. Yet at present in Australia a very small percentage of women have access to midwifery models of care in birth centres or at home. Since the onset in July of independent midwives, the level of activism by consumer organisations around Australia has been fantastic. Consumer organisations, often in collaboration with midwives. have done much to raise public awareness of the importance of this issue to birthing women. In many States /Territories politicians and health officials have also been lobbied.
SO WHY THIS PROPOSAL FOR A NATIONAL BODY?
We are all working in our various States for similar goals:
* the right of women to choose midwives as their primary caregiver for pregnancy, birth and postnatally...
* the rights of consumers to be provided with information to enable them to make informed decisions about obstetric interventions...
* for pregnancy and birth to be treated as a normal, albeit significant event in a woman's life not as an illness...
* for women to be provided with care that recognizes and respects the emotional element of giving birth not just the medical...
* for maternity services to be sensitive to women's differing cultural and physical needs and to treat birth with great respect...
A national consurner body would enable us to put out press releases on national issues, to quickly share informationand experiences, and to represent a much larger number of women when lobbying politicians, bureaucrats and other decision makers. it would help bring home the message that there is widespread consumer demand for a better deal from our maternity services.
And importantly it would give consumers the ability to represent'views to federal politicians, bureaucrats and media with a much wider membership base than any of the organisations have on their own. in the current preelection climate this would be a major advantage.
HOW WOULD A NATIONAL BODY WORK?
This would need to be determined by those interested in being involved. One possibility is that a national association - whatever it might be called could be a loosely configured organisation operated mainly via email and internet.
it could be made up of member organisations rather than individuals with individuals continuing to belong to their relevant local organisation.The national body could involve a few key people nominated from each State /Territory organisation to be part of a "virtual" decision making group that could quickly put out national press releases or lobby pollies on issues that clearly have national relevance.
A National Maternity Consumers Association (just a thought for the name) could exist fairly loosely, so that member organisations need not have any loss of autonomy to do their own thing in their own state. Rather it could exist in a form that enables it to represent national issues on a consensual basis. Perhaps it could exist as an umbrella label only, with each organisation signing off on any press resease for Eg. under theior own name and incorporation.
page 10
WHAT WOULD A NATIONAL BODY DO?
One of the reasons I am proposing this idea now is that on 26 September, members of the Maternity Coalition, the Australian Society of Independent Midwives and the ACMI are meeting with Wooldridge (coalition), Macklin (ALP) and Lees (Dernocrats) to lobby for the federal government to take a stand on protecting and extending women's access to midwifery care.
Everything is on our side the economics of midwifery models of care, the scientific evidence on improved outcomes, consumer satisfaction with this model of care. But we are challenging a very powerful lobby in the guise of the Obstetricians associations. And we do not underestimate the political clout of the medical establishment. They would stand to loose much if we were ultimately to be successful in having a majority of women birthing with midwives, and a minority referred to obstetricians where necessary. But this issue is too important to stand back and not act. A national consumers Organisation of some kind would assist with shoring up consumers credibility and the strength of our (collective) arguments. other possible activities in the short term for a national Organisation would be preparing a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The more submissions they receive on this issue the more likely they will be to look into it as a priority.
SO WHAT DO WE DO NOW?
I am seeking expressions of interest from all consumer organisations around Australia with an interest in improving maternity services and improving the experience of birth for mothers and babies.Please email me ASAP!! Please also forward this message to others whom you may be aware of who may be interested. I welcome suggestions on how you think it should/could work and who would like to be involved via the internet. regards,
Barb Vernon
Dr Barbara Vernon Active Member Of ACT Branch of the Maternity Coalition mother of 2 boys, 3yrs and 6 mths.
IF YOU ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE, PLEASE RESPOND TO BARB VERNON
vemongwebone.com.au
page 11
Reproduced from our 10th Aniversary edition
An interview with Julie U'ren
(Our founding Mother) by Kirsty Kerr
So what happened ten years ago?
page 12
How did Birth Support Bendigo start?
Yes Hannah was born in two hours. It was a straightforward birth and it was right for our whole family being at home. Wonderful togetherness, healing warmth, children's presence, sister, partner, family, so Gomlete. Then Esther was born at home three and a half years after Hannah (1989). Of course another birth with lots of stories surrounding it like Esther arriving in time for a family reunion! I had trained as a childhood educator prior and had a chance to try out first hand 'hot nappies' as she was posterior! I put an ad in the Bendigo Advertiser I sometimes laugh now at my innocence! I just put an ad in the public notices, "Wanted; a midwife to attend a homebirth." I thought that was one way to find out. After the ad had people ringing me,who'd had babies at home or were interested in homebirth They asked "How did you go?", "Did you find a midwife?" "I'm interested in finding a midwife too". I was new to Bendigo and hadn't many connections. That was where my network really started , women ring me up and being interested in my ad. Of course people had been having babies at home for years in Bendigo. Even though Adolf had been providing this service for years there were no formalised connections between homebirthers. I decided to get together with these people and talk about it so we could supporl each other. It was pretty isolating choosing to give birth at home, in an often hostile community environment. The Advertiser rang me, which was embarrassing. They were interested in my ad and wantec to do a story and called it "Julie wants a service the system can't deliver." They ran a front page picture and story. This was followed by an ad for the first Bendigo Home Birth Support Group.! This led to a meeting where we talked about starting a group. This was about July 1985. Some of the people involved in these first months organised a workshop and Rhea Dempsey(Childbirth Educator) from Melbourne ran ft. This raised the profile of the Bendigo Home Birth Support Group as ft was called then. Soon after, I began handwritten newsletters two pages back and front which is a fairly humble beginning to the present newsletter.
Where did your interest in homebirth come from?
Sometimes I ask myself where we get our ambitions and ideas from? What motivates us? I looked in my past and I couldn't find ft. I am the oldest of five kids and one of the first to have babies in my circle of friends, and I was twentytwo when I had Thomas. I didn't know anyone who'd had a homebirth. I had grown up in many different places, then I got a scholarship to come to Bendigo to do a course to teach aboriginal kids. Dave and I got married in my third year of uni and ended up in the Northern Territory in a white mining town, and I never did get to teach aboriginal kids. During my first year teaching I got pregnant, which was one way to learn the lesson of having sex and not having your fertility under control! This was five years earlier than I planned! We were so isolated. I made a choice when I was pregnant with Thomas not to attend ante natal classes at the hospital. I got my sister in Melbourne to send books up for me. Thomas and Leah's pregnancies and births were very isolating experiences but also empowering. I realise now that I know a lot more, how very fortunate I was that a whole lot of things worked for me. (Going into labour was easy and exciting for me and I thought that was the way ft was supposed to be), however both times I was given an episiotomy which I now believe was routine Another negative was Dave going home and me staying in hospital. I remember having Thomas and feeling on top of the world and after two days saying I wanted to go home. I was told that I could't as my husband couldn't help me with breastfeeding and I cried For me that is a really strong memory. My experience of labour and giving birth was strong and powerful. Given the support and environment I was in, I had done ft my own way, but I felt let down by being separated from Dave. For me home birth wasn't a drama ft was just the logical choice I should make with my third child.The normality of birth was confirmed by my first two births and to protect myself, my baby and my family's need to be together at this time home provided everything I needed. A midwife in Metcalfe was forthcoming. She had a little experience which was better than none. I was angry at the hospital for not having this service. People in the community needed a realty simple service and yet ft wasn't there. In some ways this still amazes me knowing the value of ft and also that ft is cost effective if women birth at home!
So you had two of your children at home?
Yes hanna was born in two hours. it was a straightforward birth and it was right for our whole family being at home. wonderfull togetherness, healing warmth, childrens presence, sister, partner, family, so complete. Then esther was born at home three and a half years after Hanna (1989). of course another birth with lots of stories surrounding it - like esther arriving in time for a family reunion! I had trained as a child birth educator prior and had a chance to try out first hand "hot nappies" as she was posterior!.
page 13
What was your vision for the Bendigo Homebirth Support Group ten years ago?
I had lots of phone calls in those early years of people wanting information on how to prepare for a homebirth; what to do, who to attend, that sort of thing. I still feel strongly about how important it is to have one to one support for women. It is a really important role for BSB. That informal coming together for women in support of each other. This has always been a central role for BSB and I hope will continue to be so. I had evangelical zeal about homebirth. I beleived it was so fantastic that if all women knew about it, then there would be more homebirths which would lead to better services, and then to more babies born at home. Our history and health care structure hasn't let this happen. It isn't economically viable for a couple of midwives to practice independently in Bendigo, even though central Victoria has the highest homebirth rate in Victoria. It still just isn't a choice for most women. This is a disappointment to me, but I have also matured and realise that it's a really complex issue. BSB hasn't always kept up that political edge. Political activism changes the face of birthing, and I think this focus has been very valuable in recent years. How can BSB be part of changes in birthing? I realise it is difficult for a selfhelp support group made up of women working at home with little kids to keep that political pressure on in the way it is needed to really change things in birthing. BSB has managed this partly, but the really great thing has been all the support and the sharing of experiences. The impact of BSB representing birthing women is a powerful voice. At times we've underestimated that and not been bolder. Involvement in hospital practices is essential, but often so cleenergizing that it takes the focus away from promoting homebirth as an alternative to hospital birth.Community awareness and challenging attitudes to birth that define it as a medical rather than normal experience is an ongoing role I don't think it ever ends. Having babies born at home in our community is an important reminder to everyone about the normality of birth. Passion, there needs to be women who are passionate about birth to keep BSB alive and effective.
What's your relationship with BSB now?
For me and Birth Support now? I'm stretching the umbilical cord. Growing away and separating, and I think that's good for me and the group.
page 14
MEDIA WATCH
Community Midwifery Program
In this morning's West Australian newspaper (Sat 18 Nov 2000) is a fairly prominent ad on p 18. (letters page) saying "we had him at home" complete with picture of a rather pleased looking daddy holding one of the most healthy looking neonates you will ever see. A rather large newborn who is so pleased with himself and oh so contented that he just has to be fully breast fed!!! The ad goes on to say that the Community Midwifery Program (CMP) offers "safe, responsible, no cost individual midwifery care". It's all communitybased and midwives are contracted to the service to provide home or hospital births (or a combination) which are at no cost to the women. The ad is sponsored by the CMP and the Health Department of Western Australia. Yes! That is right the HDWA is funding and publicly supporting homebirth (and community midwifery/hospital birthing). Now isn't that just so very clever of the Government to realise that midwives working from the community provide a really good model of care. It has to, because the demand for the CMP outstrips the supply. Currently it is funded for 150 births a year (double what it was) and can't keep up nearly all are planned homebirths. Oh yes and we've started the second phase evaluation and golly gosh we are finding again that planned homebirth is safe! Fancy that! And we've found (again) these women (as you'd expect) have very low rates of intervention and complications. By the way the women stay with the CMP even if they are transferred to hospital perhaps for an epidural, Caesar or a preterm birth. Once they are discharged from hospital the midwife resumes the role of primary carer following them for 10 days postpartum. Which is probably why the 6month breast feeding rate is phenomenal. That's enough showing off for now. Carol Thorogood (WA)
"Baby delivery ban looms" The Australian p2 January 31, 2001
The story under this title once again highlights the way women are treated by maternity service providers in this country. The following letter was sent to the Editor in response:
Medical Bullying and Scare Tactics.
The action proposed by rural doctors who have announced that they are the only means of birth support for rural women (Australian 31/l/01) is bullying at its best. How long will Australian women be fooled into believing that doctors are the only people who can deliver babies? The most important benefit women gain from any caregiver during childbirth is the reassurance and encouragement to believe in themselves to give birth. The greatest asset to a women giving birth is the safe and unassuming support of a midwife. The majority of women in our country are healthy and strong and need absolutely no medical assistance whatsoever to enable them to give birth. But because of the vested interests and the power of medical culture women are being intimidated to believe that they will not manage without such intervention. Midwives are also tired of being bullied out of their area of expertise and rural areas suffer because midwives are the forgotten link in an otherwise medically top heavy health system. Rather than be afraid of the future, rural women should take this opportunity to negotiate with their area health services to fund midwives to manage birthing services as they do in other countries. They are educated to fulfil the role in the community and in hospitals in a professional caring manner that will benefit both women and their babies.
Sally K Tracy
Australian Midwifery Action Project (AMAP)
Reproducedftom Maternity Coalition website News and Comment section Nov 2001
Reproduced from the Maternity Coalition website-News and Comment section - nov 2001