Category Archives: careproviders

Finding the right birth attendant

Posted on July 15, 2012 by Janet

Finding the right person to accompany you on one of the most intimate journeys of your life is a tricky deal. In the current political climate it can be especially hard to find someone with whom you feel totally comfortable … Continue reading →

Posted in careproviders, consumers, homebirth | Tagged | 2 Comments

Physiological miscarriage **trigger warning** loss, trauma

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Janet

Many thanks to the woman who generously offered this story. Miscarriage is rare at home nowadays despite the demonstrably poor support offered in overstretched hospitals which have neither the means nor capacity to support women like their own midwife. L … Continue reading →

Posted in careproviders, consumers, consumers' rights, homebirth, who homebirths? | 9 Comments

Do we need a new birth movement? What’s wrong with the human rights movement we have?

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Janet

“But what should I do??” “Nothing, dear, you’re not qualified.” Monty Python, Meaning of Life, Birth.   Birth activists are fond of pointing out the expertification of obstetrics and it is undeniably a field rife with Experts of all kinds, … Continue reading →

Posted in careproviders, consumers' rights, feminism, Uncategorised | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

Press cuttings

Posted on August 26, 2010 by Janet

Updated list-in-progress here. Shamed but not named: bad medics use law to hide their identities Paying for negligence: Birth bungles cost $115m in NSW alone Hypervirulent strain of Clostridium difficile in Epworth Hospital in Richmond Melbourne Scared nurses’ secret evidence … Continue reading →

Posted in careproviders, consumers, consumers' rights, surgical discourse, surgical monopoly | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Collaboration? Oh now I get it. They mean “collaboration”.

Posted on August 23, 2010 by Janet

One of the big things the government keeps banging on about in its anti-homebirth drive is “collaboration”. You might think that the existing situation – woman hires midwife, woman and midwife seek obstetric surgeon or hospital in the unlikely event … Continue reading →

Posted in bullshit, careproviders, consumers' rights, homebirth campaign, reproductive justice, surgical monopoly | 16 Comments

The real birth wars

Posted on May 16, 2010 by Janet

The “quality and safety framework” has been released. My response looks like this: Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com Tweet

Posted in bullshit, careproviders, consumers, consumers' rights, homebirth campaign, midwives, midwifery, montages, reproductive justice, surgical discourse, surgical monopoly | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

International day of the midwife May 5

Posted on May 5, 2010 by Janet

You are a midwife, assisting at someone else’s birth. Do good without show or fuss. Facilitate what is happening rather than what you think ought to be happening. If you must take the lead, lead so that the mother is … Continue reading →

Posted in careproviders, homebirth campaign, midwives, midwifery, reproductive justice | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Another day, another submission

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Janet

While under no illusions whatsoever that submitting anything  for consumers has anything to do with the process to dismantle homebirth, I still have to do it. We are still here, and we’re not going anywhere. This week’s treat is the … Continue reading →

Posted in careproviders, consumers, consumers' rights, feminism, homebirth, homebirth campaign, midwives, midwifery, reproductive justice, Uncategorised | Leave a comment

Science and Sensibility: systematic review

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Janet

So I was idly looking over the admirable Science and Sensibility blog and in the categories I saw, “systematic review”. Two words calculated to stir the breast of the homebirth advocate. So just because I can, I’m sharing that very … Continue reading →

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Risks of Caesarean Section – a CIMS information sheet

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Janet

The Risks of Cesarean Section A Coalition for Improving Maternity Services Fact Sheet © 2010 Coalition for Improving Maternity Services. Permission granted to freely reproduce with attribution. 1500 Sunday Dr Ste 102, Raleigh, NC 27607 | Tel: 919-863-9482 | www.motherfriendly.org … Continue reading →

Posted in careproviders, consumers, consumers' rights, homebirth, midwives, midwifery, reproductive justice | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments