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 of need, often midwives have relationships built up with hospitals or surgeons so that’s not [...]

Filed under: bullshit, careproviders, consumers' rights, homebirth campaign, reproductive justice, surgical monopoly

Throwing out the lies with the birth water is a documentary about a woman’s right to give birth at home. It outlines the key issues for birth choices in the Blue Mountains, NSW. It follows one woman’s journey before, during and after her homebirth. It questions the definitions of risk in birth and the notions [...]

Tags: birth in Australia, obstetric monopoly, reproductive freedom
Filed under: consumers' rights, homebirth campaign, reproductive justice, surgical discourse

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com Homebirth. It just is.

Tags: Australia, commentary that bites, feminism, homebirth, homebirth science not obstetric superstition, human rights, obstetric monopoly, reproductive freedom
Filed under: homebirth campaign, reproductive justice

The “Quality and Safety Framework” has been released. For something supposedly produced after hours of consultation and furrowed brows crouched over our hot submissions, it looks remarkably like all the other dross produced by the government and fellow travellers around this issue. Screw women, screw midwives, tell everyone a lot of bullshit, ahhh job well [...]

Filed under: consumers, consumers' rights, feminism, homebirth, homebirth campaign, midwives, midwifery, reproductive justice

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 The real birth wars

Tags: commentary that bites, homebirth science not obstetric superstition, human rights, misinformation campaign, obstetric monopoly, personhood of the foetus, pesky pesce, reproductive freedom
Filed under: bullshit, careproviders, consumers, consumers' rights, homebirth campaign, midwives, midwifery, reproductive justice, surgical discourse, surgical monopoly

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 helped, yet still free and in charge. When the baby is born, the mother will [...]

Tags: birth attendants, homebirth, human rights, international midwives' day, reproductive freedom
Filed under: careproviders, homebirth campaign, midwives, midwifery, reproductive justice

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 new “framework” for “eligible” midwives even though as yet there’s no information on what exactly [...]

Filed under: Uncategorised, careproviders, consumers, consumers' rights, feminism, homebirth, homebirth campaign, midwives, midwifery, reproductive justice

In a nicely Orwellian turn of phrase where we’re assured that our choices are being expanded, the government deigned to share some of their maternity “care” plans with us. Finally. The AMA’s choices are sure being expanded but those of birthing women have been reduced to “When? How high?”. Luckily for me, Lisa Barrett has [...]

Tags: birth in Australia, human rights, reproductive freedom
Filed under: bullshit, consumers' rights, feminism, homebirth, homebirth campaign, reproductive justice, surgical monopoly

Enjoy! Joyous Birth has a new fan page!

Tags: Australia, homebirth, homebirth sc
Filed under: consumers' rights, feminism, homebirth, homebirth campaign

The Trust Birth conference is being tweeted so it’s like little live jewel bursts of glorious information coming out during the sessions! If you twitter, join in and retweet some beautiful birthing wisdom as it happens! * And it definitely won’t be on Facebook if it involves breastfeeding.… The revolution will not be televised* but [...]

Tags: trust birth conference
Filed under: consumers' rights, feminism, homebirth campaign, midwives, midwifery