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

“For years, women in Queensland have been assured that the anti-abortion laws were a ‘dead letter’ – that they would never be used. Now a young woman and her partner are facing trial under these laws and facing the prospect of years in prison.”

Tags: Australia, forced birthers, human rights, reproductive freedom
Filed under: feminism, reproductive justice

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

Birth, she is dying. This primal and unspeakably powerful initiation, the only road to motherhood for our ancestors, has been stripped of her dignity and purpose in our times. Birth has become a dangerous medical disease to be treated with escalating levels, and types, of technological interventions. Healing birth, healing the earth (1996) So am [...]

Tags: birth in Australia, homebirth science not obstetric superstition, human rights, reproductive freedom
Filed under: Uncategorised, consumers, consumers' rights

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

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

Via the ever marvellous Feminist Law Professors. As personhood of the foetus is foisted on Australian women via the backdoor of homebirth legislation, we should be paying attention to this. Legal Regulation of Pregnancy and Childbirth Courtney G. Joslin University of California, Davis – School of Law The Child: An Encyclopedic Companion, University of Chicago [...]

Tags: feminist law professors, human rights, obstetric monopoly, personhood of the foetus, reproductive freedom
Filed under: consumers' rights, feminism, reproductive justice, surgical discourse, surgical monopoly

Head over to The Angry Black Woman to read a huge link fest on reproductive justice. Wow. Just wow. Further wowing to be had from Helen Razer who offered us some great tips on Vajazzling in time for International Women’s Day. Oh and a slamming for some playwright or other, whose work I once enjoyed. [...]

Tags: commentary that bites, feminism, helen razer, human rights, misinformation campaign, more humourless feminism, personhood of the foetus, reproductive freedom, vajazzling
Filed under: consumers, consumers' rights, feminism, just for fun, reproductive justice

I’m in danger of becoming a groupie. I was already wildly grateful for her work but after a morning of reading about pole dancing being a sport, how Australia lacks women in parliament, and how women aren’t too fussed by the unspeakable misogyny of Tony Abbott (and neither are men), it was such a relief [...]

Tags: caesarean, feminism, henci goer, homebirth after previous caesarean, misinformation campaign, obstetric monopoly, reproductive freedom
Filed under: consumers, consumers' rights, feminism, surgical discourse, surgical monopoly