Birth

Most parents have their sights set on baby's arrival, but postpartum presents its own challenges. As a postpartum doula I can help with many of these, but not all of them. I like to be upfront with my clients and let them know what my scope of expertise is, and if my skills can’t tick all their boxes, assist them in connecting with the right provider to address their unique concerns.

I began writing this document some time ago. It provides a list of, and links to, the types of services and prof…

This month has been BIG for birth and reproductive care reform in my home state of NSW, in other states and nationally too. Some of the news is good, some doesn’t go far enough and some is worrying, but all of it is important! Here’s my wrap up, in no particular order.

Note: This is not an update on birth-related research. If that’s what you’re looking for, I highly recommend joining Dr Sara Wickham’s mailing list.

The NSW Select Committee on Birth Trauma has now tabled its report to the NSW p…

A recent post by prominent birth-related Instagram account @trusting_birth suggested, as many others have done previously, that surrogacy is unethical. This was the case, in their opinion, regardless of whether the surrogate carried the pregnancy through commercial or altruistic avenues.  As commercial surrogacy is illegal in Australia, this article will address altruistic surrogacy, whereby the surrogate[1] does not receive payment for their role in carrying or birthing the baby. 

The original…

Anti-fat sentiment is pervasive in all aspects of our society, and is particularly dangerous and harmful in the realm of pregnancy, birth and postnatal care. In the words (1) of size-friendly birth educator Pamela Vireday,

“Fat women are tired of being marginalized by the medical community. They tell stories of egregious bias, of being treated as less than human. They also tell stories of subtle bias, of providers who seem to be size-friendly but ultimately are not.”

In this week’s newslet…

Hello and welcome to mid-December, the time I remind those in their third trimester that the upcoming festive season and public holidays are not a good reason for induction.

Before I go on, I want to be clear that there are good reasons for induction in certain circumstances. When truly indicated, induction can be an important way to keep babies and their mothers or carrying parents safest. This article is not about those inductions but the ones that are pushed on pregnant women and people who …

In episodes 278 and 279 of the Nourishing The Mother podcast, childbirth educator, birth doula and author Rhea Dempsey explains how epidurals were initially welcomed by the birth community.

To begin with, they were given to women who had very long labours so they could finally get some rest before pushing their babies out.

I know women who have used epidurals as per their original intended usage to great effect. I know women who have understood the risks and benefits and planned for an epidura…

Imagine waddling up to the desk at the maternity ward, labour in full swing. The masked midwife offers you a choice of Room One or Two. They are identical rooms, staffed by the same care team, and you are allowed one support person regardless of which room you choose.

Choose Room Two, she tells you, and your labour will be on average 41 minutes shorter than in Room One. You’ll be 31% less likely to need drugs to speed up your labour and 28% less likely to deliver via caesarean. You’ll also be…