About me
I am many things but mostly I’m a mother, midwife and educator. I live on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia with my husband, our son and daughter have flown the nest. We moved to Australia from the UK in 2004 and apart from the state of the maternity system we love it.
After the births of my own children (one in hospital and one at home) I became fascinated with all things birthy. I qualified as a midwife in 2001 after completing a Bachelor of Midwifery Hons (that’s right I’m not a nurse). I have worked as a midwife in a large regional referral unit, a community midwifery team (homebirth and hospital birth), a private hospital and a small public hospital. The only way I can work to my full scope of practice and provide the care I believe women deserve is to work as an independent homebirth midwife – so that’s what I’m doing. I am finally learning about how birth can be, and will be forever grateful to the women who teach me so much by sharing their birth journeys with me.
My other passion is teaching and learning and I am a lecturer and a PhD candidate. My research is an exploration of women’s experience of birth and midwifery practice during birth.
You can find out more in my ePortfolio.
About this blog
My aim is to use this blog to stimulate thinking and share knowledge, evidence and views on birth and midwifery. The posts reflect my perspective and opinions… not necessarily everyone or anyone else’s. I welcome debate and I’m happy to be wrong – so feel free to comment and put me right if required. My posts are not intended to provide advice or recommendations for individuals.
The Sunshine Coast Hinterland
Hi Rachel
It’s nice to read about Australian midwifery. Many sites are international which can be stimulating but it is good to see some Australian content. I work as a midwife in Alice Springs. Goodluck with you studies and I will be ‘listening in’ on your blog from time-to-time.
Regards
Rosemary Weckert
Thanks Rosemary – nice to hear from an ozzie too.
I absolutely love your blog.
So cool. I’m going to add it to my blog roll.
peace,
Kelly
Hi there…are you able to practice as a homebirth midwife in Qld? I live in Brisbane, as I understand it there is some kind of legal issue (which is terrible) with attending homebirths…are women in Qld able to have midwife attended homebirths?
I understand if you can’t comment explicitly about your own scope of practice. Thanks
.
Hi Katrina
Yes I can still practise as a homebirth midwife in Qld. The only change for me so far is that I have to purchase insurance for antenatal and postnatal care (mws are exempt from insurance for homebirth for 2 years because it is unavailable). However, midwives who want to be eligible to access medicare provider numbers (which I don’t) need to have a ‘collaborative arrangement’ with an obstetrician. It’s all a bit long winded and complicated but basically the AMA and RANZCOG have been very influential in determining what ‘collaboration’ is and the resulting legislation means eligible midwives will be regulated by obs. So it will be impossible for women to access the care of a homebirth midwife and claim medicare rebates for the care. However, women can still have a midwife attend their birth legally… for now.
Hello Rachel,
I’m a doula practicing in the UK and I want to thank you for your excellent and well-presented information. I particularly appreciate your links to research and have just printed some of the induction material to take with us tomorrow, for the dreaded post-term induction conversation at the hospital. My client really wants to avoid intervention and it’s good to have the research to hand when advocating for normal birth. I feel prepped, as does my client, but I’m still secretly hoping for baby’s arrival tonight, on the 42 week mark
Cross fingers X
Hi Lara
Good luck with the hospital appointment. I would love to know how it goes… Or the birth went. It is good to hear that the UK has doula services (there were practically none when I lived there). Women need doulas to help them negotiate the system.
Hi again Rachel,
My client got to 43+1 and had an elective caesarean with all the fear-mongering that went on. I was gutted! Baby was little, in a bag full of clear amniotic liquid and no signs of being “post-date”. I had encouraged her to trust her baby and body and to hang in there, but the hospital staff really eroded her confidence. Have a look at the article that came out last week in the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/01/pregnant-for-10-months
Regarding doulas in the UK, have a look at this: http://www.doula.org.uk/
http://www.nurturingbirth.co.uk/index.html
Keep your great blog going, independent midwives rock!
Hi.. Though I had never about this before, just a few weeks ago one of my friends told me that she was born at 11 months and her younger sister was born at 10.5 months. Her elder sister and youngest brother (total 4 including her) were born at 9 months all right. Just a tidbit.
~GD
It is saddening that our society (I am in the USA) does not trust nature to take care of us. I thought about using a midwife 18 years ago with my first, but was really pressured into believing that it wasn’t safe (being a registered nurse, I had more exposure to friends that were hospital staff, not midwives) and that I was “odd” for even thinking of using one.
Thanks for allowing women to see that the birth process is one that is not complicated unless you make it that way, and how much sense using a midwife makes to both mother and child.
While my 2 birthing experiences were uneventful, I would have definitely opted for a midwife if I had a bit more moxie.
I only wish I could turn back the clock!
There are lots of us who would love to turn back the clock and birth with our current knowledge (me included). However, our experiences good and bad make us who we are. All we can do is spread the word and help future mothers make changes.
I stumbled onto your blog and read the whole thing … at work at my desk job … woops. Thanks for the wonderful posts, pictures, and videos. Please keep writing. I’ve subscribed on my reader and will look forward to future posts. I’m a student in public health in Massachusetts and love reading about midwifery care around the globe.
Welcome! It’s lovely (and daunting) to know my blog is read worldwide.
I just found your blog–I forget how–but I am enjoying it and had to write and tell you how much I love the header picture! Wonderful! I am a midwifery student in Portland, Oregon, USA, which is a great place to practice midwifery. I look forward to reading more about your experiences!
Thanks and welcome : )
May I copy some of your posts to share with my students? I see you are licensed under creative commons and I will most definitely attribute your work to you. You explain things very clearly! Would love to collaborate with you and Gloria Lemay and others on a new guide to birth.
Of course you can share the information with your students! The whole purpose of the blog is to get information out there and generate thought and discussion. The more of us reinforcing women’s birthing ability and power the better
Thanks for your awesome, informative blog. I’ve been following it for months and am starting midwifery studies this year (in SE Qld).
I’m wondering, are there any books that you’d recommend for people who are aspiring to be a homebirth midwife? Books that promote a non-medicalised understanding of pregnancy and birth…to supplement what’s studied at university which I imagine *may* be fairly medicalised?
Cheers and thanks
Congratulations on starting your midwifery studies!
Textbooks are improving (slowly) and I would guess you will have an anatomy and physiology book on your list along with ‘Midwifery’ by Pairman et al. The books I like and use for teacher are:
- ‘Normal Childbirth’ Downe (ed)
- ‘Childbirth, Midwifery and Concepts of Time’ McCourt (ed)
- ‘Birth Territory and Midwifery Guardianship’ Fahy et al.
The best way to learn is to get involved in the birth community and if you aspire to being a homebirth midwife connect with others involved in this scene. We can learn so much through sharing experiences and wisdom, and listening to birth stories. Ultimately women are our greatest teachers. Enjoy your studies
Sarah Buckley – Gentle Birth Gentle Mothering, Anne Frye’s series of holistic midwifery books – antenatal, birth and postnatal are good. There is Ina May Gaskin and her birth books including spiritual midwifery. Dennis Walsh, Soo Downe, Sarah Wickham have are British midwives who have written really good stuff and will lead you on to other midwives such as Mavis Kirkham.
thank you for your blog – it is just wonderful. i’m not a midwife, but i did have an amazing midwife-assisted birth just about 3 years ago and have since felt the need to soak up as much information as i can to pass along to my peers. sadly, i am so far the only one amongst my acquaintance to have had a remotely positive birth experience, and to me it seems no coincidence that i am also the only one who had midwives to cheer me on. it’s so hard to explain to other women that birth is mostly done by your body – even the closest friends dismiss my experience as “lucky” or “flaky”, rather than my own characterizations of “natural”, or even “incredibly well-researched” (especially that last one, as i was someone who initially had NO idea how birth could even physically work, and it was actually all the outcomes literature that made me check out midwives in the first place.)
i basically feel like i need to be armed to the teeth with technical knowledge whenever i engage in even the most casual conversation about birthing. hence, the brilliance of your blog for me. plus, it’ll prepare me in case i ever want to change careers – yours seems like the way to go.
It is sad that we have to provide evidence for not intervening when there is often no evidence for the intervention. I am lucky enough to see birth work beautifully for many women. They are not ‘lucky’ or ‘flaky’ just informed and have chosen to trust themselves rather than others and stay home.
precisely!
I dont know how I found your blog either, but have also had to sit down and read the whole thing. I am a doula in Vancouver, BC and I felt like a sponge just soaking up all the info that you have provided. It echos so much of what I feel about birth but had never seen supported or substantiated before. I will definitely be recommending your blog as a great resource to my clients if that is ok?
Thank you so much for sending all this great information out there into the birthing world!! Please keep it coming! You are an inspiration!
Thanks Bobbi
This is exactly what I want to achieve with this blog. Many of us ‘feel’ and ‘know’ that physiological uninterrupted birth is usually the safest way to birth. However, we live in a world where intuition, gut feelings, experiential knowledge etc. are dismissed. Knowledge must be rational (whatever that is) and scientific to gain respect – although of science is far from rational or non-biased in reality. Anyhow, my aim is to try and support and substantiate what we ‘know’ with science and rationale. Not because I think we should have to, but because it helps us get heard. If I’m in hospital talking to an obstetrician it helps to speak their language. If you can provide good evidence for wanting something or not wanting something it makes life easier in the ‘rational’ world.
Hi Rachel,
I just wanted to thank you for writing this blog. I really enjoy reading it, since I am a mother, too and on my way to become a midwife.
Thanks for investing so much time and thought
Thanks Johanna
Good luck with your future in midwifery.
Hi,
I have just sat and read your blog from start to finish. It is so great to have all of this information here. I am 34 weeks and preparing my birth plan and it just feels great to be armed with information so I can ask my midwife lots of questions before birth and really discuss with my husband what our options are. Just having the knowledge of pro’s and con’s for so many elements of birth is empowering. I just want to be calm going into labour and confident as well, and so much of what you have written has really helped me. Thank you so much for taking the time to write this blog, I’m sure many people will find it really useful, I know I have.
I found your blog via someone linking to it on a discussion on Bubhub, and I am so grateful to have been able to read your stuff. I love that women are so keen to share positive information woth each other via forums/websites/blogs etc.
xx
Hi Emily
I am pleased you are finding the information on the blog useful. I also think it is great that there is so much positive information online – women sharing their experiences and knowledge. I hope that these ripples turn into a wave of women who know and trust in their ability to birth. Happy Birthing!
I didn’t know where to ask this, and I don’t *think* that it is anywhere on your blog, but I was wondering about your thoughts on the RhoGam shot for RH- mothers during pregnancy. I’ve read a lot of conflicting information about it, and it seems that even very “crunchy” and non-interventionist midwives are pretty supportive of it. I really respect everything that you post, though, so I’d love to see your take on it. I am glad that I don’t have to worry about it, since I am not RH-, but I am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, so I am interested in the shot, knowing that it is a blood fraction product and it is generally considered a conscience matter as to whether a mom would accept the shot.
I guess I just really believe that the Creator would not design a system that didn’t work really well, so what is the chance in a birth that is not intervened in that the mom’s and babies’ blood would mix?
I am hoping to train to be a midwife in the very near future, and I really love love love your blog! I shared it with my doula class earlier this month.
I haven’t written about routine Anti-D (RhoGam) administration. I might in the future. Sara Wickham has written a book on the subjects: http://www.amazon.com/Anti-D-Midwifery-Sara-Wickham-Hons/dp/0750652322 and I have been lucky enough to hear her speak on the subject. There are a number of concerns with antenatal administration.
- it is a blood product and often women are not told this (which is particularly important for JW women)
- there has been no research to examine if it is safe for a Rh+ fetus to be exposed to Anti-D
- it is the only drug administered prophylactically to 2 people (mother and fetus) for the possible benefits of a possible future person
I’m not sure why in the last decade we have moved from only giving it after birth (or for AN bleed) IF needed to routinely giving women doses in pregnancy…. money?
The blood between mother and baby very rarely mix.
Thanks for the recommendation and your insights. I hadn’t thought of it like you put it-
“- it is the only drug administered prophylactically to 2 people (mother and fetus) for the possible benefits of a possible future person”
Interesting thought!
Hi
Thank you for at very inspirering blog. I found you because I was searching for info on how the cervix works as a sphincter. I am familiar with Ina May Gaskin but since you are more aproachable i would like to ask to your experience as a midwife.
I am a midwife myself but havn’t practice in a few years. I live in Scandinavia by the way.
I am curious to know if the cervix in your experience is more soft and eager to open than we usually think. I have read that the cervix migth get tigth and rigid if the woman is affraid. But i have not had the opportunity to examin this myself. So to claryfy – is the cervix by nature able to let go easy and with no pain?
I have also stumbled upon websites – american and european – that states that a totally painfree birth is possible if you use the breath (different kinds for the differnt sites!) and the change your beliefs about birth. What is you oppinion on that?
best wishes from
midwife Pia
Hi Rachel, just wondered…would you fancy speaking about any of these topics, or anything else for that matter, on the Virtual International Day of the Midwife on May 5th? http://internationaldayofthemidwife.wikispaces.com ? cheers Sarah
Hi Sarah
I am attending a workshop with Michel Odent and Sara Wickham then a reception dinner at the Capers Conference on the 5th. So I can’t – sorry
Hi,
As someone who is obsessed with birth and babies, and still debating whether to retrain as a midwife, I really enjoy reading your blog!
Have you had any experience of silent labours?
Let me briefly share my story. I had my first baby in December 10, and went into the hospital after a bleed at 38weeks to be told to my surprise that I was 5cm dilated! I didn’t believe them at first until the monitor showed I was indeed having contractions. 30hrs later I was 7cm and still not even being able to tell when I was contracting. I was completely comfortable! However my blood pressure was high, and I was exhausted after a sleepless night on the wards, so I had an ARM and my son arrived 3hrs later.
I’d never heard of a silent labour before and didn’t know it was possible. I have struggled to find any information about it since too. I don’t know the implications for a future birth and if I could get to fully dilated without knowing it or how much warning I might get. I don’t know how common a silent labour is, and for someone who likes to know how things work I don’t know how I could have not been able to feel contractions and to not know that I was labouring. If I hadn’t gone to hospital after that bleed, who knows when/where I would have realised I was in labour.
Can you shed any light on this please?
Jane
Hi Jane
I wish I could shed some light on this for you. I have never personally cared for a woman who experience this, although I have heard other midwives talk about it – so you are not alone. Did you feel any sensations at all as the baby moved through your vagina ie. pressure, stretching etc?
For future births it might be an idea to stay home and have a midwife come to you. It is unlikely that you would labour without a ‘show’ of mucous, waters releasing, or blood at some point (as you experienced). This might have to be your cue to call the midwife rather than waiting for contractions. If you did feel pressure and stretching at the end with your first, then this could also be a cue. Otherwise be prepared mentally and physically to catch your own baby if you are alone and your midwife doesn’t make it. Lots of women actually plan to be alone during birth.
Thank you for your reply!
Hopefully my blood pressure won’t be as high next time so the home birth will be an option. I did feel the pressure and cramps once baby started to descend, and I did get the spontaneous pushing reflex too.
I’ve never heard of women planning to be alone during birth before, but I know that this could really happen to me next time. Hopefully I will be able to be provided with a kit to keep near me just in case.
Would there be any monitoring that I could have to give a little prior warning?
Best wishes,
Jane
Oh, and I live in the UK!
Hi Jane
There is probably no monitoring that could predict when/if you were in labour. If you got pressure then that may be your only warning unless your waters release or you have a bloody show. Do a search for ‘freebirth’ and check out this site: http://www.unassistedchildbirth.com/
At least if you get comfortable and confident about birthing on your own you will feel better about the possibility of not getting your midwife there in time. If your baby arrives before the midwife you can relax and enjoy him/her and the midwife can help clean up when she gets there
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Hi Rachel,
do you have a private email addy you can send to me? I’d like to pick your brain if you happen to have a few spare moments in your life.
Thanks,
Jen
I’ve sent it to you via email.
Greetings!
My name is Fidelle Rosa Del Rosario Luciano, a practicing midwife in the Rizal Province, Philippines. I am very interested in migrating to Australia and would like to take the Migration Skills Assessment for Midwives. I would like to request for learning resources in preparation for this.
I got interested in migration thru relatives who are Australian citizens and residing in Sydney.
The focus of my Midwifery studies in Unciano Colleges, Antipolo was Public Health Care. I have two years experience in home and clinical maternal and child care, mostly in the rural areas. Since I have studied Midwifery and Public Health Care in the Philippine setting, I find my knowledge of Midwifery in the Australian perspective very limited.
I have been researching on how midwifery is practiced in your country and would like to request for more learning resources. Where can I get books, pdfs, or websites dedicated to Australian Midwifery?
I am very happy and excited to learn more about your country and your medical practices.
Thank you for your kindness.
Fidelle Rosa D. Luciano, R.M.
Cainta, Rizal, Philippines 1900
Hi Fidelle
I have no idea about what is involved in the Migration Skills Assessment for Midwives. The Australian College of Midwives might be a good place to start looking for professional information and learning resources http://www.midwives.org.au/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=MIDW/ccms.r
Good luck with your migration!
hi,i’m puspita, i,m midwife …i’m from indonesia…..nice to meet u…n please share with me all about mother n baby…..thank u so much…..sorry my english in not good…..
This is a really great blog. Thx to the auther
Hi,
My name is Lili. I am a miudwife about 3 years of experience from Iran. I will move to Australia in about 6 month time . Could someone please advise me if i can work as a midwife in Australia as i am not an Austuralian registered midwife .
I undrestand that 5 years of experience is required for midwifes from other country in order to get registered in Austuralia.
Could someone please advise me How and Where i should start .
Thanks
LiLi
Hi Lili
This site may help you: http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/
R
I have a question. I recently had my first child, (at home! Woot!). After my son came out my contractions completely stopped. Concerned, my midwife gave me an injection, (I can’t remember anymore what it was), to jump start contractions again. When my placenta was coming out it didn’t initially detach completely, and my uterus was pulled down with it. The long and short of it is that my uterus is now where it ought to be, and my midwife tells me that I’m fine physically to have more children. I’m wondering if you have any opinions on whether or not this prolapse could have been caused be the medication I as given to “jump start” my contractions again. I’ve researched and am unable to find ANYTHING on this subject. Thoughts?
Rereading what I wrote I don’t know if I made it clear — my uterus almost came out, but through the skill of my midwives they were able to keep it in my body where it belongs…
Hi Melissa. It is impossible for me to say what caused your uterine prolapse. If the placenta is still attached pulling on the cord can pull the uterus down. However, many women experience a prolapse without any pulling. The injection is unlikely to be linked except that once it is given you are then supposed to pull on the cord to get the placenta out.
This blog is incredible-your work, your research, your voice is an asset to any pregnant woman or birthworker. Thank you so much for this! if it was a book-I’d buy it!
Hello Katrina,
I’m from Brazil, have been doing midwifery course with Michel Odin and Brazilian nurse Heloisa Lessa, and currently I am on my 3rd year of nursing school. I’ve been assessing the possibilities to study obstetrics because here the situation is really getting out of hand, as far as unnecessary caesarians. Also thinking about doing my masters in a year and a half somewhere else.
I’d just like to let you know doula and midwives here in Rio have been recommending your site.
Sorry to have called you Katrina, I actually got confused and meant to send the message to you, Rachel.
Thanks. I am pleased to know that you and others are trying to make a difference for women in Brazil. Keep up the good work. And I don’t mind being called Katrina
hi rachel,
great website & great info. i will definitely be adding you as a link to my www & look forward to reading more of your posts…..
US/Mexico border in El Paso Texas. the link to the trailer is here if you and your contacts are interested!
I’m sorry, the last post didn’t work!
We have just finished working on a documentary about midwives living and working on the US/Mexico border. I included the trailer for you and your contacts to check out!
Thank you for all your awesome work helping women and babies !
Hi Jennifer – this looks lovely, when is the documentary out and how can we see it?
Thanks for replying! The documentary is in the screening phase of production. We are looking for dedicated people to help us organize screenings all over the country and hopefully in Mexico as soon as the translations are done. Do you have any suggestions to who I can contact about setting up screenings? I’m trying to reach out to as many women as I can about this.
It will be out on DVD Fall of 2012 we hope.
Not really – I’m not ‘well connected’
Please keep on writing, Rachel. I have been checking this blog almost every second day for about 9 month now – which no blog ever made me do without constant input being posted.
You are an amazing woman and I would love to read more from you.
Thank you… I will write more. I am having a very busy period with births, teaching, preparing for conferences/workshops, writing articles and a book chapter and finishing my phd. You can subscribe to save yourself checking – then you will get an email when I post
Hi Rachael, Are you still blogging? No pressure, just thirsty for more
Also, do you have any support against routine active management of placental delivery? (looking for info for a birth prep client) Many thanks and please keep ‘em coming.
Yes I am/will be blogging. I am finishing up my phd thesis and planning sessions for workshops. However, I’ll get back to it soon
As for placental delivery… it depends on whether the woman has had a physiological birth and has a birth attendant who understands and supports a physiological placental birth. The best research in this area is this study: http://uts.academia.edu/CarolynHastie/Papers/169160/Holistic_physiological_care_compared_with_active_management_of_the_third_stage_of_labour_for_women_at_low_risk_of_postpartum_haemorrhage_A_cohort_study