Dr Rachel Reed
midwife • academic • writer • presenter
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I'm finally releasing this book-baby into the world. The cover was designed by @anna_day - pictured here next to another of her beautiful artworks. More on the inside of the book later. If you can't wait for that check out the book's website and order your copy (link in bio).Just as I'm expected to start shaking my tail feathers and celebrating my new book, beautiful Eddie is gone. A clever fox out-witted him and got herself a prize. Although I'm sad I am also grateful he was taken by nature. Another reminder that nature's patterns and are bigger than any individual animal or human. This photo is Eddie admiring himself - something he loved to do 😆 I'll miss having him around. 😢For more on 'pushing' during birth see my various blog posts (link in bio) and listen to @themidwivescauldron episode on pushing and cervixes.We need to re-think 'risk management' in maternity care.In keeping with the cicada theme. I found this and it perfectly reflects my current feels. This last week as been epic. I feel like a husk 😆. Just got to find the cicada who emerged and get him to sing. First recovery 😉 #overwhelm #stress #cicada #emergenceJournal article: Women and Birth (in press) - How a perineal care bundle impacts midwifery practice in Australian maternity hospitals: a critical, reflexive, thematic analysis; authors Jyai Allen, Kirsten Small and Nigel Lee (unfortunately the article is not open access - excerpts below)
Archived by the National Library of Australia and Partners
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Recent Posts
Top Posts
- Amniotic Fluid Volume: too much, too little, or who knows?
- The Anterior Cervical Lip: how to ruin a perfectly good birth
- The Curse of Meconium Stained Liquor
- VBAC: making a mountain out of a molehill
- Shoulder Dystocia: the real story
- Gestational Diabetes: beyond the label
- Induction: a step by step guide
- Supporting women's instinctive pushing behaviour during birth
- In Celebration of the OP Baby
- Post-Dates Induction of Labour: balancing risks
Author Archives: MidwifeThinking
Big Babies: the risk of care provider fear
Big babies are normal in well resourced countries. Over 10% of babies born in the UK and Australia weigh 4kg (8lb 13oz) or more. Healthy well nourished women grow healthy well nourished babies. Genetic factors also influence the size of … Continue reading
Posted in birth, intervention, midwifery practice, pregnancy, uncategorized
Tagged baby, caesarean, fear, induction, shoulder dystocia, ultrasound
15 Comments
Birthing the Placenta: women’s decisions and experiences
We have just published new research findings. You can access the full journal article free here: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth There has been a lot of research exploring the outcomes related to interventions during the birth of the placenta. I … Continue reading
Posted in birth, midwifery practice, publications
Tagged Australia, birth, midwifery, placenta, research
9 Comments
No Woman’s Land: a student midwife’s call (guest post)
I received the following from an Australian midwifery student who has agreed for me to publish the post anonymously. Whilst it can be confronting, it is so important to listen to midwifery students with open ears and hearts. They see … Continue reading
Posted in guest post, midwifery practice, opinion and thoughts
Tagged guest post, midwifery
43 Comments
Why Induction Matters: book release
Updated: July 2019 My book Why Induction Matters is now available from all the usual retailers: Amazon; Book Depository; Booktopia; Capers Bookstore; Wordery Around 1 in 4 women have their labour induced (1 in 3 in the UK and Australia). This book is … Continue reading
Perineal ‘Bundles’ and Midwifery
Updated: August 2020 I’ve tried to avoid tackling this issue for months now but it won’t go away. It seems that the ‘bundle’ is one of the main topics of concern amongst midwives and students at the moment. So here … Continue reading
Posted in birth, intervention, law, midwifery practice
Tagged Australia, law, midwifery, midwifery practices, perineum
39 Comments
Gestational Diabetes: beyond the label
Updated: December 2020 I have written this blog post in response to readers’ requests. Trying to make sense of the research and guidelines hurt my brain, and I almost gave up a few times. So, for those who asked – I … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, intervention, pregnancy
43 Comments
Understanding and Assessing Labour Progress
Updated: October 2019 I have previously written about how the current framework for understanding and assessing labour progress is inaccurate, not supported by evidence, and fails to incorporate women’s experience of birth. This post is in response to readers asking … Continue reading
Posted in birth, midwifery practice
Tagged birth, contractions, labour pattern, oxytocin, pushing
15 Comments
Research (Bias) and Maternity Care
Updated: July 2019 The childbearing experience has always been unpredictable and potentially dangerous. In response, humans have sought ways to create a sense of control and minimise danger. Practices (actions) aimed at creating a sense of control reflect the culture … Continue reading
Childbirth Trauma: research findings
A big THANK YOU to all the women and men who shared their experiences of traumatic childbirth for Christian Inglis’ Honours study. There was so much data that Christian chose to focus on paternal mental health for his thesis and publication. Later … Continue reading
Pre-labour Rupture of Membranes: impatience and risk
Updated: July 2019 Amniotic sac and fluid play an important role in the labour process and usually remain intact until the end of labour. However, around 10% of women will experience their waters breaking before labour begins. The standard approach to this situation is to induce labour … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, intervention, midwifery practice, pregnancy
Tagged amniotic fluid, amniotic sac, augmentation, baby, birth, contractions, induction, nuchal cord, oxytocin, prelabour rupture of membrances, risk, syntocinon, waterbirth
229 Comments
