Dr Rachel Reed
midwife • academic • writer • presenter
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If you’re a childbirth professional of any modality, join me in Melbourne this March to help weave a tapestry of Human Rights, Informed Choices, Sustainability and more. Standard ticket pricing ends on 29th February. Don't miss out! Also stay tuned for some tempting incentives. Link in BIO #midwifethinking #rachelreed #midwife #midwifery #doula #birthdoula #studentmidwife #childbirtheducation #childbirthGot this beauty framed 😊 ‘Expectant’ by @carmeljenkinChapter 1: Herstory: "We can only understand what happens to women during the childbirth rite of passage by understanding birth culture and its historical roots." For more information about the book - link in my bio #reclaimingchildbirth #ritesofpassage #midwifethinking #rachelreed #midwife #midwifery #doula #birthdoula #studentmidwife #childbirtheducation #childbirthThis is what happened when a midwife pinned my ‘big babies’ post on a hospital notice board 😆😆😐 #blamewomen #fuckingitupfromtheinside #ignoranceondisplay #midwifeThis is the working title of the book I’m busy creating. If you want to join the conversation and share your experiences and opinions on this topic - I have set up Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/772892339860763/ #book #midwifethinking #rachelreed #midwife #midwifery #doula #birthdoula #studentmidwife #childbirtheducation #childbirthAnother awesome publication from Dr Belinda Carey Flanagan's PhD. Supervising this study has been inspiring. This is why I work in academia. Women's voices have been excluded from this realm of knowledge for too long - their contribution is essential. "It may be assumed that the doctor or midwife is the ‘expert’ in birth processes because they have academic and professional expertise. However, there is a growing counter narrative which purports that the authoritative knowledge held by medical professionals fails to take account or encompass birthing mothers embodied and intuitive knowledge/s. This is often perceived by women during pregnancy, labour and birth as patronising, and as an imposition of an unwarranted hierarchy of power." 🙌 #midwifery #birthknowledge #research #birthresearch #womensexperiences
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Recent Posts
Top Posts
- Supporting women's instinctive pushing behaviour during birth
- Nuchal Cords: the perfect scapegoat
- The Anterior Cervical Lip: how to ruin a perfectly good birth
- Pushing: leave it to the experts
- Amniotic Fluid Volume: too much, too little, or who knows?
- Post-Dates Induction of Labour: balancing risks
- In Celebration of the OP Baby
- The Curse of Meconium Stained Liquor
- Gestational Diabetes: beyond the label
- Perineal Protectors?
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
10 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
40 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
The Perineal ‘Bundle’ and Midwifery
Updated: July 2019 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
37 Comments
Gestational Diabetes: beyond the label
Updated: August 2019 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
40 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
