Dr Rachel Reed
midwife • academic • writer • presenter
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Me circa 1973... and my life in general 😆New Cochrane Review on Membrane Sweeping. I wish we could think more deeply and critically about this. We are carrying out interventions to make a woman's body fit externally prescribed timeframes. The intention is to save her from further intervention ie. induction. But, we are transmitting and reinforcing the same old message... women's malfunctioning bodies are the problem rather than the timeframes. Time to start thinking about the box rather than 'outside the box'. If you want to read the full findings google the review. #midwifethinking #rachelreed #midwife #midwifery #doula #birthdoula #studentmidwife #childbirtheducation #childbirth #researchIf 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 #midwife
Archived by the National Library of Australia and Partners
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Recent Posts
Top Posts
- Feel the Fear and Birth Anyway
- The Anterior Cervical Lip: how to ruin a perfectly good birth
- The Curse of Meconium Stained Liquor
- Amniotic Fluid Volume: too much, too little, or who knows?
- Gestational Diabetes: beyond the label
- Induction: a step by step guide
- Nuchal Cords: the perfect scapegoat
- Understanding and Assessing Labour Progress
- Shoulder Dystocia: the real story
- An actively managed placental birth might be the best option for most women
Category Archives: midwifery practice
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
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
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
