Dr Rachel Reed
midwife • author • presenter • researcher
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An OP position is not wrong or a problem. It is not caused by anything the woman does or does not do. Instead, it is a common variation that occurs when a baby gets into the ‘optimal position’ for their journey through their mother’s unique body. After all, the baby has more knowledge about the interior of their mother’s pelvis than we do.Our resident Snoot (or one of a few - I can’t tell)In the 1930's Caldwell-Moloy classified the female pelvis into four types – gynaecoid, anthropoid, platypelloid and android. This nonsense is still taught to care providers and parents. More recently a study by Kuliukas et al. (2015) analysed 64 women's pelvises. They concluded that '…there was no obvious clustering into the four distinct types of pelvis (gynaecoid, anthropoid, android and platypelloid) in the Caldwell-Moloy classification, but rather an amorphous, cloudy continuum of shape variation.'An understanding of physiology should underpin any 'practice' or childbirth education. We need to reclaim birth knowledge rather than reinforce and sustain misconceptions created during the medicalisation of women's bodies. It doesn't matter if the information is transmitted via a diagram or a model (plastic or wooden) - it is incorrect.This happened on Amazon Australia 😁 I don't understand the algorithyms and it doesn't stay there long so I thought I'd better capture it. If you still haven't got your copy see the link in my bio. Also - lovely reviews are always welcome. They do something to the algorithyms apparently and help people find the book.Research, guidelines, policies and law will not change practice until the underlying birth culture and beliefs change.
Archived by the National Library of Australia and Partners
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Recent Posts
Top Posts
- In Celebration of the OP Baby
- The Anterior Cervical Lip: how to ruin a perfectly good birth
- Amniotic Fluid Volume: too much, too little, or who knows?
- The Curse of Meconium Stained Liquor
- Gestational Diabetes: beyond the label
- Big Babies: the risk of care provider fear
- Post-Dates Induction of Labour: balancing risks
- Induction: a step by step guide
- VBAC: making a mountain out of a molehill
- Shoulder Dystocia: the real story
Tag Archives: Australia
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
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
The Future of Midwifery and Homebirth in Australia?
Updated: April 2017 A lot of changes have occurred in Australian midwifery over the last few years, and I think many midwives and women are unsure or confused by them. I am going to attempt to make a clear and coherent summary … Continue reading
Posted in midwifery practice, opinion and thoughts
Tagged AHPRA, Australia, homebirth, law, midwifery
114 Comments
