Dr Rachel Reed
midwife • author • educator
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Similar sized hens = different sized eggs. Nature is full of normal variations. Just like childbirth.Rather than change (or eliminate) prescribed timeframes, women are subjected to unnecessary medical interventions. Blog post: https://midwifethinking.com/2015/05/02/vaginal-examinations-a-symptom-of-a-cervix-centric-birth-culture/Thanks for the feedback Melissa! 💜Certain books have helped me understand what is going on around me during particular phases of life. The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf provided insight into my experience as a teenage girl in a world that expected 'too much'. Today, I am navigating the perimenopause, and these two books have put the feelings and experiences of this phase of life into words. I am so grateful to the authors @sharonblackiemythmakings and Victoria Smith (not on IG).Updated blog post: Five years on, there is still no good evidence supporting the effectiveness of the 'perineal bundle' in reducing perineal trauma during physiological birth. However, there is research showing its negative impact on women's experience of birth and midwives' practice. Like most routine interventions, the bundle was introduced without evidence and remains despite new evidence. The 'perineal bundle' is here to stay because it meets the needs of the maternity system. Blog post: https://midwifethinking.com/2018/05/09/the-perineal-bundle-and-midwifery/Considering childbirth as a rite of passage allows us to acknowledge that self-transformation occurs regardless of where it happens or how it unfolds. It supports women to find their individual pathways through their rite of passage and requires care providers to consider how their actions and interactions influence women’s experiences.Top Posts
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Archived by the National Library of Australia and Partners
Tag Archives: cervix
The Anterior Cervical Lip: how to ruin a perfectly good birth
Updated: February 2022 Here is a scenario I keep hearing over and over: A woman is labouring away and all is good. She begins to push with contractions, and her midwife encourages her to follow her body. After a little … Continue reading
Posted in birth, intervention, midwifery practice
Tagged birth, cervical lip, cervix, occipito-posterior, OP, pushing
444 Comments
In Celebration of the OP Baby
Updated: February 2022 How many times have you heard “I had to have an epidural/c-section/ventouse/etc. because my baby was facing the wrong way”? An occipito posterior (OP) position occurs when the baby enters the pelvis facing forward with their back … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, midwifery practice
Tagged birth, blame, cervix, intervention, labour pattern, occipito-posterior, OP, optimal fetal positioning, positions
219 Comments
Pushing: leave it to the experts
Updated: July 2019 A birthing woman is the expert regarding when and how she pushes. Providing directions implies she needs our guidance and we are the experts. Of course each woman and birth situation is different and in some circumstances … Continue reading
Posted in birth, intervention, midwifery practice
Tagged birth, cervical lip, cervix, hypnobirthing, pushing
118 Comments