Dr Rachel Reed
midwife • academic • writer • presenter
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Chapter 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 #womensexperiencesBlue Goddess Black Wolf by @kate.gillett - When I saw this print it nearly floored me... it illustrates visions I have been having for years. Huge gratitude to the artist and to @calmicbirth for gifting this to me 😘 #art #wolf #visionsI'm looking forward to speaking at this event and learning too with @hannahdahlen @dr_kate_levett https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/why-induction-matters-the-most-debated-topic-in-childbirth-tickets-86433285283 #inductionoflabour #midwifethinking #midwife #midwifery #doula #birthdoula #studentmidwife #childbirtheducation #childbirth
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Recent Posts
Top Posts
- The Anterior Cervical Lip: how to ruin a perfectly good birth
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- Amniotic Fluid Volume: too much, too little, or who knows?
- In Celebration of the OP Baby
- The Curse of Meconium Stained Liquor
- Shoulder Dystocia: the real story
- Post-Dates Induction of Labour: balancing risks
- Gestational Diabetes: beyond the label
- Induction: a step by step guide
- An actively managed placental birth might be the best option for most women
Tag Archives: contractions
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
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
225 Comments
In Defence of the Amniotic Sac
Artificial rupture of membranes (ARM) aka ‘breaking the waters’ is a common intervention during birth. However, an ARM should not be carried out without a good understanding of how the amniotic sac and fluid function in labour. Women need to … Continue reading
Posted in birth, intervention, midwifery practice
Tagged amniotic fluid, amniotic sac, ARM, birth, caul, contractions, heart rate, induction, intervention, syntocinon, waterbirth
224 Comments
Feel the Fear and Birth Anyway
This is just a little post to ease me back into the blogging world (thesis finally submitted). As usual, the content is in response to a reoccurring issue and discussions with mothers and midwives. And I welcome your experiences and comments … Continue reading
The Assessment of Progress
Links updated: August 2019 This article was written for AIMS Journal (2011, vol. 23, no. 2) and expands on my previous post about my New Years resolution – which by the way I have kept. AIMS have kindly allowed me … Continue reading
Posted in birth, intervention, midwifery practice, publications
Tagged ARM, augmentation, birth, contractions, labour pattern, oxytocin, pushing, syntocinon
95 Comments
The Effective Labour Contraction
One of my failings as a midwife is my inability to assess the strength and effectiveness of a uterine contraction. This presents a problem in the hospital setting as midwives are often asked ‘how strong are her contractions?’ or ‘is … Continue reading
Posted in birth, midwifery practice
Tagged contractions, heart rate, induction, labour pattern, oxytocin, pitocin, syntocinon
103 Comments
