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
- The Curse of Meconium Stained Liquor
- The Anterior Cervical Lip: how to ruin a perfectly good birth
- Feel the Fear and Birth Anyway
- Gestational Diabetes: beyond the label
- Nuchal Cords: the perfect scapegoat
- Induction: a step by step guide
- Vaginal examinations: a symptom of a cervical-centric birth culture
- Amniotic Fluid Volume: too much, too little, or who knows?
- An actively managed placental birth might be the best option for most women
- Perineal Protectors?
Tag Archives: heart rate
The Placenta: essential resuscitation equipment
Updated: September 2019 The common practice of premature cord clamping has been challenged in recent years due to a greater understanding of how this intervention disrupts the physiology of placental transfusion (Mercer & Skovgaard 2002). Premature cord clamping results in … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, intervention, midwifery practice
Tagged ARM, baby, birth, heart rate, intervention, nuchal cord, placenta, resuscitation, syntocinon, umbilical cord
114 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
The Curse of Meconium Stained Liquor
When meconium is noticed in amniotic fluid during labour it often initiates a cascade of intervention. A CTG machine will often be strapped onto the woman reducing her ability to move, labour in water, and increasing her chance of having … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, intervention, midwifery practice
Tagged amniotic fluid, baby, heart rate, intervention, meconium
201 Comments
Listening to Baby During Labour
Updated: January 2018 Intermittent auscultation (IA) is considered to be an important aspect of midwifery care for women during a ‘low risk’ labour. The expectation of surveillance of the baby is reflected in guidelines and hospital policies. The recommended frequency of … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, midwifery practice
Tagged auscultation, baby, birth, doppler, heart rate, pinnard, pushing
25 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
