Dr Rachel Reed
midwife • academic • writer • presenter
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I have been getting some very positive and heartwarming feedback about my book on the socials, via email and face-to-face. Thank you! I would really, really appreciate some reviews on Goodreads and/or online bookstores because this helps others find the book and know whether it is worth a read.CHAPTER 5 PREPARATION: However, it can be helpful to have a 'map' of the institution you plan to birth in ie. the cultural norms, hierarchies and your rights within that.@little_fox5107 (daughter) reminded me of the Menarche Blanket I made her to welcome her into womanhood a few years back. I think I spent more time unravelling this (and swearing) than I did crocheting it. Luckily I only have one daughter and luckily she’s worth it 🤣 #menarche #crochet #ritesofpassage #grumpycatFor millennia women have been socialised to accommodate and 'be nice' rather than mobilise against our oppression. We have been turned against each other to redirect our energy away from oppressors. It's time to nurture female solidarity.If you are interested in ordering 20+ books at a discount for your organisation or friends - DM me for details.Woohoo Happy Graduation Midwives! Perfect opportunity to wear a vulva-sleeved gown and clap all that hard work and achievement with @kennygresearch Big Congratulations to all the new midwives 🎉❤️
Archived by the National Library of Australia and Partners
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Recent Posts
Top Posts
- The Anterior Cervical Lip: how to ruin a perfectly good birth
- Amniotic Fluid Volume: too much, too little, or who knows?
- Pre-labour Rupture of Membranes: impatience and risk
- The Curse of Meconium Stained Liquor
- In Celebration of the OP Baby
- Supporting women's instinctive pushing behaviour during birth
- Gestational Diabetes: beyond the label
- Induction: a step by step guide
- Post-Dates Induction of Labour: balancing risks
- An actively managed placental birth might be the best option for most women
Tag Archives: intervention
Why Induction Matters: book release
Updated: July 2019 My book Why Induction Matters is now available from all the usual retailers: Amazon; Book Depository; Booktopia; Capers Bookstore; Wordery Around 1 in 4 women have their labour induced (1 in 3 in the UK and Australia). This book is … Continue reading
In Celebration of the OP Baby
Updated: February 2018 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 his back … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, midwifery practice
Tagged birth, blame, cervix, intervention, labour pattern, occipito-posterior, OP, optimal fetal positioning, positions
207 Comments
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
115 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
Asynclitism: a well aligned baby or a tilted head?
Asynclitism is when the baby’s head is moving through the pelvis ‘tipped’ to one side. This is usually diagnosed by a vaginal examination in labour. However, asynclitism is rarely caused by the baby having his/her head tilted to one side … Continue reading
Posted in birth, midwifery practice
Tagged asynclitism, birth, intervention, labour pattern
124 Comments
Shoulder Dystocia: the real story
Updated: August 2019 There is a lot of unwarranted fear about ‘big babies’ getting stuck. The media reflects the usual story – that women are creating a problem that doctors have to fix. The incidence of shoulder dystocia does increase … Continue reading
Posted in birth, intervention, midwifery practice
Tagged birth, complication, intervention, positions, risk, shoulder dystocia
192 Comments
Vaginal examinations: a symptom of a cervical-centric birth culture
Updated: January 2019 This post is about routine vaginal examinations (VE) during physiological birth ie. an uncomplicated birth without any medical intervention. The VE is a useful assessment in some circumstances, but it’s routine use in an attempt to determine … Continue reading
Induction: a step by step guide
Updated: August 2019 This post has been inspired by conversations I’ve had with women about their experiences of induction. Induction of labour is increasingly common, yet women often seem to be very mis-informed about what it involves, or what was … Continue reading
Posted in birth, intervention
Tagged amniotic fluid, birth, induction, information giving, intervention, oxytocin, syntocinon
168 Comments
