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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Recent Posts
Archived by the National Library of Australia and Partners
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 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
The Placenta: essential resuscitation equipment
Updated: August 2022 Premature cord clamping/cutting Premature cord clamping (clamping before placental transfusion is complete) has been the norm since ‘active management’ of the placenta became routine. In recent years, research has highlighted the harms caused by cutting the umbilical … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, intervention, midwifery practice
Tagged ARM, baby, birth, heart rate, intervention, nuchal cord, placenta, resuscitation, syntocinon, umbilical cord
117 Comments
In Defence of the Amniotic Sac
Updated: May 2022 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. … Continue reading
Posted in birth, intervention, midwifery practice
Tagged amniotic fluid, amniotic sac, ARM, birth, caul, contractions, heart rate, induction, intervention, syntocinon, waterbirth
226 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
196 Comments
Vaginal examinations: a symptom of a cervical-centric birth culture
Updated: January 2023 This post is about routine vaginal examinations (VEs) 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
169 Comments