Dr Rachel Reed
midwife, senior lecturer, writer, presenter and birth nerd-
Archived by the National Library of Australia and Partners
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ACM AHPRA amniotic fluid amniotic sac ARM asynclitism augmentation auscultation Australia baby behaviour birth blame blood tests caesarean caul cervical lip cervix choice complication consent contractions cord blood cultural norms documentation doppler episiotomy ethics fear guest post heart rate homebirth hypnobirthing induction information giving intervention judgement labour pattern law meconium medical paradigm microbiome midwifery midwifery practices negligence nuchal cord occipito-posterior OP optimal fetal positioning oxytocin perineum phd pinnard pitocin placenta positions pregnancy prelabour rupture of membrances pushing research resuscitation risk screening shoulder dystocia stages of labour stem cells syntocinon testing trauma ultrasound umbilical cord uterine rupture vbac water waterbirthTop Posts
- Amniotic Fluid Volume: too much, too little, or who knows?
- Vaginal examinations: a symptom of a cervical-centric birth culture
- Nuchal Cords: the perfect scapegoat
- The Effective Labour Contraction
- Induction of Labour: balancing risks
- The Anterior Cervical Lip: how to ruin a perfectly good birth
- Shoulder Dystocia: the real story
- The Curse of Meconium Stained Liquor
- Pre-labour Rupture of Membranes: impatience and risk
- The Assessment of Progress
Tag Archives: pushing
Understanding and assessing labour progress
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 me to write … Continue reading
Posted in birth, midwifery practice, uncategorized
Tagged birth, contractions, labour pattern, oxytocin, pushing
9 Comments
The Anterior Cervical Lip: how to ruin a perfectly good birth
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 while the midwife … Continue reading
Posted in birth, intervention, midwifery practice
Tagged birth, cervical lip, cervix, occipito-posterior, OP, pushing
421 Comments
Perineal Protectors?
Updated: March 2017 Perineal tearing and/or grazing is common during birth. Two thirds of women will sustain damage to their perineum during birth (AIHW 2012). You can find out more about types/grading of perineal trauma here. This post will discuss ‘protecting … Continue reading
Posted in birth, midwifery practice
Tagged birth, episiotomy, perineum, positions, pushing, water
91 Comments
Supporting women’s instinctive pushing behaviour during birth
This article was published in The Practising Midwife journal in June 2015 along with ‘practice challenge’ questions for midwives (not included here). Introduction Clinical guidelines recommend that women should be guided by their own pushing urges during birth (National Institute for Health … Continue reading
Pushing: leave it to the experts
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 guidance may be … Continue reading
Posted in birth, intervention, midwifery practice
Tagged birth, cervical lip, cervix, hypnobirthing, pushing
116 Comments
Listening to Baby During Labour
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 IA is generally … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, midwifery practice
Tagged auscultation, baby, birth, doppler, heart rate, pinnard, pushing
21 Comments
Birth from the Baby’s Perspective
Picture this… A mother sits holding her newborn son on a postnatal ward during visiting time. One of her visitors reaches forward, grasps the baby by the head and pulls him out of his mothers arms leaving him dangling by … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, intervention, midwifery practice
Tagged baby, birth, intervention, pushing
98 Comments
