Articles and Recent News...

Government Announces Review Into Australian Maternity Services - September 2008

The Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon recently announced the government would be conducting a review into maternity services and the options available to birthing women. The review will look at the role of midwives in normal, uncomplicated pregnancies and births, as well as ways of reducing the high levels of intervention Australian women are experiencing in our hospital system. Submissions from consumers of maternity services are welcomed - check here for details.

"Cochrane Review: Purposely Breaking Water does not Speed Delivery" (NY Times October 2007)

A recent Cochrane Review has found that artificial rupture of membranes or ARM (an extremely common, routine intervention in normal labours) does not appear to have any significant bearing on the length of labour or the need for further interventions. They also found that it may increase the need for caesarean sections. The researchers concluded that this procedure has no measurable benefit and may increase risk. They recommend that women request that their membranes be left intact until they break on their own.

WHO: Care in Normal Birth - A Practical Guide

This easy to understand guide outlines the World Health Organisation guidelines for care of women during uncomplicated, normal childbirth.

Video: The Initiation of Breastfeeding by Breastcrawl

A short video demonstrating "breastcrawl" - placing the newborn on it's mother's belly and allowing him to find and attach to the breast in his own time. This video is powerful, visual evidence that our babies are born knowing what to do.

Great Birth Reads!