Today was the mini homebirth rally in Melbourne, a warm up to the main event in Canberra in September.
And that’s not all. Quantas are having a mini melt down over the rally days as so many women and small children are booked on flights to Canberra that they are being rescheduled and moved to accommodate. Apparently they have over run their maximum child load (whatever that is) it has never happened before.
We are on the march. Women want the right to their body and they are now fighting really hard.
There has been talk way before all this started, amongst midwifery forums of how the women needed to stand up and be counted to get our voices heard. WELL EVERYONE HERE THEY ARE. They don’t care about insurance they don’t care about the rules, regulations or policies they want autonomy over their bodies.
I hope that midwives are listening too. Insurance is only and issue in as much as midwives can’t register without it, however over regulating ourselves for the sake of registration is not of any benefit to women or to the midwives who want to assist women in their human rights.
Let’s hope the academics and midwifery representatives who have the floor remember this when they are shouting midwifery over women.
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Wow! Great event! Thanks for reporting on it for World Breastfeeding Week. I'll e subscribing.
Thanks Lisa for posting this. Women surely are on the march and are a force to be reakoned with. The compilation shown captures beautifully the atmosphere and the shear number of women and men and many very little new ones who braved unpredicatble Melbourne weather to send Nicola a clear message that she must find a solution to the mess these Bills are creating and fast. It is unacceptable that there is no apparent head way being forged on finding a solution. It was a disappointment that she hid behind her office walls but possibly not unexpected, although I think she need not be so fearful the women gathered yesterday were full of life, love and the joy of living. And that is what we want for all women.
Janie
Bloody fantastic! Bring on Canberra! XX
whoohoo-hoping to make it to canberra…if theres still flights!
Wonderful! Thank you for standing up for our rights…. I recently fell pregnant with our first child and have only ever wanted a home birth…. there is absolutely no support for women wanting to home birth in Far North QLD, it's very upsetting! Keep up the amazing work! x
Hear Hear!!!!
See Everyone In Canberra On Sept 7th on Parliment Steps!!!
It made my day to see that video! Congratulations to everyone. It's funny to see you all in wool hats and mufflers when we're roasting here in B.C., Canada.
I'm really, really proud of my Australian buddies! Love Gloria
It WAS a good rally. See more pics at my blog and the MiPP blog http://midwivesvictoria.blogspot.com/. The papers reported 200, but I reckon it was more like 350 adults and 150 children.
We have to really put pressure on all senators now – to demand amendment to the bills before they go to the upper house. The non-Labor senators need to know that they MUST vote against the bill. Labor senators need to know that we are voters, and we are very angry at the way they have treated midwives and women who employ us, and will remember them at the next election.
Oh and btw I'm the grey haired one in the you tube video.
Fantastic! I couldn't be there as i had a client in early labour … but so great to see the awesome turn-out and energy. Whose idea was the birth pool, loved it. Can't wait for Canberra!
Ha! I love that new's about Quantas, when I booked my flights with virgin, there was one spot left on all three morning flights for a child under two, and they allow nine under two! now what would nine infants be doing going to canberra on a monday morning at 7am? Going to the rally! After being at the rally on tuesday and seeing the prams appearing from every direction a I feel very hopeful about the numbers for canberra…, If you are still deciding, Just come!!!
Janet Fraser, a home birth advocate and founder of the site Joyous Birth, recently experienced a personal tragedy when her baby died at her home in Australia on March 27 during her free birth or unassisted childbirth
its about the baby. not your body.
taking risks that can be avoided? madness. and selfish
Dave
Wow, great to see such a turn out!
Dave in 2007 2900 babies died in hospitals with midwives, doctors uncle Tom cobley and all. Sometimes a baby will die. How dare you use a personal crisis to try and show something that just isn't true. I am sure that her baby not making it to this life had nothing to do with the lack of a medical practitioner.
Madness and selfish are those who haven't bothered to check their facts or address any real issues.
Ummm Dave, Darling, you apparently have access to a computer and the internet. Why not use this time to research and learn about homebirthing and what the risks *really* are, instead of using scare tactics, blatant fear-mongering, and quite honestly – incorrect and unknown to you – facts.
I am having a child in one month – At Home. As in a HOME BIRTH.
Do you HONESTLY think that I would be risking this very much loved, very much tried for and very much wanted child? Do you HONESTLY think that a mother who has carried a child beneath her heart would risk that child?
I'm guessing that I actually know more about whats going to happen, what my "risks" are, and what my outcomes are most proberbly going to be, than YOU do!
Sorry, but your post came across as very uneducated and inflammatory – I hope that you take this opportunity to expand your knowledge base and learn about something new!!
Dave,
If the parents and the Coroner don't know why Janet's baby died, then how come you seem to know that she was took "avoidable" risks? Where were you when my friend lost her baby when they broke the baby's neck while trying to force it out with forceps?
The reason that it is about the woman (that would be the WHOLE woman, not just her 'body') AS WELL AS the baby, is because safety for the whole woman is the best way to ensure safety for the baby. This approach is not 'selfish'. It is radically unselfish. Being a passive patient of obstetric management is not less selfish and it is certainly not safer for babies.