Nurses & Midwives Bill

Here is my submission to the senate standing committee who are looking into the proposed amendments to the Nurses & Midwives Bill & two related bills. There were over 2000 submissions form the public for this committee meeting as well as a fair number of organisational ones. That's a pretty good response, considering the arrogant assholes in the government seem to think that the home birthing community is too small to bother regarding our rights. It seems like there will be no resolution until at least march next year, when the senate vote whether to pass the legislation or not.

Dear Senate Committee Members,

I am writing to express my grave concerns for the rights and choices of Australian women due to the Health Legislation Amendment (Midwives and Nurse Practitioners) Bill 2009 and two related Bills. As a woman who had her first birth “managed” by the medical institution with disastrous results it is absolutely imperative to me that I retain my rights to choose the situation in which I give birth. I am disgusted that my basic human right to choose my care provider and my right to informed consent and refusal in regards to medical care are being removed by this legislation and its proposed amendments.

The proposed amendment which stipulates that midwives must have a formal collaboration agreement with an individual doctor, in order to seek registration and practice privately, is effectively removing these autonomous professionals from the community. It is giving obstetricians the power to veto women’s choices and midwives ability to practice. It will reinforce a subordinate position for midwives relative to doctors, by restricting midwives due to the prejudices and whims of less collaborative doctors.

Midwife care is meant for normal, low risk pregnancies - the majority of women. Obstetric care under a private obstetrician (a surgeon) is meant for high risk patients, not normal pregnancies. The two scenarios are worlds apart and it is ludicrous to suggest that obstetricians could “oversee” private practice midwifery and women still receive the birthing outcomes they desire, with the minimum of intervention.

We are going backwards here, regardless of the recommendations of the Maternity Services Review (and WHO guidelines) that women be at the center of birth choices. Stripping women of choice in birth care is dangerous and the government is at risk of creating an underground “free birth” culture if women do not have access to independent midwives for home birth. Giving obstetricians the choice of which midwives can practice, how and where they can attend women, and in fact which women may be attended is not putting us, the women, at the center of birthing choices. I am outraged by the arrogance of this legislation.

Next time I give birth it will be at home with a qualified, caring, immensely skilled and wise independent midwife. This is my right as a woman and a human being. I will be paying for this care out of my own pocket, despite being an Australian citizen with both Medicare and private health insurance. This legislation is backward, anti-competitive, anti-woman, anti-choice and pro-obstetrician. How can this happen in a progressive democracy?

Lets get real here and admit was is truly going on. Banning private midwifery is of no benefit to anyone accept obstetricians and the AMA and their medical and financial monopoly on birthing. What is known by all informed and intelligent women in the birthing community is that this is about dollars and control- end of story. We are not stupid, and we are not going away. We will oppose this legislation until eventually our government will accept that there is a legal obligation and duty of care to provide birthing women with the care they choose, as is the case in the United Kingdom.

The main point of contention for me over this legislation is that the government officials and bureaucrats making decision on what I can and cannot do with my own body do not understand the true importance of what they are playing with. The medically managed birth of my daughter was the most traumatic moment of my life and this legislation has the potential to strip me of any way of healing that trauma by accessing the care I need for a better outcome with my next birth. If you understood and cared about the deep trauma some women experience at the hands of the medical industry you could never allow this legislation to stand.

I implore you to question these amendments thoroughly and to listen to the many voices of the women writing submissions to you because birthing Australian women hold the future of this country in their wombs.
Sincerely yours,

The Birth Of Madeleine Eve....

Not exactly the image I was preparing to see for the 29 years leading up to the birth of my precious first born, I can tell you that much. My first birthing experience, regardless of all the best intentions, was pretty much the classical cascade of interventions. I have learned so much from this birth, I have lost so much due to it also, and I have gained a perfect, healthy, spectacular daughter. There was so much going on, on so many levels, that it's hard to articulate, with any power, the true feelings I experienced during the process of bringing her into the world. Since this blogging journey stared from my desire to record my birthing and parenting journey it is fitting that I start with this post even though I am not ready to write the birth story now. It will come at some point....