help me bring homebirths back

[La Que Sabe]

hi there all yuu homebirthing fanatics!!
i would love to help women[and men too!!] realise that home birthing is a lovely and natural way of bringing yuur child into the world, and to not be afraid,
i don't want to become a midwife, i just want to help people not be afraid of it.
does any body have any ways of helping me do this?
any suggestions would be much appreciated =]

[PunkyDiva]

Check out The Maternity Coalition Website where you can see what they are up to in bringing about change for Maternal Health and join/meet up with like minded people. :thumbsup:

http://www.maternitycoalition.org.au/home/modules/content/?id=1

[Myztik]

Become a doula?

[La Que Sabe]

thanks for that i will check it out.
and i'm not entirely sure of the differences in a doula and midwife, apart froma s fas as i'm aware, yuu have to have a midwife but yuu can chose to have a doula?

[fai firinne]

We need more activist like you!

[text deleted by moderator]

Join your local BaBs group.

Join the local homebirth group in Adelaide, there's a strong group there and a good contact is Lisa Barrett - here's her website: Homebirth - A Midwife Mutiny (http://www.homebirth.net.au/)

Go, girl!

[Myztik]

A doula is more a support person from what I gather. I dont know a huge amount about what they do (had never heard of them til I joined BH lol). They are there to help you have the birth you want.

[La Que Sabe]

thanks, will check it out, i know lisa well.

[Fuchsia!]

A doula is someone who is there to support the mother and to be a voice for them whiloe they are in labour. They support the woman in whatever choices they choose.

They have no medical responsibilities. Just support for the mother :)

[stellarella]

A doula is purely a support person, there to support, massage and encourage...think of them as a friend who has had more experience at supporting women through birth.

They do not provide antenatal care in the form of BP, heart beat checks or belly palpitation, they cannot handle emergencies or make medical decisions. There a vast differences between midwives and doulas.

Midwives can do everything a doula can plus more. They train for many many years and the good ones (the true "with woman" midwives) know the ins and outs of childbirth and are more skilled in childbirth than your average OB. They should certainly be respected on the level of an OB, I respect their skills far more in fact.

Oh and good on you with the HB advocacy!! :thumbsup:

[La Que Sabe]

thanks for that, i don't necessarily want to be a doula or midwife, i am just more interested in getting this information out there!!
not enough people know about it, or understand it!! [imo anyway!]

[MelissafromSyd]

What a great post!

I'd be up for trying to promote home births ... just not sure how best to go about it.

It seems to be that people will only hear what they want to hear. If preople are presented with facts / ideas that they don't want to listen to, they react defensively, get angry or have some other negative reaction.

I'd love to share ideas on hos HB / midwifery care can be promoted without getting people worked-up.

Cheers,
Melissa.