24th Annual Homebirth Conference, Geelong.

[Notchalk]

Did anyone attend this on the weekend?:wave:

I did and loved it! It was a great re-focus and brought much laughter and tears. The whole thing was organised wonderfully, food was delicious, and it was over all very motivating. :smiliedance:

I flew over from Perth, arrived in Melbourne at 5am sat, and the conference was at 8am-ish in Geelong. No sleep on the plane with a 1year old and NO fold down bassinette like I was promised :no: thankyouverymuch VB!)... but it was very worth the trip and the $.:yes:

Anyone else go? What did you think?

Jo

[Tracie]

Hi Notchalk - Sensational!!! I thought I was knackered just coming back to Brissy but hats off to you for coming all the way from WA with your bubba!

I actually just posted in the General Chat part but what the hell, I will put it here too........

I have just come back from Geelong where I attended the 24th annual Homebirth Australia Conference....and I just had to share what a magic experience it was.

A room full of passionate, caring midwives, doulas, Dr's and mums.

And not to mention, Ina May Gaskin, Henci Goer and Dr Sarah J Buckley!

We saw some of the most beautiful and moving footage of mums birthing their bubs surrounded by familiar, rocksteady and totally loving supporters.

I had both my bubs in hospitals and while my births were nothing short of wonderful experiences, I certainly saw how they could have been even more special, had I been at home in a comfortable, familiar environment with a midwife I knew and trusted and with me for the entire time.

We also listened to some of the latest research and stats and without a shadow of a doubt, having your baby at home with an independent midwife IS AS SAFE AS HOUSES! (pardon the pun)

Ina May shared some of the numbers from her midwifery practice
and for 2286 births, they had a
1.5% caesarian rate (compared to around 27% currently in Oz hospitals ),
0.4% forceps,
0.1% vacuum
and a VBAC success rate of 98.3%
19 sets of twins all birthed vaginally
81 breech births with an 8% caesarian rate
Induction was at 5.4% but that was only with Castor Oil!!!

Absolutely inspiring and there is no way you can argue with those figures!

Granted, Home Birth isn't for everyone but gee we need to work at making it a viable choice for all Australian mums....and especially for mums in rural and remote parts of Australia (who often have to leave their families behind, to birth their babies hours away, in a strange hospital and with carers they have never met before).

If anyone has been toying with the idea of a homebirth, follow it up.....the proof is in the research that it is a wonderfully safe and fantastically empowering way to have your baby.

[Tracie]

PS which little bubba was yours? I was watching all the gorgeous kiddies all week-end and if I know which bub was yours, I guess I will know who you were too!

[Notchalk]

Ahh, my sister was looking after my baby for me, as there was no way he would sit still long enough to be in the actual conference room at all. He's a real squirmer. She had him in the hotel room or the steiner space, and I'd go out for cuddles and feed him in the breaks. He is 13 months old and has really blond hair and blue eyes. He's quite small... sort of walking but mostly crawling. First day had a blue and beige tracksuit on, second day had jeans and red top on.

Did you bring your bubs?

Mine had a ball, anyway. He loves people.

Cheers,
Jo

[becca74]

My midwife had said she was willing to forego the conference to attend my birth if I went overdue....I felt so guilty (and totally grateful!!) but THANK GOD my little Noah arrived the day before and she got on a last minute flight.....

I am especially :smiliedance: excited :smiliedance: that she got to meet Ina May Gaskin, Ina May has been my inspiration for along time now.......I will find out all the details this afternoon and I cant wait to find out!!

This would be something I would love to attend in the future, when I get myself sorted out and start training as a doula... :fingerscrossed:

[kadownie]

Sounds wonderful!! Maybe I'll go next year!! I would so love a homebirth- but I guess I would need to be pregnant first hey... not something that is going to happen in the close future...

We live in Qld- and our options here aren't all that great- hopefully though we will see some improvement sometime soon