The right to choose homebirth
Feature | Spokesperson Rachel Siewert
Friday 31st July 2009, 3:08pm
Plans by the Federal Government for national registration of all health professionals will result in midwives in private practice being unable to seek registration on the basis of their inability to obtain professional indemnity insurance.
The Greens believe women have the right to choose safe homebirths, and will amend this proposed legislation to ensure that mothers continue to have the option of a homebirth with the assistance of a registered midwife, without incurring huge financial penalties. We need to ensure that private midwives can continue to provide safe, low risk homebirth services in full collaboration with obstetricians and other health services. Our health policy clearly states "The Australian Greens will ensure access to a full range of birthing services."
Putting up barriers for midwives will be dangerous for mothers and babies. It flies in the face of international trends in maternity care and appears completely inconsistent with the Government's stated policy of providing pregnant women with greater choice and less interventionist maternity care.
More than 50 per cent of submissions to the federal Government's recent maternity services review came from women calling for greater support for homebirthing services.
As it stands, the legislation will ostracise a vital part of our health provision in the community. Independent midwives are providing an outstanding service for mothers who choose to give birth to their baby at home. This legislation will only drive the industry underground - resulting in a return to the dark days of unsupervised childbirth, malpractice and the appalling tragedies that will undoubtedly follow.
The Greens will amend this legislation to make sure that homebirthing remains a valid option for our community.
We encourage you to share your stories about homebirthing - either below in the comments, or by emailing bridget.halbert@aph.gov.au
| Attachment | Date | Size |
|---|---|---|
![[file]](http://rachel-siewert.greensmps.org.au/sites/all/modules/webfm/image/icon/pdf.gif "Download Midwives and nurses inquiry.pdf"){kind=icon} Midwives and nurses inquiry.pdf | 19/08/09 7:32 pm | 369.84 KB |
| Homebirth_Leaflet.pdf | 09/11/09 10:50 am | 113.82 KB |
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Comments
Maternity Legislation
I would like to thank & congratulate Sen Siewert & the Greens team for standing up for the right of all women across the country to birth where & with whom they choose.
It's nice to know SOMEONE is listening to both international scientific evidence and the voices of those women wanting to birth at home on their own terms. As long as the collaboration with other professionals is on an "as needed" basis, with the woman having the ultimate say rather than being prescribed or in any way compulsory, then the Greens are definitely on the right track & I'm proud to be a Greens voter :)
Thankyou for standing up for birth choice!!
Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou!!! I applaud Rachel Siewert and the Greens for defending the rights of Australian women to have homebirth as a choice.
I did not have a home birth for my first child, who is 7 months, but i am passionately wanting one for my next child. I am filled with panic and dismay each time I think that this choice can be taken away from me by a government. We live in a democratic, free society and it is crazy that they could be jailing and fining midwives who are helping women to give birth naturally and safely. It has made my husband and I consider options such as giving birth overseas if it is made illegal here.
Please keep up the good fight on behalf of parents and our future generations.
Kind regards,
B Wong
Cremorne, Sydney
A Safe Homebirth Choice
FINALLY!....Thankyou Greens for standing up for the rights of women!
I enjoyed the most wonderful experience of birthing my daughter at home under the guidance of a very experienced private midwife, who gave me confidence in myself and my abilities as a woman to birth without the need for drugs or any hospital intervention. I researched all I could into this choice and felt it was the safest, most intimately natural way to welcome my new little one into the world. I am a university graduate with Honours so consider myself to be highly educated and I would never choose something I didn't consider to be safe for myself or my child.
Senate Inquiry
You rock! I think you did a fabulous job interogating the anti homebirthers. Well Done!!!!
Awesome work in Senate Committee Rachel
Rachel,
Have just finished reading the Hansard for the Senate Committee Hearing into the legislation. Your questions were excellent and you were so well prepared. Thanks for taking up this important issue. Keep up the good work.
Thankyou for standing up for
Thankyou for standing up for the right to choose how women birth their babies, as a soon to be new dad whose lovely wife will be birthing at home, I am appalled that the govt can even think of such a thing but then again KR does act a lot like JH's little brother! Of course again it is up to the only party who listens to the electorate. without the greens we'd be in the toilet even further than we already are! Cheers
Thank you Rachel
I know you've been working super hard on this important human rights issue Rachel and I for one am almost too grateful for words.
I've had a hospital birth and a homebirth and I NEVER want to have to go back to hospital maternity care unless absolutely necessary. CERTAINLY not because of red tape and government policy.
Independant Midwifery has enhanced and changed my life for ever and it is scary to me how close the government has come to getting this ridiculous peice of legislation passed.
THANK YOU RACHEL!
How Dare You! - I Don't Want an Obstetrician collaborating!
quote:We need to ensure that private midwives can continue to provide safe, low risk homebirth services in full collaboration with obstetricians and other health services.unquote
How dare you! That's akin to getting my doctors permission to see my chiropractor!! I dont want an obstetrician - they are for higher risk births. Birth is NOT an illness, so why on earth would I need or want an obstetrician?! Since when does the doctor get to have a say? Are you effing serious? So to get a home birth I must get a doctor who must "allow" my midwife services? What if the doctor disagrees with my midwife, he would no longer be happy to "collaborate" and really, puts a veto on not only MY CHOICES but on anothers CAREER. This is disgraceful. I am ashamed you are a woman and I am ashamed that you have bowed to this political CRAP. Green? My left elbow mate! You obviously want me flat on my back, in stirrups, with an epidural, no choices. Hey why not give me a shave and an enema too, and an episiotomy? BECAUSE YOUR AMMENDEMENT WILL MAKE SURE THIS HAPPENS.
Seriously, you call yourself a woman? One that cares for other women? THEN WHY DO YOU WANT MIDWIVES TO COLLABORATE WITH DOCTORS?????? THEY ARE NOT THE BIRTH
EXPERTS, MIDWIVES ARE!!!
Thankgod you dont live in my state, I would have to visit your office every day and protest in your face until YOU GET IT. You amaze me with your stupid ignorance.
Obviously the other commenters here didn't read properly - they actually think you give a fig for their choices about home birth, when it is clear that you dont and are trying to disguise it with this amended policy. I can read clearly, and between the lines. Can others???
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