Oneworldbirth.com

We may have it good in the UK - we have midwives, we (mostly) have choice and we have relative safety for mothers and babies. But many women and newborns are regularly failed by our maternity services and here's yet more press coverage on the subject:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/british-maternity-wards-in-crisis-2261403.html

What can we do to create change ?

I'm involved with a new campaigning website to look at birth around the world, mobilise our collective concern and demand improvements for women world wide.

http://www.oneworldbirth.com

Sign up - its worth doing for the trailer alone - and there's so much more to come.

Stay at home parents obviously don't count

I've just completed the census as required apparently by law. Where is the option to be a 'stay at home parent' ? Why are we so undervalued by society that we are practically invisible ?

Recovering from flu...

Finally on the mend after a week primarily in bed, feeling very flippin sick, watching Mad Men series 3, dragging myself up to look after the kids, the worst sore throat ever....

Some things of note:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2011/mar/20/dr-abhay-bang-revolutionary-paediatrician
- this is about training local women in India to care for premature babies at home - surely this is the key to making childbirth safer - train the traditional birth attendants so they have life saving midwifery skills and can attend women in their villages. Is this being done ? i'm going to find out....

I've just signed up to twitter and found this
https://thankyourmidwife.wufoo.com/forms/thank-your-midwife/

my good friend and colleague Toni Harman charges on with her mission to change the world
http://doulafilm.com/blog/

I'm with her

Lots to say, no time to say it....

On post half term bonkers busy catch up but an interesting development to share:

In a speech today, Andrew Lansley (Secretary of State for Health) has used maternity services as an example of how the reformed NHS will reward services providers (i.e. hospitals) for providing care that keeps people healthy. The 'Payment by Results' tariff system is being ditched so hospitals will no longer profit from performing lots of unnecessary Caesarean Sections. The NCT have been pushing (!) for this for some time - its a result. And shows how sustained lobbying can really bring about change.

We need to keep pushing (sorry - can't help it) for one mother one midwife. So much to do, so little time !!!

Midwife shortages

In the news today about community midwife shortages:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12482688

Can't stop, getting ready to go away for half term ! Aaaggghhhhh !!!

xx

Breast cancer in the news

At the end of last week, the media reported that one in eight women in the UK will contract breast cancer. Journalists debated the causes of this rise - talking about 'unhealthy lifestyle choices' such as poor diet and binge drinking. The usual 'having babies later in life' was also discussed - but no-one wanted to go there about low rates of breast feeding in this country. Poor breast feeding - also blamed for so much (sagging boobs, depriving dads of feeds, being really difficult ) but never given credit where credit's due - i.e. : breastfeeding reduces your chances of getting breast cancer !
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810161858.htm
Why does the mainstream media shy away from indirectly promoting breast feeding ?

One Born Every Minute (series 2; episode 3)

Didn't the Polish woman do well ? She was one empowered new young mum. And her own mother was just beautiful. A perfect example of how one to one continuous support from a CONFIDENT birth partner is vital for normal birth. And what a lovely (male) midwife. He was reassuring, gentle, quiet, respectful and able to build a relationship with the two women in double quick time. Imagine if they had met him antenatally ? And isn't it interesting that the labouring woman and her mum both thought he was a doctor ? Did that increase their confidence in him and his belief in normal birth ? I've heard parents in Brighton refer to the 'Midwife with the forceps'. Women = midwives. Men = doctors. When will this change ? And do we want it to ?

Blogging

I've just been chatting on Facebook with my good friend James (Maker) - google him - he's a beautiful man - an absolute one-off. He has no interest in childbirth but he is a talented author and songwriter  - so has just passed on some good advice about blogging. He told me to have fun with this, to relax into it, to enjoy it and the pen will follow. Thanks James. Like Sigourney, I will try. In the meantime, check out this about homebirth in Holland
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12043693
Sorry James - told you it was niche xx

Westminster

I travelled up to Westminster again yesterday for a meeting with the Hove MP, Mike Weatherley. Thankfully he is taking on our cause - for more midwives in the NHS and for more choice for midwives in the way they work. In the future, we want all UK midwives to have the option to provide one to one care for women. The barrier to this is insurance. To work in this way, midwives will have to access insurance directly through NHS - something they currently cannot do. Mike will be tabling a question - as they say - in the House around insurance for midwives. Why don't you ask your MP to do the same ?

The Kings Speech

I went to see the film 'The King's Speech' last night at the Odeon with my good friend Jo. Loved it, despite its occasional cheesy moments. Lionel (Geoffrey Rush) was like a wonderful midwife to the King (our Colin): earning his trust over time, helping to release his fear, creating a safe environment for the big delivery, holding his hand throughout transition, preparing him for the enormity of his new role, empowering him to glory. Go and see it - hopefully you'll understand what I mean (and you won't think I'm nuts).

The New Normal

Welcome to my blog - day one ! I've just stumbled across an article from Canada called 'The New Normal'.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/arts/story.html?id=428f0c90-dc95-4ecc-b95f-89e962a5a9e8

It argues that we are so conditioned to the idea of medicalised birth that a birth with intervention is - of course - the new normal. Why is this ? And what can we do about it ? I'm going to use this blog to explore some ideas daily. Hopefully you'll join me and together we can sort it out.