This is Finn's birth story. My first inkling of labour came on at approximately 4pm one Saturday afternoon. It had been quite a hot day and I was feeling very big and uncomfortable. I had reached that point where you “just wish this baby would come out”. I was only 3 days past my
Nathanael John Broadbent was born at 5:49 am on Friday 20 June 2008. It was a full moon. We celebrated the full moon the night before with our traditional family ceremony. Our oldest son Benjamin had laid out the Balinese Kris (a ceremonial dagger) and some other ceremonial pieces on John’s sarong – candles,
Having a homebirth is not a common choice in Australia. Less than one per cent of babies are born at home. This low statistic is indicative of the lack of support and services for women birthing at home. There is no government rebate for women who choose this option. Costs for a homebirth are
Reprinted with permission from Natural Life Review June 2000 Homebirth. The word arouses strong reactions even in alternative circles, and amongst those who avoid the medical system in other parts of their lives. Who would want to have their baby at home when there is a safe, clean, free hospital system? Interestingly, the answer
By Dr Zeenobiyah McGowan Family planning has been around in some form or another since the beginning of time. We have been making babies – and sometimes trying not to make babies – for as long as this species has walked the earth. We can only guess that infertility has also been around as
Once a baby is born the midwife or doctor will carefully check the placenta to ensure that no part of the placenta or membranes have remained inside the uterus. If any part of the placenta or membranes has been retained in the uterus, it can cause a postpartum haemorrhage and/or infection. The process of
“The thing is, you’re only a student.” These words hit me to the core and I was left speechless, angry and disjointed. But those words meant something. I am only a student. I can’t change the world right now, but I can make a difference. After all, it only takes
By Jenna Cicchillitti When l found out about the Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) program I was really excited. I think what excited me the most was that I would know who my midwife for my labour and birth would be. Labour and birth is a very important time and a huge event in women's
By Jane Palmer Nothing is more beautiful than a pregnant woman, and nothing is more awe inspiring than a woman giving birth. Painting is an ideal way to capture and portray this very special time in a woman’s life. When exploring pregnancy and birth artists I found Adrian Baker featured in Homebirth Access Sydney’s
Any pregnant mum will tell you how important it is to have a healthy pregnancy. For some women, high blood pressure (BP) can cause problems in pregnancy and make the pregnancy higher risk. This occurs in around 1 in 10 pregnancies. Women who take magnesium supplements are less likely to develop high blood pressure
