Hi Toni and Qld ozmidders, I was notified only yesterday of Claire's plight and the agreement she reached with the QNC to cease her work. I am enormously saddened by this action as it signifies to me the ongoing and rampant lack of consciousness of the public about true midwifery service, and absolute disregard by the state health services of the value of midwifery and the place that traditional or lay midwives have always held in the homebirth movement. The state health departments have continued to be blind to the choice by some homebirth parents to birth with traditional midwives and blind to the skills and difference of care that these midwives provide. It is a blatant form of control of people's choices and not based at all in concern re outcomes as the lay midwives of Australia hold the best perinatal statistics of any group of midwives in Australia. (Bastian, 1992) This rate was 2.7/1000 cf overall rate of 6.1/1000. The women of Queensland have now lost one of their most valued and experienced midwives. Add Claire to the list of those who have ceased providing homebirth care either from continual harassment by their state registering bodies or from the lack of PI insurance and its repercussions or from the general lack of support out there for choice in childbirth. Homebirth Australia supports the rights of parents to choose HOW, WHERE and WITH WHOM they give birth - unconditionally. I grieve for this day when yet another valued and valuable midwife is forced to cease her practice. I grieve for the women and their partners who contact me but cannot find midwives to support their needs. What has this medicalised birth culture in Australia done, to normal healthy women and to the wonderful women who have devoted their lives to supporting them??
Sue Cookson for Homebirth Australia > Dear Ozmidwifery People, > > Claire Brassard, a traditional midwife, (read not a registered nurse or > midwife) is being banned from giving care to pregnant women by the > Queensland Nursing Council (QNC). > > The e-mail that follows tells you how you can participate in a Brisbane > Protest tomorrow to give the press, media and pollies the following message: > > "Women want choices. Women who choose homebirth want the option of choosing > a traditional midwife." > > Time to stand up and be counted - do we support women having free choice or > do we only support women choosing from the the options we would like them to > have? > > Working for true choice, > > Toni Cannard > Vice President > AIMS Australia Inc (Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services - > A consumer action group) > > >> From: "Bruce Teakle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>> Subject: Support homebirth on Thursday >> Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2001 15:21:50 +1000 >> >> >> Bruce Teakle >> Lindsay Rd >> Mt Glorious 4520 >> Ph 07 3289 0231 >> >> Dear supporters of homebirth, >> >> You should know by now that Claire is going to court on thursday,13 th of >> december for the Supreme court to force her to cease caring for pregnant >> women. >> >> There is a telephone process underway to get as many supporters to the >> Brisbane Court by 9.15 am on thursday morning as possible. Please think >> about who you know who might come to support our right to a "SAFE, >> RESPONSIBLE, CARING" choice in birthing, and put out the word. It's just >> fine if people hear more than once. >> >> The Theme >> >> There are several purposes to our gathering. >>> 1. To farewell Claire from our service, and grieve for the loss of her >>> care. >>> 2. To celebrate the spirit of midwifery and its long tradition. >>> 3. To bear witness to the action of the state in denying us Claire's care. >>> 4. To express our dissatisfaction with the poor service of our political >>> servants in regard to respecting women's right of choice in birthing. >> Hopefully this will include some coverage by the media, and we are working >> at getting that to happen. >> >> The Image >> >> We will look (and be) powerful, in a way which is most likely to make our >>> political servants take notice. >> >> I propose that we behave somewhat like we are seeing off the queen (Claire >> is not the queen, actually sometimes she's just very naughty. >> However.....). For some of us Claire is the person who has given us the >> sort of loving care we are seeking in birth. For others, she may symbolise >> the care we have had from another midwife or even what we think women >> deserve. What we express in love and respect for Claire is symbolic of our >> feelings about the >model of care we seek. >> >> So let us dress and perform as if we are farewelling the queen. Flowers, >>> children, kisses, tears, families, our best clothes. >> >> Don't get me wrong, this isn't wet and weak, this is a demonstration of the >> state interfering in the lives of ordinary loving families, for no reason, >> and that does not look good. >> >> The Routine >> >> We turn up at 9.15. We can't afford to be late. Don't forget this is the >> city at peak hour, and driving in, and finding parking is a slow, terrible >> and expensive business. Consider taking the train from somewhere >> convenient. The court is equal distances from Central and Roma street >> stations, both are very close. >> >> We arrive, assemble outside the court building, and prepare for Claire's >> arrival soon after 9.30. When Claire arrives she walks the aisle we prepare >> for her, kissing and farewelling. This is when our photo opportunities are, >> when we all need to be there and prepared. >> >> She goes into court with her barrister and those of us who can go in >> (without children) to witness the proceeding. The court proceedings >> (everyone already inside and assembled) should start at 10.00 and take 10 >> minutes. >> >> Claire will then have finished her 22 years of renegade traditional >> midwifery. >> >> What next? I don't know. I'll let my beard grow back, and we can get back >> to normal (whatever that was) for a few weeks. >> >> We certainly have a big job to do in january, with the competition policy >>> stuff and so on, and preparing to get back onto our representative's >> agenda's after their holidays. This is a big task we have embarked on, and >> we won't be letting go. >> >> See you there on thursday. >> >> Best wishes from Bruce. > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
