Please ljq what is your name? Denise ----- Original Message ----- From: "ljg" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, December 14, 2001 8:20 AM Subject: Re: Support homebirth on Thursday
> > Dear Sue and list > Surely you are not suggesting that anyone who wishes to do so, may call > themselves "midwife" . Surely if this were to happen then your wonderful > perinatal statistics would increase ! I am inclined to be slighlty insulted > by the idea that any person may call him or herself a "midwife", expect to > "sit a state exam etc", become a Reg midwife,( without all the hard slog > that many of us have done over the years) and practice - I am sorry but > where is the line drawn - how much practical experience must one have before > expecting to be taken on as a Professional midwife? This would open the > doors to anyone practicing midwifery, and because of the lack of regulations > regarding lay midwifery, those doors may very well bring people who have no > experience ! And that is frightening ! > I also find slightly amazing your remarks about the International lack of > acceptance of Australian Midwifery qualifications. (And I will bite my > tongue if someone comes up with some significant literature to prove the > same). I apologise for my abruptness, but after many years of insisting on > high standards of care, I just can't quite grasp the concept that anyone may > chose to practice midwifery without formal training and be suprised when > they are prosecuted for breaking a law?? I find it difficult to get my head > around how a person with no formal training is able to deal with say, an > emergency during birth such as a massive antepartum haemmorhage or a very > flat babe ? And don't go and tell me it doesn't happen in homebirths you > guys !! > As Trish mentioned, it is not that I don't believe there are incredible, > experienced competent lay midwives out there but how as consumers of > birthing services,do we know this without formal qualifications or education > ? I also think it is wonderful that Claire has decided to partake in a > formal programme, as she will be a incredible asset to the profession ! > > PS Sue would it be possible, please to post a full reference of the > literature you cited, as would like to peruse same. Ta! > > Hi Trish, > > I must say that your missive is like waving a red rag to a bull!! > > To believe that the ownership of the title 'midwife' belongs to some state > > registering body is utter madness. It is a title that has been given to > > 'women attending women' forever. I do understand that the state > registering > > bodies have been 'allowed' to claim such ownership, but it defies all > logic. > > I say this particularly after attending a forum in Sydney recently where > it > > was made perfectly clear that the midwives registered in Australia as > > 'nurse-midwives'(my terminology) do not have their credentials accepted > > internationally. ie the midwifery education that has existed in Australia > > and still exists is deemed inferior to the direct-entry midwives of > England, > > Europe and New Zealand. > > > > One of the 'problems' existing in Australia in the homebirth movement has > > always been the lack of standards of care - for all midwives, be they > > registered or not. This is a far greater call than the registering > > credential, particularly when you are aware of the enormous variation of > > midwifery education around Australia. > > > > Lay midwives in Australia have approached various state registering bodies > > and have asked to be able to show their knowledge by sitting the state > exams > > etc and by proffering their statistics. To my knowledge, no registering > body > > has made any attempt to look at the quality of midwifery knowledge and > care > > provided by lay midwives. Even the upcoming direct entry B(Mid) courses in > > Australia are refusing to give credit to lay midwives for prior knowledge. > > > > You state that "Women might want choices, but they want and deserve some > > assurance that they make are from safe alternatives" Did you know that the > > lay midwives in Australia have better perinatal statistics than their > > registered counterparts (2.7/1000 cf 6.1/1000 Bastian 1992)?? So is the > > problem perhaps created by lack of true information and prejudice rather > > than anything more tangible?? > > > > Whilst we are still at odds about WHO is appropriate to give, is it not > the > > women who desire to give birth at home - safely- who are missing out?? > > > > > > Sue Cookson > > lay midwife > > mother of four homeborn children -two attended safely by lay midwives and > > two attended safely by myself > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear Toni and list. > > > > > > While Claire Brassard may be a very competent birth attendant (I have no > way > > > of > > > knowing either way), and there may be other 'traditional' birth > attendants out > > > there, I cannot support such a protest until such time as we have > recognition > > > of > > > their knowledge and skills against the same criteria that formally > prepared > > > midwives do. > > > > > > In all States and Territories and in most countries around the world the > word > > > 'midwife' is a protected title. This means that only those people who > meet > > > their > > > country's criteria to be recognised as a midwife can be called a midwife > and > > > can > > > practise under law as a midwife. The QNC has no option but to take this > action > > > because neither it nor any other regulatory authority in Australia has > the > > > power > > > to 'recognise' these women as midwives. > > > > > > I reiterate, this is irregardless of their level of knowledge, skill and > > > experience, and many of you would argue that some of these women would > run > > > rings > > > around us formally educated midwives. That is as may be. But how does > anyone > > > know for sure? With no standard against which they can be measured for > minimum > > > requirements to competence? > > > > > > I therefore suggest that it is self-defeating to ask for an individual > to > > > claim > > > the title 'midwife' and the right to practise as such when there is no > > > statute, > > > and no caveat that will allow it. Rather it would be more to the point > to try > > > to > > > create the process that would recognise 'other' ways of entering the > > > profession > > > besides formal studies. USA managed this process. It will be costly and > > > time-consuming and might fail. But it is imperative to protect the right > of > > > women to have a standard of midwife, because if the standard can vary > greatly > > > across formal programs when there are all sorts of processes in place to > > > enforce > > > them, then the standard for those without formal training and education > can > > > vary > > > even more greatly..... But we will never know because they are never > measured. > > > And anyone could lay claim to the title 'midwife'. And that is not a > situation > > > I > > > would like to see happen. > > > > > > Women might want choices, but they want and deserve some assurance that > the > > > choices they make are from safe alternatives. They must trust the > profession > > > to > > > regulate itself in their interests because not every woman has the > resources > > > to > > > investigate each birth attendant herself. This is actually working quite > well, > > > and the processes put in place to begin national standardisation in the > last > > > couple of years will assure that it works even better in the future. It > is > > > hoped > > > women will have a greater say in how these processes work and what > standards > > > will be met from now on. And that might include recognition of 'lay' or > > > 'traditional' birth attendants as midwives. > > > > > > Just my thoughts, and with greatest respect to individuals referred to, > who > > > may > > > indeed be the safest attendant possible. Trish David. > > > > > > Toni Cannard wrote: > > > > > >> 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. > > > > -- > > 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. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
