|
Hi Sue, the address for the people I told you about
is
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, August 23, 2002 7:34
AM
Subject: [ozmidwifery] Dr John
Stevenson
Hi Jo,
Dr John Stevenson was known at one time as 'the
father of homebirth' in Australia.
He established a homebirth practice in
South Yarra, Melbourne from about 1976 -1984, after being asked to attend a
homebirth by a woman who was agoraphobic. He had previoulsy worked at a
hospital in Melbourne delivering babies as well as running a GP practice.
He quickly gained a good reputation through the women and their friends
... and had attended over 1100 homebirths by Dec 1983.
John ran his
practice from his house and had set up an interesting and informative place
for pregnant families to visit. Always lots of photos and stories around,
newsletters from around Australia and overseas - there was even a Melbourne
Homebirth Group. John also helped interested women to learn more about birth,
and his house was often full of midwives and mothers, learning and
sharing.
John's statistics were excellent, but as yet have not been
published. John found his way into homebirth when he was in his late 50's. He
will soon turn 81 or 82.
In Jan 1984 John was deregistered by the Vic
branch of the AMA, and then he lost a supreme court challenge. The 3 cases
against him were 'gathered' by the AMA in a campaign to 'control homebirth',
or that's my interpretation, and it did sing the death knoll for the Melbourne
group as well as most of the midwives who worked with him.
John was at the
birth of my first 2 children, and has been my mentor and friend ever since. He
is a very dear and sensitive person, who is passionate about the importance of
normal birth and its effect on maternal (and other)bonding.
He currently
lives in Springvale, Melbourne and is always keen to talk about birth. He is
very well respected for his wonderful but radical perspective on birth, more
so perhaps in the States than here in Australia.
If you wish to have
John's contact details, or wish to know more about him, please email me
personally.
Thanks,
Sue Cookson
I have previously posted statistics on post dates from Dr John
Stevenson's homebirth practice in Melbourne from 1976 - 1984.
this line was in an email from Sue Cookson...I have
just recently been chatting to Nancy Wainer Cohen and she suggested we get
in contact with a Dr John Stevenson but I had no idea who or where this
gentleman might be? Can anyone tell me anything about this
man?
cheers
Jo Bainbridge
founding member CARES
SA
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
phone: 08 8388 6918
birth with
trust, faith & love...
----- Original Message -----
From: Sue Cookson
<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2002
2:10 PM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Overdue
Hi all,
I have previously posted statistics on post
dates from Dr John Stevenson's homebirth practice in melbourne fron
1976 - 1984. Ultrasounds were available to those who wanted them, but
over 10% of his women went over 42 weeks, one to 48 weeks, and there
were no fetal deaths or known fetal compromise.
I was one of those
with my first pregnancy going 44 weeks, and yes she was my biggest
baby out of my four, at 7lb 5oz.
John was very careful to check
amniotic fluid levels (by palpation) and always checked how we felt
about our babes. My biggest trial even then was trying to ignore the
hysteria and misplaced concern from all of my workmates and my mothers
workmates.
So many 'boundaries' have been set by our
obstetric establishment, and one can only guess at how many of them
and which of them are real and/or have evidence to back them !
As
Sally said, these experiences we have and the telling of them to
others are what can help us to take that leap of faith and trust women
more.
Yours in trusting
women,
Sue
|
