Re: [ozmidwifery] ABA endorsing NMAP ?

[Denise Hynd]

Dear All   I wrote to the President of the ABA (several times) and got no reply!I   I had a poster display and gave out information about the Community Midwifery Program WA at the national ABA conference last year in Brisbane. The response was, as always overwhelming in wanting this option for all Australian families!   In my e-mails to ABA I pointed out that CMWA and independent midwives generally have excellent breastfeeding outcomes and the research "Birth Transforms Her" shows this from CMWA. NMAP is not a push for homebirth is about CONTINUITY OF CARE BY A MIDWIFE! It is about women centred care by a known midwife the location is up to the need of the woman!!   NMAA was involved in the postcard campaign asking for alternative birthing options when Carmen Lawrence was Health Minister this resulted in the Alternative Birthing Services Funding which is how the Community Midwifery program in WA and SA got going and they are the templates for the NMAP. So there is a very important precedent   Denise Hynd ----- Original Message ----- From: Brenda Kittelty To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, September 08, 2002 10:49 PM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] ABA endorsing NMAP ? Perhaps you could also try reading ABA's Code of Ethics, which may help you understand the direction they are coming from when deciding to remain apolitical.  I can fully understand the logic behind the concern relating to the breastfeeding knowledge of many midwives.  Although you may not like to admit it, the breastfeeding knowledge of many midwives is woeful.  Many mothers have their breastfeeding relationships with their babies put right behind the eight ball from their earliest days in hospital.  I had a midwife roll her eyes and scoff at me for refusing her offer of a complementary bottle of artificial infant formula for my twins when they were not quite 24 hours old and feeding very frequently.  And this in a so called Baby Friendly Hospital!  I have heard midwives in Special Care Nursery openly endorsing a mother's decision to formula feed her twins because breastfeeding would just take too much out of her.  What utter rubbish!  So, until the WHOLE profession becomes a bit more breastfeeding friendly, I can understand the reluctance behind any decision by ABA to endorse NMAP.  But, remembering also, that this is all just hearsay and nothing has come directly from the horse's mouth so to speak.  Before you condemn ABA, how about waiting to hear some official word?  Surely that would be the fair thing to do?   Brenda Kittelty ----- Original Message ----- From: Sally Westbury To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, September 08, 2002 9:15 PM Subject: RE: [ozmidwifery] ABA endorsing NMAP ? The ABA response really is in line with all that Kerreen Reiger said in her book   Our Bodies, Our Babies  The Forgotten Women's Movement I highly recommend this book especially in light of the current political climate. She write about how the ABA made decisions to remain apolitical. So it is disappointing that they remain in the same place and will not support a movement that is obviously pro-breastfeed!! Sheesh!!! She also write about how the homebirth movement deconstructed.   Really worth a read.   Sally Westbury