Re: [ozmidwifery] presentation - words of wisdom?

[Veronica]

Nola,   I think that part of active birth is promoting it to women whenever you can.  I talk about it to women I see in our midwives clinic and also if women come into our triage I talk about optimal fetal positioning ect. so that they are ready and being active even before they go into labour.  I think also that being positive yourself (as a midwife) about active birth can help women trust in themselves and in turn be more active in their birth.  I really do believe that this works because I find that the women who go through our midwives clinic compared to those that go through our antenatal clinic tend to be more informed and ask more questions and therefore are more willing to be active during their birth.  The comments from others about access to things like epidurals is interesting.  We have 2 family birthing rooms and they are in very high demand, but they can't have epidurals there and have to be transfered to a labour room if they want one. I have never come across a women who has wanted one when in the family birth room. Unsure of why this is?   Veronica   P.S I am loving my Grad. year and am trying to put into practice all that wonderful knowlege that you instilled in us!