Kirsten wrote: >>>>>>>I think i have to agree with you Denise. In NZ where the maternity system is different to here in Australia, and there is more woman centered midwifery care there are no doulas that i know of. In fact one of my lecturers at Auckland University of Technology, told us one day that Doulas were a threat to midwives and their role. To me (and i may be naive) that's what care/support i expect to give as a midwife....<snip>Certainly also why australia needs them when NZ a different maternity system doesn't. Maybe it does say something about the current system?<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Well just wanted to say "Hi" from a Doula based in NZ..... I disagree about there not being a need for Doulas in NZ and I find it sad that this is the attitude of that lecturer of a Midwifery degree in NZ (although it does not surprise me from some of the anti-Doula stuff I have come across from some sectors of midwifery here). I have lived here since 2002 and I came to NZ with the naive and idealistic viewpoint that my Birth Doula role would not be needed because I had heard such wonderful things about the NZ midwifery system. This made me happy although I knew I would miss my birth work.... So I have been concentrating on postnatal Doula work and promoting infant massage in the community. However, whilst the NZ midwifery system is different to the UK and in many aspects more woman-centred, I still soon started receiving enquiries from women saying that they needed a birth doula. On many occasions I have been contacted because women say they need extra support because they feel that their birth journey is being too medicalised and, upon talking to them, it transpires that in an ideal world they wanted a home, water birth or something similar and yet they are ending up in hospital because their midwife "doesn't do" water births and has no back-up for "homebirths"...???? These womens' choices are being limited by their LMC (Lead Materity Carer). On these occasions what I have thankfully been able to do is put these women in touch with more woman-centred midwives who I *know* will be able to offer them the options that they are wanting "in an ideal world". I strongly believe in and support independent midwifery, and women and their partners rights to be fully informed and have access to all the options. I know of possibly one other doula who is/was practising in Palmerston North, but other than that I seem to be on my tod although I'm trying to get the word "out there" to see if there are any other women passionate about birth who want to offer encouragement and support to parents-to-be and new parents. I have had to turn down 4 birth doula roles in the last 2 months because there is only 1 of me and no back-up doula support in the area (although a doula in training with DONA has just arrived from Canada recently). I agree too with Sally Westbury that it would be great if more emphasis was placed on the Postnatal Doula role. This is what I have been concentrating on in Wellington whilst I build up relationships built on *trust of the Doula role* within the local birthing community and, very similar to Honey's story, I am part of a group of "consumers" who, along with local midwives, are trying to promote the idea of a birthing centre which we hope will encourage, in the long term, more homebirths here. And "Hurrah" for Kylie, for being determined to concentrate on the *positives* in your article.... if we all saw the positives not the negatives and worked together, passing on our common knowledge and experience of natural birth through generations and from culture to culture, what a fantastic worldwide community spirit there would be. :o) Vida Rye Wellington, NZ www.kiwidoula.com www.nurturenz.com -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
